Let us know if you liked this article. Plastic is more sanitary and safer to use than other alternatives. The answer isnt as simple as you may think: While its true that paper straws arent as harmful as plastic straws, this doesnt mean that, Read More Paper vs. Another indirect danger of plastic bags has breeding ground in the pollution they create. CRIDDLE:Cost is a huge issue. 1 producer of plastic waste in the world. Leape has long been a leader in ocean conservation efforts. The very best alternative is a reusable bag. NRDCs Eric Goldstein gives the scoop on the latest environmental villain and explains why plastic straws really are a big menace to our oceans. Well, lets have a look at the most important reasons why single-use plastic bags should be banned right now. A recent report showed that plastic production contributes to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions at every point in its life cycle. According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, microplastics are so small that they move straight through water filtration, Read More What Are Microplastics and Why Are They a Concern? If the environmental movement drew up a Most Unwanted list for 2018, the plastic drinking straw surely would land Hi, Im Hugh, and my mission with Get Green Now is to raise awareness of environmental issues and teach people how to live sustainably. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. These steps are pretty straight forward and depend on your own initiative. One recent survey found plastics in 94 percent of tap water samples in the U.S. and in nearly every brand of bottled water. Due to its chemistry, nothing in nature can make plastic biodegrade. Thats bad news for our carbon reduction goals: if plastic production continues unabated, its greenhouse gas emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030equal to adding nearly 300 new coal-fired power plantseven as the need to curb global climate change becomes more urgent. (Everything You Need To Know)Continue, Many restaurants have banned plastic straws due to their harmful effects on the environment, and have switched to paper alternatives instead. They store these polymers inside their cells as tiny granules. The phthalate DEHP, as just one example from dozens, is often added to plastic goods like shower curtains and garden hoses to make them more flexiblebut was also found to be a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Banning plastic straws is also increasingly popular. Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. This type of plastic is derived from petroleum. How exactly does the use of plastic do harm to the environment?Plastic has a very long half-life in the environment, during which it poses a danger to animals and spreads toxic chemicals.Additionally, plastic is a contributor to the warming of the planet.Nearly every type of plastic is manufactured using chemicals that are leftover from the manufacturing of fossil fuels, which contribute to global warming (gas, oil and even coal). In the spirit of eliminating waste, plastic straws appeared to be a way to further the cause: straws aren't essential to the dining experience, and by banning them, oceans, streets, and general society would theoretically benefit. Lizzie Carr is shining a light on what is floating through the worlds waterways, and breaking athletic records along the way. and reefs composed of coral, F) I Plastic straws are one of the top five most often used items. If you are constantly feeling gassy, then you should definitely consider drinking beverages the old fashioned way. In fact, the global backlash against plastic straws likely started after researchers off the coast of Costa Rica shared a viral video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose. Manufacturers began replacing traditionally paper or glass staples with lighter or more durable and affordable plastic alternatives; plastic jugs replaced milk jars, for instance. Consumer outrage about the plastics crisis is already commanding attention from big companies and from many governments. Over time, sun and heat slowly turn plastics into smaller and smaller pieces until they eventually become what are known as microplastics. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. 4. Theyre in about a quarter of the seafood in our markets, and even in table salt. You cannot recycle them in the regular curbside collection of plastic, but you should be able to find many larger food stores and retailers (for example: Target, Walmart, Tesco, Morrisons, etc.) The Pasig River in the Philippines is another scary example of the negative effects of plastic bags on the environment. Try reusable and compostable beeswax wrap for an easy and decorative option. Some microplastics are even small by design, like the microbeads used in facial scrubs or the microfibers in polyester clothing. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they can drink. These costs include the true environmental costs of resource extraction and depletion, the loss of quality of life, economic loss from littering, and wildlife loss. Look around and you will notice that plastic bags are the most common litter. A study analyzes water transactions that leave water in the river, and shows how they could be scaled up to avert cuts for major water users while supporting imperiled ecosystems. By being aware about these issues, you will be ready to present some strong arguments why plastic bags should be banned in your area and answer questions of people who will become your ally if you will persuade them about your good intentions. For the oceans sake, wed better hope so. Low rated: 2. Disney is eliminating single-use plastic straws and stirrers at all its theme parks, resorts and properties. Here are a few more tips for ridding your life (and your community) of single-use plastics for good. About half the cost of making biodegradable polymers is the cost of feedstock. | | Other states such as Hawaii, cities such as Seattle and New York, and corporations such as Amazon and Starbucks are also considering or have initiated plastic phase-out plans. Paper straws cannot be recycled in any way. Starbucks plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. Plastic is not the largest contributor of pollution and the . China 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned Manufacturers, Supply 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with High Quality, Wholesale 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with Low Price, High Quality. Already in 2001, researchers found that the mass of microscopic plastic fragments in the North Pacific Central Gyre was 6 times higher than of plankton. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment? Straws are notorious for being readily blown away by the wind. Oil and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources and through their extraction and production, they emit greenhouse gases, which contribute to global climate change. Why is plastic bad for the environment? According to the findings of a study that was carried out in 2019 by students at the University of Washington, 78 percent of respondents used straws made of biodegradable materials that are in compliance with the prohibition, and 68 percent used utensils that are in compliance with the ban. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. Some countries have decided to do so after directly experiencing negative impacts of plastic bags, other countries have implemented the ban to reach their sustainability goals. It may not seem like much, but when you imagine how many bags they have to provide throughout a year, you will quickly realize that plastic bags are costly. New research shows their prolific dam building benefits river water quality so much, it outweighs the damaging influence of climate-driven droughts. The bottom line of any plastic ban is that we must use less single-use plastics overall. While we may not pay for plastic bags directly when we go shopping, they are anything but free.. Similar fate has met dolphins, seals, cats, dogs, deer and many other animals which got severely cut on their bodies due to plastic bag entanglement. Have you ever seen endangered sea turtles hatch? Additionally, awareness raising campaigns create a social pressure that should inspire local government and institutions to help in making changes at a bigger scale, like a regional ban or levy. Even if plastic doesnt end up in the ocean, recycled plastic is often exported from high-income countries to developing countries to process. The production of these bags is very energy intensive. We are working hard to improve our content. 12 Reasons for Banning Plastic Bags: Plastic Bags Are Made With Non-Renewable Energy Plastic Bags Use Up Lots Of Energy Plastic Bags End Up In The Ocean Beach Plastic Litter Is On The Rise Plastic Bags Kill Millions Of Animals Every Year Plastic Takes A Long Time To Disintegrate Plastic Is Harming The Ocean's Coral Plastic Bags Contain Toxins Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back. The crucial challenge is to ensure that these bans are just a first step. Communities and consumers can play vital roles in sparking action. Most plastic straws are made from harsh chemicals making them impossible to reuse or recycle. Facebook; Contact Now . 2023 Get Green Now. Though plastica chain of synthetic polymers, essentiallywas invented in the mid-19th century, it wasnt until the 1970s that its popularity skyrocketed. Tweet, call, or send letters to these companies to ask them to switch to more durable, recyclable, compostable, renewable, and/or recycled-content packaging with less fossil fuelderived plastic. Stanford Reportspoke withJim Leape, co-director of theStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, andCraig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, about the path to reducing ocean plastic pollution. This ban has led to an increase in the demand for sustainable plastic alternatives and has also created space for several plant-based materials in the market. This means that you are not consuming more resources every time you need to carry your groceries home. Criddle and Leape are also senior fellows at theStanford Woods Institute for the Environment. And recent studies found plastic in the guts of 90 percent of the seabirds tested and 100 percent of the turtles. According to a 2017 study, more than half of non-fiber plastic, which excludes synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, comes from plastic packaging alone, much of which is for single-use items. To make matters worse, if plastic straws get into the ocean, they can be mistaken for food by marine animals. While these countries and municipalities have been making strides in their part of reducing circulation of plastic bags, in total there are 195 countries in the world [19] and the issue of plastic pollution is still getting out of our hands. So, plastic waste only speeds up the destruction of these most biodiverse ecosystems on earth. You need to know what effects plastic bags have on the environment and health. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. Since their birth, baby turtles have only one goal to get to the sea and swim into deep waters where they will feed and if successful grow into adult turtles. But the sheer amount of plastic waste inundates communities until they are drowning under thousands of tons of plastic trash. One of the most significant negative effects that plastic bags have on the natural world is that it takes a very long time for them to degrade.In addition, the breakdown of plastic bags in the sun results in the release of hazardous compounds into the surrounding soil, and the combustion of plastic bags results in the release of a poisonous material into the surrounding air, contributing to the problem of ambient air pollution. Beyond the costs associated with the production and purchasing of plastic bags by retailers, there are many external costs that are often not considered. As a result, the ban will reduce the number of plastic straws polluting the ocean. In this article, Ill go over both the pros and cons of a plastic straw ban. Paper vs. They are a part of our modern lives, and we dont tend to think much about them. Read more about us. As part of the Break Free From Plastic movement, Greenpeace volunteers conducted an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines, sifting through tens of thousands of individual pieces across 42 countries to identify the pollutions sources. Driven by public pressure, governments and corporations are considering eliminating or phasing out single-use plastics such as straws. An additional problem with plastic grocery bags recycling is their cleanliness. The following are ten lines on why plastic bags need to be prohibited: 1) The careless disposal of trash in plastic bags leads to an increase in litter.2) The use of plastic bags contributes to the depletion of our natural resources, including water, trees, and agricultural products.3) Because of the danger it causes to marine life, the total Will Shifting to Reusable Straws Really Make a Difference? It also took 100% of those plastic grocery bags out of the recycling system, where they bound up machinery and increased costs. Single-use plastics in particularespecially small items like straws, bags, and cutleryare traditionally hard to recycle because they fall into the crevices of recycling machinery and therefore are often not accepted by recycling centers. Summary: Reduce your use of single-use plastics. In Ireland, where this fee was instituted in 2002, plastic bag usage decreased by about 90 percent. Oene Moedt-Foto Natura/Minden via National Geographic Images, Major Corporations and Single-Use Plastics, secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, and research has suggested that human exposure, 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic, one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector, could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030, an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines. Activists Say Straws Should Be Banned Because They Are a 'Gateway Plastic' Advocates hope a straw ban will be the first step toward broader plastic prohibitions. No! Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they can drink. The people of Macon, Georgia, saw through it. Participate in beach or river cleanups. For example, in Botswana, the consumption of plastic bags dropped by 50 percent after the introduction of the tax in 2007. As plastic bags are not disposed properly . The trend has already started. that do collect plastic bags and other plastic films and send them for proper recycling. Thanks for signing up. State Disclosures. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. As plastic bags tend to get caught in recycling machinery, most recycling facilities do not have the capacity to recycle plastic bags and therefore do not accept them. How? It is predicted that each year 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, with 1.152.41 tons of that plastic being carried there by major rivers all over the world. Speak out in support of local plastic bans, whether by calling your local government representative, submitting an op-ed to your citys newspaper, or simply starting conversations with neighbors. What is the root of the problem (consumers or municipal waste management)? They discovered that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestl products were found most often. Alternatives to plastic straws, such as paper, may not always be effective for disabled people: paper can be bitten through or broken easily. Quick Navigation for Reasons Why Plastic Shopping Bags Should Be Banned, [1] https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf, [2] https://www.eco-business.com/opinion/getting-rid-of-plastic-bags-a-windfall-for-supermarkets-but-it-wont-do-much-for-the-environment/, [3] https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/2018/04/09/plastic-chokes-dhakas-drainage/, [4] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bags-petroleum/, [5] https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2935417&page=1, [6] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/plastic-planet-waste-pollution-trash-crisis/, [7] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/124006/pdf, [8] https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/rare-sea-turtles-eating-plastic-at-record-rate, [9] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cobi.12126, [10] http://www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr/index.en.php?id=934, [11] http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2008/12/plastic-bags-and-animals-making-the-wild-safe-for-wildlife/, [12] http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6374/460, [13] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/22/microplastics-found-in-human-stools-for-the-first-time, [14] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bag-clean-costs/, [15] http://www.bagmonster.com/2010/04/the-true-cost-of-single-use-bags.html, [16] http://www.cep.unep.org/cep-documents/unep-press-release-on-the-effects-of-plastic-waste-on-marine-ecosystems.pdf, [17] https://greentumble.com/can-plastic-bags-be-recycled/, [18] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bag-clean-costs/, [19] https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-countries-are-in-the-world.html, [20] https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf. If the answer is yes, you should know that this inadvertent overconsumption of single-use plastic carries with it a very high cost to the environment, which in turn also negatively affects our health. Plastic straws have an especially high propensity to end up in our rivers after being thrown away. Though plastica chain of synthetic polymers, essentiallywas invented in. For many in the disabled community, the availability of plastic straws is essential for their well-being and survival. You can be sure of one thing, though. Straws have been found stuck in a sea turtle's nose and wedged in the stomachs of dead birds and dolphins. . Only then would a plastic straw ban be able to actually help preserve the environment. Pack it alongside reusable cutlery (like wood, bamboo, or metal chopsticks) for sustainable eating on the go. In addition, despite the fact that the FDA has deemed this to be safe for consumption, chemicals from the plastic may seep into liquids, releasing substances that have the potential to influence estrogen levels. 2015-2023 Greentumble. Straws made of plastic contribute to the pollution of our seas and streams. On average, plastic bags cost retailers about 3-5 cents each. LEAPE:There are two clear imperatives. Once the wheel starts spinning, it leads to even more positive changes. The crucial challenge is to ensure that these bans are just a first step, offering a natural place to start with low-hanging fruit so long as its part of a much more fundamental shift away from single-use plastics across the value chains of these companies and our economy. You can use some easy online locators to see the closest plastic bag drop-off. In Taiwan, which was once overflowing with so much trash that it spurred public protest and the nickname Garbage Island, companies now either manage their own waste or subsidize government-run infrastructure. Here's a quick list of the ways plastic straws may be harming your health: 1. In 2015 researchers from the University of Georgia estimated that between 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic per year make their way into the oceans via people living within 30 miles of a coast. The manufacturing of reusable bags or compostable alternatives to plastic bags offers a new opportunity to create sustainable products and provide jobs that go with them. However, we are all too familiar with situations when a cashier automatically puts your items in a plastic bag before you can oppose it. 2. Well, before putting it into the laundry basket, take a look at it closely. New and sustainable business models are needed to address the current plastic deluge and also to enable a new generation of sustainable materials and technologies. Additionally, a plastic straw ban could also act as a gateway into other single-use plastic bans for items like plastic bottles and plastic bags, which are worse for the environment than plastic straws. As for reusable straws, they arent flexible as plastic ones and can be easily forgotten at home. This means that you need to first educate yourself about the problem. We hear everywhere around us that we need to save energy. There are some great initiatives that strive to provide jobs for women in rural communities with limited possibilities of securing monthly income. Microplastics were found in soft drinks like Coca Cola, in tap water, in seafood It has contaminated our food chain, so it should not surprise us that it can be tracked in our body. To align with global efforts, India banned single-use plastic items from July 1, 2022. Then, you should try to explain your reasons for not wanting your products packed in plastic bags. Plastic bags and plastic products overall contain substances that are harmful to our health. Policies like bottle bill lawswhich generally require retailers to add a fee on individual bottles, which can then be partially redeemed by customers when they recycleare a way to increase corporate responsibility for waste while providing a monetary incentive to recycle. This measure should encourage people to switch to reusable alternatives. Even if you can't go zero waste entirely, it's high time we all ended our reliance on single use plastics. Let companies that make your favorite products know that you care about the packaging. A last example of a true horror caused by plastic has been discovered just recently. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye. Our addiction to plastic also has negative impacts on the climate. ), then its clean! You could either discuss with a store manager a possibility of bringing your own containers for these products. Plastic is putting a strain on waste management systems, our oceans, and vulnerable communities the world over. On their long journey, they will encounter many difficulties and only a small portion of them will survive. Plastic pollution is one of the biggest problems facing our world today. For example, millions of discarded plastic bags clog water drainage channels and sewers in urban areas of Bangladesh. (Everything You Need To Know). According to some estimates, the cost of plastic bag cleanup is about 17 cents per bag [14] and the cost is paid by us once again. Most of it is either dumped in landfills or ends up in the ocean. Plastic straws are one of the most common forms of pollution found on beaches and in oceans all over the world. These are known to be hormone-disrupting chemicals. This is the case particularly in Southeast Asia, which has begun to import much of the plastic that used to go to China for recycling. Gas, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. The majority of plastic bags are made of polyethylene, a substance that is derived from crude oil refining and natural gas processing. Shuddering and unable to breathe, he vomited up five plastic bags. female pomeranian temperament; splinterlands terms and conditions; carbon emissions data by company; ( ) + . Using these non-renewable resources to make plastic bags is very short-sighted, considering that the typical useful life of each plastic bag is about 12 minutes and that the worlds oil reserves contain enough oil to cover our needs through 2050, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. Another example of a locally issued ban is Seattle where not only single-use plastic bags have been banned but also single-use compostable and biodegradable bags. What do the bans accomplish? Petroleum-based plastic bags are composed of very resistant synthetic polymers that may take up to 1,000 years or never until they completely degrade in natural environments [6]. If environmental zealots and sycophants get their way, you won't be allowed to sip it through a plastic straw. update email soon. Divers, for example, descend 130 feet under the water, seek unique-looking creatures, and observe the marine world in all its glory. They also arent accepted by recycling facilities because they can jam recycling machinery (due to their small size). As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips? Plastics also permeate freshwater systems like rivers and streams. The truth is that we do not know yet the full scale of negative impacts plastic waste can have on marine and terrestrial environments because it hasnt been around long enough to allow us to assess possible scenarios of its influence on natural cycles. Your email address will not be published. In fact, it is estimated that up to 10 million plastic bags are used every minute around the world [1]. So, plastic bag recycling facilities are few and far between and transportation to one could be expensive. Better alternatives are available 10. Since the 1950s, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics have been produced, and half of that in the past 15 years alone. In fact, plastic bags are considered by many recycling facilities the number one contaminant and their removal from the recycling stream costs municipalities close to $1 million a year [18]. Most retailers will get your point, but it can also happen that they will not be willing to sell you some products without placing it in their plastic bags because of having to oblige with some hygiene and sanitary standards (for example when selling meat products).