Share

Introduction    What is Plastic    Making of Plastic    History of Plastic    Chemicals in Plastic    Plastics type and their uses    Plastic is 'non-degradable    Plastic when burn in air    Recycling of Plastic    Plastic carry bag pollution    Pollution due to plastic bottles    Plastic pollution in sea    Plastic poison - Styrofoam    Awareness on plastic pollution    How to check plastic pollution    New research            Introduction   The discovery of plastics revolutionized our society by introducing  an enormous and expanding range of products and have displaced many traditional materials—such as wood, stone, horn and bone, leather, paper, metal, glass and ceramic—in most of their former uses. We use plastic in an innumerable ways in our daily life such as food storage containers, water and milk bottles,  packaging and carry bags, pipes,  electronic items, frames, electric wiring, toys, furniture, cloths, injection syringes and other several thousands of items.      But plastic is one of the major toxic pollutants today. Plastic is a non- biodegradable substance, composed of toxic chemicals, plastic pollutes earth, air and water. Plastic causes serious damage to environment both during its production and disposal. The major chemicals that go into the making of plastic as ethylene oxide, benzene and xylenes  are highly toxic and pose serious threat to living beings of all species on earth. These chemicals can cause an array of maladies ranging from birth defects to cancer, damage the nervous system and the immune system and also adversely affect the blood and the kidneys. Also many  toxic gases are emitted during recycling of plastic.     More than a 100 million tonnes of plastic is produced world-wide each year. Disposal of plastic through recycling, burning, or landfilling is a myth because it does not undergo bacterial decomposition. Once plastic is produced, the harm is done once and for all. Plastic wastes clog the drains and thus hit especially urban sewage systems. The plastic wastes being dumped into rivers, streams and seas contaminate the water, soil, marine life and also the very air we breathe. Choked drains provide excellent breeding grounds for disease-causing mosquitoes besides causing flooding during the monsoons.

A recent US report concluded that more than 100000 marine mammals die each year in the world's oceans by eating or becoming entangled in plastic rubbish, and the position is worsening World-wide, 75 marine bird species are  known to eat plastic articles.          Mumbai authorities have purchased 42,000 litres of perfume recently to spray on the city’s enormous waste dumps at Deonar and Mulund landfill sites       River Ganga and River Yamuna is congested with plastic waste and effluents

What is Plastic   Plastics are synthetic substances produced by chemical reactions. Almost all plastics are made from carbon and  petroleum, except a few experimental resins derived from corn and other organic substances.      Plastics are polymers, very long chain molecules that consist of subunits (monomers) linked together by chemical bonds. The monomers of petrochemical plastics are inorganic materials (such as styrene) and are not biodegradable.   The types of monomers and the ways that they are arranged give different chemical properties to various plastics. Plastics can be divided into two major categories: 1. Thermoset or thermosetting plastics. Once cooled and hardened, these plastics retain their shapes and cannot return to their original form.  2. Thermoplastics. Less rigid than thermosets, thermoplastics can soften upon heating and return to their original form.    Making of Plastic    To make plastics on an industrial scale the following steps are involved:   1.Raw materials and monomers are prepared:  Various raw materials that make up the monomers such as Ethylene and propylene, come from crude oil, which contains the hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon raw materials are obtained from the "cracking process" used in refining oil and natural gas   2. Carry out polymerization reactions:  Various hydrocarbons obtained from cracking, are chemically processed to make hydrocarbon monomers and other carbon monomers (like styrene, vinyl chloride, acrylonitrile) used in plastics. Next, the monomers carry out polymerization reactions in large polymerization plants.     3. Process the polymers into final polymer resins:  The reactions  in plants produce polymer resins, which are collected and further processed. Processing can include the addition of plasticizers, dyes and flame-retardant chemicals. The final polymer resins are usually in the forms of pellets or beads.   4. Produce finished products:  The polymer resins are processed into final plastic products. Generally, they are heated, molded and allowed to cool. There are several processes involved in this stage, such as Extrusion, Injection molding, Blow molding, Rotational molding, depending upon the type of product.       History of Plastic   The first man-made plastic was created by Alexander Parkes who publicly demonstrated it at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in London. The material called Parkesine was an organic material derived from cellulose. Celluloid is derived from cellulose and alcoholized camphor. John Wesley Hyatt invented celluloid in 1868. He created celluloid in a strip format for movie film. By 1900, movie film was an exploding market for celluloid.    After cellulose nitrate, formaldehyde was the next product to advance the technology of plastic. In 1899, Arthur Smith received British Patent 16,275, for "phenol-formaldehyde resins for use as an ebonite substitute in electrical insulation", the first patent for processing a formaldehyde resin. However, in 1907, Leo Hendrik Baekeland improved phenol-formaldehyde reaction techniques and invented the first fully synthetic resin to become commercially successful, trade named Bakelite.    In 1926 - Vinyl or PVC - Walter Semon invented a plasticized PVC and 1927 - Cellulose Acetate was invented. In 1933 - Polyvinylidene chloride or Saran also called PVDC - accidentally discovered by Ralph Wiley,  1935 - Low- density polyethylene or LDPE  by Reginald Gibson and Eric Fawcett, 1936 - Acrylic or Polymethyl Methacrylate, 1937 - Polyurethanes tradenamed Igamid for plastics materials and Perlon for fibers. by  Otto Bayer and co-workers discovered and patented the chemistry of polyurethanes and in 1938 - Polystyrene made practical . In 1938 - Polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE tradenamed Teflon by  Roy Plunkett, 1939 - Nylon and Neoprene considered a replacement for silk and a synthetic rubber respectively by Wallace Hume Carothers, 1941 - Polyethylene Terephthalate or Pet by Whinfield and Dickson were invented. In 1942 - Low Density Polyethylene and  Unsaturated Polyester also called PET patented by John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson. In  1951 - High-density polyethylene or HDPE tradenamed Marlex by Paul Hogan and Robert Banks, in 1951 - Polypropylene or PP by Paul Hogan and Robert Banks, in 1953 - Saran Wrap introduced by Dow Chemicals. In 1954 - Styrofoam the trademarked form of polystyrene foam insulation, invented by Ray McIntire for Dow Chemicals. In 1964 - Polyimide, in 1970 - Thermoplastic Polyester this includes trademarked Dacron, Mylar, Melinex, Teijin, and Tetoron, in 1978 - Linear Low Density Polyethylene and in 1985 - Liquid Crystal Polymers were invented.

Chemicals in Plastic   The vast majority of plastics are composed of polymers of carbon and hydrogen alone or with oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine or sulfur in the backbone. The backbone is that part of the chain on the main "path" linking a large number of repeat units together. To vary the properties of plastics, both the repeat unit with different molecular groups "hanging" or "pendant" from the backbone.     Some plastics are partially crystalline and partially amorphous in molecular structure, giving them both a melting point   and one or more glass transitions. Semi-crystalline plastics include polyethylene, polypropylene, poly (vinyl chloride), polyamides (nylons), polyesters and some polyurethanes. Many plastics are completely amorphous, such as polystyrene and its copolymers, poly (methyl methacrylate), and all thermosets.   BPA (bisphenol A) is the chemical found in plastic food containers, eyeglass lenses and CDs, and  researchers fear it may cause heart disease and diabetes. Some of the constituents of plastic such as  benzene and vinyl chloride are known to cause cancer.The chemical Bisphenol A, used to harden plastics in baby bottles, food containers, cling wrap, toys, CDs, sunglasses, and thousands of other products, may be harmful. Tests on animals and other research indicate that it can be toxic even at very low doses.    Past studies found that this chemical, also known as BPA, may cause a wide range of health problems, including breast and prostate cancer, infertility, diabetes, brain damage, even obesity. It is part of a class of chemicals that scientists say disrupt the hormonal system, mimicking the effects of hormones such as oestrogen and testosterone.    Plastics type and their uses    Common plastics type are:     Polypropylene (PP) -  Food containers, appliances, car fenders (bumpers).     Polystyrene (PS) - Packaging foam, food containers, disposable cups, plates, cutlery, CD boxes.     High impact polystyrene (HIPS) -  fridge liners, food packaging, vending cups.     Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) -  Electronic equipment cases as computer parts, drainage pipe etc.    Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) - carbonated drinks bottles, jars, plastic film, microwavable packaging.     Polyester (PES) - Fibers, textiles.     Polyamides (PA) (Nylons) - Fibers, toothbrush bristles, fishing line, under-the-hood car engine mouldings.     Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) - Plumbing pipes and guttering, shower curtains, window frames, flooring.     Polyurethanes (PU) - cushioning foams, thermal insulation foams, surface coatings, printing rollers.      Polycarbonate (PC) - Compact discs, eyeglasses, riot shields, security windows, traffic lights, lenses.    Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) (Saran) - Food packaging.    Polyethylene (PE) - Wide range of inexpensive uses including supermarket bags, plastic bottles.    Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC/ABS) - Car Interior and exterior parts    Special-purpose plastics are:    Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)    Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (trade name Teflon)   Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) (Polyetherketone)    Polyetherimide (PEI) (Ultem)    Phenolics (PF) or (phenol formaldehydes)    Urea-formaldehyde (UF)   Melamine formaldehyde (MF)   Polylactic acid    Plastarch material    Plastic is 'non-degradable   Plastic is a non-biodegradable substance, composed of toxic chemicals, plastic pollutes earth, air and water. Plastic causes serious damage to environment both during its production and disposal.  Plastic does not undergo bacterial decomposition hence landfilling using plastic would mean preserving the poison forever.    Plastics are very strong and durable. They won't rot, decay, tear, crack or dissolve. Even 500 years from now, the foam cup you throw away will still be a piece of garbage in a landfill site.   Plastic wastes clog the drains and thus hit especially urban sewage systems. The plastic wastes being dumped into rivers, streams and seas contaminate the water, soil, marine life and also the very air we breathe.     Plastic when burn in air    When plastic burned in air it releases a host of poisonous chemicals into the air, including dioxin, the most toxic substance known to science.

Studies have indicated that food and drinks stored in plastic bottles can contain trace amount of Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system.

Recycling of Plastic   The biggest problem with plastic recycling is that it is difficult to automate the sorting of plastic waste, and so it is labor intensive. Typically, workers sort the plastic by looking at the resin identification code, though common containers like soda bottles can be sorted from memory.    Only 3.5 percent of all plastics are recycled in any way. People who use “single stream” curbside recycling would be astonished to know how little of the plastic that goes into their bin is actually recycled. It is estimated that between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year. Less than 1 percent of these are recycled as it costs more to recycle a bag than to produce a new one.    Rarely are plastic containers recycled back into what they were as plastic bottles are generally not recycled back into bottles but  made into something else such as carpet padding, plastic lumber  and outdoor furniture. Shopping bags are not recycled into new shopping bags. The harsh economic reality behind bag recycling is that it costs $4,000 to process and recycle one ton of plastic bags, which can then be sold on the commodities market for $32, according to the Christian Science Monitor.   Recycling of plastic is associated with skin and respiratory problems, resulting from exposure to and inhalation of toxic fumes, especially hydrocarbons and residues released during the process. What is worse, the recycled plastic degrades in quality and necessitates the production of more new plastic to make the  original product. Recycling of plastic is very uneconomical, dirty and labour-intensive as has been reveled by a study conducted by the Public Interest Research Group, based in Delhi, India.    Giving an overview of the `recycling status' in India, Mr S. Sugumar of Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology observed that there were around 20,000 recyclers in the country, who recycled about 1,000 tonnes of plastics each day. Plastic waste generation is estimated at around 1.3 million tonnes per annum. Most of the recycling is carried out mechanically.   Plastic carry bag pollution   Plastic has replaced the traditional material ( paper/cloth etc) as packing and carry bags because of its low cost of production, light weight, strength, easy process of manufacture, and availability. Even though plastic bags can preserve food and can be used for growing vegetables in a controlled environment, their method of disposal has creates unprecedented pollution problem.    Plastic bags are so light and strong that they can carry normal weight, cheap and is used in all types of shops in our daily life.  People are so accustomed to it, that they find it very difficult to part with it. Plastic bags have made it possible for people to go without bags to market or work place as these bags are availably for asking and can be thrown without a second thought.   There are numerous hazards of plastic carry bags. The land gets littered by plastic bag garbage presenting an ugly and unhygienic seen. The "Throw away culture" results in these bags finding their way in to the city drainage system, the resulting blockage cases inconvenience, difficult in maintaining the drainage with increased cost, creates unhygienic environment resulting in health hazard and spreading of water borne diseases. This littering also reduces rate of rain water percolating, resulting in lowering of already low water levels in our cities. The soil fertility deteriorates as the plastic bags form part of manure remain in the soil for years.   The animals eating the bags sometimes die. Plastic goes into the ocean which is already a plastic infested body of water. Fish and other marine species in the water ways, misunderstanding plastic garbage as food items swallow them and die. These plastic materials are so light that they are carried away by the moving vehicle, wind etc., scattered all over, making the surroundings look ugly.  See in details: Plastic Bag Pollution in the country

Pollution due to plastic bottles   Studies have indicated that food and drinks stored in plastic bottles can contain trace amount of Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system. The same studies found that repeated re-use of such bottles—which get dinged up through normal wear and tear and while being washed—increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of the tiny cracks and crevices that develop over time.    According to the Environment California Research & Policy Center, BPA has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels. BPA can also wreak havoc on children’s developing systems. Even Plastic Water and Soda Bottles should not be reused.     A tin can that entered the ocean in 1986 is still decomposing in 2036 but a plastic bottle that entered the ocean in 1986 is decomposing in 2436.  Bottled water consumes roughly 17 million barrels of oil every year. In addition to the 17 million barrels of oil  used in production, bottled water consumes gallons and gallons of water.  Again every ton of PET plastic for the bottles produces 3 tons of carbon–adding 2.5 Million tons of carbon dioxide emissions to the 17 million barrels of oil.   See more:   Bottled water industry in India   Plastic pollution in sea    The amount of plastic waste in our oceans is steadily increasing. More than 90% of the articles found on the sea beaches contained plastic. The plastic rubbish found on beaches near urban areas tends to originate from use on land, such as packaging material used to wrap around other goods. A recent US report concluded that more than 100000 marine mammals die each year in the world's oceans by eating or becoming entangled in plastic rubbish, and the position is worsening World-wide, 75 marine bird species are known to eat plastic articles.        Over 13,000 pieces of plastic litter are floating on every square kilometre of ocean surface, the US Academy of Sciences has estimated. And this has come despite actions taken nationally and internationally to stop the marine litter situation from getting worse, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned. Just four years ago, studies conducted by the UNEP in the Pacific indicated that "along with issues such as rising sea levels, over-fishing, water shortages and  inadequate sanitation services, waste is fast becoming another key problem".   The UNEP and Small Island Developing States: 1994-2004 and Future Perspectives  estimated  that "since the early 1990s the levels of plastic wastes on small island developing states (SIDS) has increased five fold". It said that problems of rubbish and litter are part of a wider waste crisis. "The wastes not only threaten public health but also livelihoods," it said.  "Many small island developing states (SIDS) are dependent on income from tourists. "Visitors are likely to be less inclined to return to an island or recommend it to friends if the landscape, shoreline and coastal waters are littered with plastics, old cans, discarded sofas and other industrial and household rubbish," it said. The UNEP warned that litter was a "universal problem amongst all the islands" in the Pacific region.   Plastic poison - Styrofoam    Styrofoam is one of the most environmental toxin found in plastic. This highly durable spawn  also known as polystyrene, is manufactured using benzene, from coal; styrene, from petroleum; and ethylene, a  "blowing agent" used in the process since the crackdown on CFCs. Extracting these raw materials generates air and water pollution, and the process of  whipping them together can lead to lung cancer and neurological problems in factory workers.    Like all plastics, polystyrene is non-biodegradable. Even after a take-out container has dissolved 500 years from now, its chemical components will still clog the eco-system. Research on whether polystyrene chemicals "migrate" from container to food is hotly debated, but it's a fact that styrene has been present in our fatty tissue and breast milk for the past 30  years.       Awareness on plastic pollution   The country yet to take a serious view of the issue and have a uniform nation-wide law for indiscreet disposals of plastic bags. People should be educated on the proper ways of plastic bag usage and the disposal. The teaching should start right from the primary schools. People should be specially educated regarding the use of plastic in our daily life, as it is environment unfriendly.    To a large extent, our garbage problem is a result of a corporate business ethic that puts profits before people and the environment. Industry pushes the advantages of "disposability'' to the public because it suits them and it pays well. The profit from disposability goes into the pockets of only a few but the hazards of disposability are faced by many more.    Each one of us should develop a sense of responsibility not just towards the litter on our roads but also towards the things we buy and use and throw away.   In recent times due to widespread awareness drive by NGOS and government and to lesser extent by educational institutions has resulted in increasing the consciousness among few shopkeepers they have shifted back to the old system of wrapping up goods in paper bags or newspapers.   How to check plastic pollution   Most of the Indian states banned  the manufacture, trade and use of polythene bags of less than 20 microns thickness. From the United States to China and even in the supposedly more backward Sub-Saharan Africa  countries have opted for banning these infernal bags.     People in China use 3 billion plastic bags daily, among which 1 billion were from grocery shopping. Most of the bags will never be used again. The central government has made rules to ban retailers from giving free plastic bags as a strategy to protect the environment and conserve resources. Retailers may face up to a 10,000-yuan (US$1,430) fine if they offer customers plastic bags for free, according to the new rule. Retailers are also banned from selling plastic bags at prices below cost.     San Francisco banned retailers from giving away plastic bags on March 27, 2007, while in other US cities, such as Los Angeles, governments have launched a plastic bag recycling movement. Some regions in Canada, Australia and Brazil also passed bills to ban or limit the use of plastic bags. Asia countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea have encouraged people to use their own shopping bags or use paper bags instead.    Implement an “environmental” tax on plastics as this tax would make it the plastic not be the nearly free material it is today. Plastics are not cheap when you consider their hidden environmental costs which we do not pay for up-front, but eventually pay for in some way.   New research   Research has been done on biodegradable plastics that break down with exposure to sunlight, water or dampness, bacteria, enzymes, wind abrasion and some instances rodent pest or insect attack are also included as forms of biodegradation or environmental degradation.  But some of these modes of degradation will only work if the plastic is exposed at the surface, while other modes will only be effective if certain conditions are found in landfill or composting systems. Starch powder has been mixed with plastic as a filler to allow it to degrade more easily, but it still does not lead to complete breakdown of the plastic.  The German chemical company BASF makes Ecoflex, a fully biodegradable polyester for food packaging applications.   The Koen Tech Co Ltd of Korea claims to have produced a machine that can produce fuel oils (gasoline, kerosene and diesel) from waste plastic and waste synthetic resin. "The dioxin materials in the exhaust gas created by the oil recycling device operation are neutralised during the process," says the product literature  by Koen Tech Co.

Ocean pollution filthy facts:      In the Gulf of Mexico an  environmental "dead zone" now covers over 7,700 square miles and is expanding. No marine life, other than bacteria, survives there. Somewhere between 50 and 60 million tons of municipal wastes flow daily into the Yellow Sea from  China's  coastal towns and cities.    Every year ships at sea discharge somewhere between 5 and 50 million tons of oil.    The countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea dump 30-50 million tons of urban wastes and sewage into coastal waters every year.   Kolkata and Mumbai dump 400 million and 365 million tons, respectively, of raw sewage and other municipal wastes into coastal waters every year.   Australia's northern beaches are being swamped by tons of marine debris - plastic bottles, rubber thongs, fishing nets and weather balloons.    Over 46,000 pieces of plastic litter are floating on every square mile of ocean today. In the Central Pacific, there are up to 6 pounds of marine litter to every pound of plankton.    The rapid build-up of pollution,  has turned 100,000 square kilometres of the Baltic’s deeper waters into an oxygen- starved "dead sea".    Of the Black Sea’s 537,000 cubic kilometres of brackish water, 90 per cent of it is anoxic  – a natural process made infinitely worse by pollution