Plastic pollution is an escalating issue on the global stage, drawing significant attention from government agencies worldwide. Various regulations have been instituted to combat this crisis, the most prominent among them being the prohibition of single-use plastic bags and the associated charges for their use.
The urgency of addressing plastic pollution stems from the long-term damages and effects of plastics that are increasingly apparent. The manufacturing and disposal processes of plastic products contribute substantially to global warming. The production of plastic, like most chemical manufacturing, relies heavily on petroleum products, which in turn generate greenhouse gases. These emissions exacerbate global warming, induce water pollution, promote soil degradation, and instigate the loss of wildlife. Furthermore, conventional disposal methods for plastic waste, such as landfilling, incineration, or oceanic disposal, compound these negative impacts.
Of the million metric Tonnes of plastic, we produce and use, we make 5 trillion plastic bags and 1 million plastic bottles per year. However, only 9% are recycled. Most plastics, even if put into a recycling bin, are not recycled. This is due to segregation protocols that are not adhered to. This makes the waste challenging to recycle due to the process being time-consuming, labor-intensive and often poses a high risk to the health of the workers.
Between 2016 and 2019, plastic production witnessed a 9% growth. In 2021, the number slightly declined to 367 million metric tons, even after an initial surge in the production of disposable plastics like polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. For perspective, the 1950s saw an annual plastic production of 1.5 million Tonnes. Today, we exceed 300 million Tonnes per year, with only 9% of it being recycled.
Efforts to control plastic pollution generally target macro-plastics – the visible ones such as disposable bags, bottles, drums, plastic containers, sheets, etc. An overlooked aspect of this issue is the presence of microplastics, which are plastic pieces 5mm or smaller.
Plastic materials and fibers degrade into these microscopic pollutants. Microplastics can also originate from polymer composites found in clothing fibers, road networks, coatings, and even cosmetics. These particles, often smaller than a grain of rice, degrade through mechanical means, heat, water undulations, and UV exposure. Once degraded, they infiltrate our ecosystem, water channels, soil, and air. Animals, humans, and aquatic life directly or indirectly ingest these particles through the food chain, with indirect methods leading to significantly higher uptake due to biomagnification.
Biomagnification can be exemplified as follows: a zooplankton may absorb one microplastic particle during its lifetime. A small fish, eating thousands of such zooplankton, accumulates thousands of microplastics. Larger predators further up the food chain may consume hundreds of these smaller fish, resulting in hundreds of thousands of microplastics within their systems. Humans, at the top of this food chain, could end up consuming millions of these particles over their lifetime.
Microplastics pose considerable health risks as chemical contaminants. Their minuscule size enables them to pass through our bloodstream, accumulate in our tissues, and even cross the barrier between a mother and her unborn child. These particles can carry their chemical load into the next generation without direct exposure. Furthermore, microplastics can absorb additional chemical contaminants present in their environment, exacerbating the harmful effects on life forms that ingest them.
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What was once considered a distant issue is now a reality. A study involving 22 adults in Amsterdam revealed that 17 participants had microplastics in their bloodstream, representing 80% of those tested – a deeply troubling statistic.
Addressing this issue necessitates actions at both the individual and organizational level. Each of us can contribute by practicing the 5Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. Organizations can adopt these principles as well. At EHS Consultants, we work diligently to design and implement effective Waste Management programs. We analyze the entire lifecycle of products and identify the most suitable sources of products and services to keep your team safe while minimizing your microplastic waste contribution. Implementing early segregation systems that are easy to follow ensures that recycling steps are meaningful. Without proper segregation or decontamination, plastic waste is simply discarded into landfills or incinerated. Our tailored methodologies help organizations reduce their microplastic and chemical impact on our ecosystem, thereby aiding in pollution control and cost reduction.
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