THE DISADVANTAGES OF PLASTIC – WHAT SPEAKS AGAINST PLASTIC
THE DISADVANTAGES OF PLASTIC – WHAT SPEAKS AGAINST PLASTIC
What are the risks and disadvantages of plastic? We humans haven’t asked this question in almost half a century. But now we are all finally waking up, and life without plastic and plastic bags are among the most talked about topics in the media. Why do we wake up? Because one of the great disadvantages of plastic can no longer be overlooked.
In this article, therefore, I would like to introduce you to these and all the other disadvantages of plastic, which are also why we should all reduce our plastic waste.
3 SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGES OF PLASTIC
Plastic has been celebrated for decades, but even if plastic is super flexible, there are some reasons to question the material fundamentally. Here are 3 decisive disadvantages of plastic that will potentially change the way you personally use plastic.
# DISADVANTAGE 1: PLASTIC IS NOT BIODEGRADABLE
Plastic is forever. Every little piece of plastic ever made on our planet is still there. Isn’t it scary to imagine that around 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year? Today we see the disadvantage that plastic is not biodegradable, especially on the beaches of the world. Because plastic garbage goes around in at least 5 large garbage eddies in the sea. The main reason for this is single-use plastic products like cutlery, cups, plastic bags, or straws, which only the industry benefits from.
Plastic waste in the environment does not only cause visual damage. Each year, more than a million marine animals die as a result of our consumer behaviour. Birds eat lighters, bottle caps, cigarette butts (they also contain plastic), and other small pieces of plastic and die as a result. Or you strangle yourself with old fishing nets or rings. Turtles, dolphins, whales, and other marine mammals also die from it. How is that responsible?
# DISADVANTAGE 2: PLASTIC IS TOXIC
Plastic not only presents disadvantages and dangers for the animal world, but also for our health. When plastic breaks down, highly questionable plasticisers like bisphenol A (BPA) are released. Since such emollients cause hormonal changes in the body, they are especially dangerous for the development of children. You can learn more about this in the article protecting children from plasticisers.
As a microplastic in the sea, poison already causes significant damage to marine life such as fish, crabs, and mussels. Studies have shown that plastic particles migrate into cells and cause inflammation, physiological disturbances, and higher death rates. In this way, the plastic enters the food chain, the so-called bioaccumulation of toxins. Unfortunately, the downside that microplastics in our food have for our health is still largely unexplored.
To limit this risk to our health, it is good for consumers to know that there is plastic hidden in many products that we would not have thought about. Use microplastics in cosmetics such as shampoos, shower gels, or peels. Plastic has also been detected in beer, and chewing gum is made of plastic.
You can find a detailed description of these products in the article on hidden plastic.
# DISADVANTAGE 3: PLASTIC IS HARD TO RECYCLE
Not all plastics are created equal. Unfortunately, this is a huge downside to recycling plastics. Thermoplastics, thermosets, and Elastoplast are the three common plastic forms. However, many mixed forms simply cannot be processed together. The unclear plastic is recycled energetically; that is, it is incinerated. It’s a shame because it was once won with a lot of energy and risk to the environment.
However, this disadvantage is not only due to fundamentally difficult recycling. The correct separation of household waste also makes it difficult to recycle plastics. Many people do not know what exactly goes in each container. The article that separates the garbage properly will surely help.
MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE DISADVANTAGES OF PLASTIC
We must not demonise plastic despite its disadvantages but learn to use the advantages of plastic correctly. Because what we have done on our land shows that we currently cannot do it.
Therefore, we must always be aware of the disadvantages of plastic in all the decisions we make. The material is not biodegradable, dangerous for health, and is not easy to recycle. We have to ask ourselves if it makes sense to extract crude oil from the ground, process it in an elaborate process, and turn it into plastic forks, which are then used for 10 minutes after purchase and then thrown away, instead of just using a stainless steel fork and washing it.
We can all reduce the plastic problem by learning to produce as little waste as possible in our daily lives.