PLASTIC—A BOON OR A CURSE?
Due to the problem of scarce resources and the scientific revolution in the fields of Chemistry and Physics, plastics plastics were develope developed d in the year 1860. 1860. Providing Providing an appropriate appropriate substitute, substitute, with with certain certain addition additional al propertie properties, s, for various natural resources, plastics have certain advantages and disadvantages. . Today, a wide variety of plastic polymers, also called resins, are derived from natural gas, crude oil or other naturally occurring building blocks. Each polymer is a chain of carbon-based molecules, called monomers, bonded together through a chemical reaction. There are 4 main types of poly bags in widespread use: • • • •
High density polyethylene Low density polyethylene Polypropylene Complex structures: Nylon
The main uses of plastic are: 1) 2) 3) 4)
as conta containe iners/b rs/bags ags for for shop shoppin ping g purpo purposes ses as a pack packin ing g mate materia rial, l, wra wrapp pper erss in labora laborator tory y & medic medical al appl applica icatio tions ns wate waterr stor storag agee tank tanks, s, buc bucke kets ts
Plastic bags have advantages advantages and disadvanta disadvantages ges when compared compared to alternatives alternatives such as paper paper bags and cardboard cardboard boxes. boxes. They are of extremely extremely lightweight, lightweight, flexible, low cost, strength, strength, water resistance. resistance. The plastic containers can be made airtight which help in preserving food and perishable. The plastic containers have virtually replaced the glass and paper containers, which had their usage decades ago. The plastic bags are reusable and can be recycled. Plastic tubes, bottles are used extensively in the laboratory and medical equipments like beakers, test tubes, syringes, bottles and so on. Plastic is used for making lightweight furniture, toys, boxes and many other household applications. Howev However, er, the over usage usage of plastic plastic has out-we out-weigh ighed ed its advan advantage tagess and casting casting a shado shadow w of a great great environmental problem on the modern civilization. No doubt, plastic bags have less net environmental effect than paper paper bags, requiring requiring less energy energy to produce, produce, transport transport and recycle. recycle. However However recycling recycling rates for plastic plastic are significantly lower than for paper. Plastic bags lying scattered on the residential areas pose serious environmental problem problem because because of their highly inflammable inflammable nature. Polythene Polythene bags when when eaten eaten by the straying straying cattle can cause death due to suffocation. When the disposed bag goes into the gutters it does not allow the water to flow freely causing water stagnation and other health problems. The disposal of plastic is a challenge even to the modern society. It produces toxic gases when insinuated and if disposed in compost pits and land fills it does not dissociate easily which is dangerous to the plant as well as animal life. Repeated recycle of plastic can cause degradation of the quality and when used as a wrapper or a container for the food articles, it can cause skin allergies or even dreadful diseases like cancer. In view of this the Government of India is banning usage of plastic bags in tourist places, hill stations and coastal areas like Andaman & Nicobar. The scientists nowadays are developing biodegradable plastics to get over the environmental issues to continue its usage. Until such time that this is available for the common people it is the duty of we citizens to ensure safe disposal of used bags.
