Chloe Zhang
Plastic is everywhere. It is in our hospitals, our homes, our oceans, and even our bodies. While the world is facing a serious plastic waste issue, with plastic accounting for nearly 85% of marine pollution, it is also true that plastic has become an essential part of modern life. From medical devices and packaging to infrastructure and transportation, plastic plays a crucial role in preserving health, protecting food, and enabling innovation. The challenge, therefore, is not to eliminate plastic entirely but to forge a more sustainable relationship with it, reducing plastic consumption and eliminating plastic pollution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic is essential in healthcare | Plastic is used in hospitals for gloves, tubing, syringes, blood bags, sample tubes, ventilators, surgical masks, respirators, and more. |
| Plastic is necessary for food preservation and communication | Plastic packaging helps protect food from damage during transit and preserves it for supermarket shelves. |
| Plastic is used in infrastructure and everyday objects | Plastic is used in buildings, transport, furniture, appliances, TVs, carpets, phones, and clothes. |
| Plastic is accessible and affordable | Plastic is cheap, versatile, and lightweight, making it widely used and accessible. |
| Plastic is hygienic and safe | Plastic contributes to hygiene through disposable items like surgical gloves and face masks. |
| Plastic is convenient for drinking water | In some places, the only safe drinking water is packaged in plastic bottles. |
| Plastic aids people with disabilities | Plastic straws and food containers help people with disabilities consume drinks, medicines, and food, enabling them to live more independently. |
| Plastic production uses fossil fuels | Plastic production contributes to climate change by using fossil fuels and energy for manufacturing. |
| Plastic pollution is widespread | Plastic waste pollutes oceans, kills marine life, and contaminates drinking water worldwide. |
| Plastic is challenging to recycle | Only 9% of collected plastic is recycled due to complex chemistry and a lack of effective recycling schemes. |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is essential for medical and healthcare purposes
In 1960, a study showed that "the rate of haemolysis (the rupture or destruction of red blood cells) is far more rapid when the blood is stored in glass than in plastic containers." This illustrates how plastic is essential for preserving blood. Additionally, PVC (vinyl) is crucial for patient and healthcare worker safety and has been used in the medical field for over 50 years. It is used to make IV tubing and blood bags, providing a stable and inert film that prevents tearing during use and transport.
Plastic also plays a vital role in infection control. The risk of infection from reusing certain medical devices, such as intravenous cannulas, may be unacceptably high. Single-use plastic items help protect health, and lives could be lost without them. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, plastic-based surgical masks, respirators, and reusable cloth masks helped slow the spread of the virus.
Plastic is also essential for specific patient needs. For instance, children with asthma rely on bronchodilators made of plastic and other materials. Plastic straws are also key for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities to consume drinks and medicines.
While there are valid environmental concerns about plastic waste in the healthcare industry, it is important to recognize that plastic saves lives and is currently the best material in terms of cost-performance for healthcare.
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Plastic is used to package and preserve food
Plastic is an essential material for packaging and preserving food. It is lightweight, strong, and durable, ensuring that food stays fresh and well-preserved. For instance, cucumbers wrapped in plastic last 11 days longer than unwrapped cucumbers, bananas wrapped in plastic last 21 days longer, and beef wrapped in vacuum packaging with an oxygen barrier film lasts 26 days longer. This extended shelf life reduces food waste and the resources used in food production.
There are various types of plastics commonly used in food packaging, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is known for its strength, lightweight build, and crystal-clear colouring. PET is often used to create shiny, smooth, and durable packaging for sauces, peanut butter, and soft drinks. High-density polyethylene plastics are used for products like milk cartons and ice cream, while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is ideal for food packaging due to its grease and oil resistance.
Plastic packaging also has environmental benefits. It is lightweight, reducing carbon emissions during transportation. A study by Trucost found that replacing plastic with alternative packaging materials could increase environmental costs and significantly raise energy use and carbon emissions. Additionally, food is the most prevalent material in landfills, and when it decomposes, it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Plastic packaging helps to prevent food waste and reduce methane emissions.
While there are valid concerns about plastic waste and pollution, companies and governments are working to minimise the environmental impact of plastic products. Plastic packaging plays a crucial role in preserving food, reducing waste, and lowering carbon emissions in the food industry.
Overall, plastic is essential for packaging and preserving food, ensuring its longevity, safety, and reduced environmental impact during transportation and storage.
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Plastic is a versatile, durable, and cheap material
Plastic's durability is another key factor in its widespread use. It is long-lasting and resistant to degradation, which can be advantageous in certain contexts. For example, plastic is used in infrastructure, buildings, transport, and medical devices, where durability is essential. However, this same durability becomes a problem when plastic is not properly disposed of, leading to the persistence of plastic waste in the environment.
The affordability of plastic is closely tied to the fossil fuel industry, which subsidises its production. As a result, plastic has become a cost-effective material for manufacturing, packaging, and consumer goods. However, the environmental cost of plastic production and disposal is significant, contributing to climate change and ecosystem harm.
While plastic has undeniable advantages, its overuse and improper disposal have led to widespread plastic pollution. Plastic waste is found in oceans, rivers, soil, and even drinking water, posing threats to marine life, biodiversity, and human health. The persistence of plastic pollution has prompted global efforts to reduce, recycle, and replace plastic with more sustainable alternatives.
Despite these efforts, eliminating plastic entirely may not be realistic or desirable. Instead, the focus should be on drastically reducing plastic consumption and transitioning to a circular economy. This involves redesigning products to be more durable, reusable, repairable, and recyclable, thereby minimising plastic waste and extending the useful life of plastic materials.
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Plastic is a significant contributor to climate change
Secondly, the disposal of plastic waste is a significant climate challenge. Landfills, where single-use plastics often end up, account for over 15% of methane emissions, and the incineration of plastic waste releases toxic pollutants and significant greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Plastic in the oceans may also interfere with their capacity to absorb and sequester carbon dioxide, further contributing to climate change. The complex chemistry of plastics and the variety of types have outpaced recycling efforts, with only 9% of plastics collected for recycling being successfully recycled.
Thirdly, the widespread use of plastic in healthcare, packaging, and infrastructure highlights our dependence on this material. While plastic has benefits such as durability, lightweight properties, and affordability, it also contributes to climate change throughout its life cycle. Single-use plastics, in particular, prioritize convenience over durability and are a leading cause of our throw-away society.
Finally, efforts to reduce plastic consumption and transition towards more sustainable alternatives are crucial. While a world without plastic may be unrealistic, individuals can make small changes, such as using reusable water bottles, bags, and containers, avoiding overly packaged items, and supporting legislation and companies that aim to reduce plastic use. Additionally, addressing the responsibility of companies that produce and package goods in plastic is essential, as they play a significant role in plastic pollution.
In conclusion, plastic is a significant contributor to climate change due to its production, use, and disposal, which all have wide-ranging environmental impacts. While a world without plastic is unlikely, reducing our reliance on it and transitioning to more sustainable alternatives are necessary steps to mitigate its effects on climate change.
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Plastic is harmful to the environment and human health
The toxic chemical additives and pollutants found in plastics threaten human health. Scientific results indicate plastic causes diseases, disabilities, and premature death at every stage of its life cycle. Plastics have been linked to causing cancer and endocrine disruption, which can lead to reproductive, growth, and cognitive impairment. Microplastics can act as vessels for pathogens to enter the human body, increasing the spread of diseases.
The production and disposal of plastic also have negative environmental and health impacts. Plastic production is derived from fossil fuels, accounting for 8-9% of oil and gas used worldwide. Disposal methods such as burning plastic trash contribute to carbon dioxide emissions and release concerning chemicals. Recycling plastic is also not without consequences, as it is associated with labor abuse, child labor, and corruption.
While plastic has improved health care, food preservation, and accessibility for disabled people, its negative effects on the environment and human health are significant and widespread. The complex and far-reaching implications of plastic pollution highlight the urgent need to address this global crisis.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic is everywhere and has become an integral part of our lives. It is used in hospitals for gloves, syringes, tubing, blood bags, and more. It is also used for food packaging and preserving safe and affordable food. Plastic is also used to make items such as furniture, appliances, phones, and clothes.
Plastic has helped slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Face masks, including plastic-based surgical masks and respirators, have played a vital role in protecting people's safety.
Plastic packaging accounts for 40% of the plastic we consume. While it is important for protecting food from damage during transit, it contributes significantly to plastic pollution, which is one of the gravest threats facing the world.
Glass, aluminum, and paper are some traditional materials that can be used as alternatives to plastic.
Plastic production, use, and disposal harm ecosystems, increase human health risks, accelerate climate change, and exacerbate societal inequities. Plastic waste has also cost the lives of 1 million birds and at least 100,000 mammals, according to UN estimates.
