How much does plastic bags contribute to pollution? | How does plastic bag pollution affect humans?

Plastic Bag Pollution

Plastic bags have been around since the 1950's, but they were not widely used until the 1990's. Since then, plastic bag pollution has become a major issue throughout the world.

 The problem with plastic bags is that they do not decompose easily. When you throw them away, they take hundreds of years to break down. In fact, some scientists believe that we may never fully get rid of them.

 In addition to taking a long time to degrade, plastic bags pollute our environment. Not only do they clog landfills, but they also end up in waterways and oceans where they harm marine animals and fish.

 There are many different types of plastic bags including grocery bags, sandwich bags, trash bags, and even produce bags. Most people use plastic bags for their groceries, but if you don't recycle them properly, they could end up in a landfill or worse yet, in a river or ocean.

 

 If you want to help reduce plastic bag pollution, here are some tips:

•  Always bring reusable shopping bags with you when you go shopping.
• Don't buy single-use plastic bags. If you need a paper bag, ask someone at the store to give you one instead.
• Recycle your plastic bags! You can drop them off at any recycling center.
• Use cloth bags for your groceries. These bags are biodegradable and won't cause problems in landfills.
• Bring your own reusable water bottles to work and school.
• Make sure to wash your hands after using the bathroom. Wash your hands before eating and drinking anything.
• Avoid buying bottled water. Bottled water is often filled with chemicals and plastic. Instead, drink filtered tap water.
• Buy local food whenever possible. Buying locally grown foods reduces the amount of packaging that goes into transporting those foods across the country.
• Try to avoid buying meat and dairy products wrapped in plastic.

 

How much does plastic bags contribute to pollution?

Plastic bag recycling

 Plastic bags have been around since the 1950's and were originally created to help keep food fresh. Over time they have become a major contributor to our landfills and oceans. In fact, over 8 million tons of plastic bags end up in landfills each year. Recycling these bags helps reduce the amount of plastic going into landfills and reduces the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean.

 

Plastic bag production

 The manufacturing process of making plastic bags uses fossil fuels and produces toxic chemicals. These chemicals pollute our air and water supply and cause harm to wildlife.

 

Plastic bag use

 When we buy groceries at the store, we often forget about the plastic bags that come with them. We should always take these bags back to the store to recycle them instead of throwing them away.

 

Plastic bag alternatives

 There are many different types of reusable grocery bags out there. You can find these bags at stores and online. There are even some companies that make their own reusable bags.

 

How does plastic bag pollution affect humans?

• Plastic bags are not biodegradable. When they get wet, they become slippery and difficult to handle. If they get caught in machinery, they may cause damage. In addition, if they break open, their contents spill out onto the ground and pollute our water supply.
•  Plastic bags do not decompose naturally. Instead, they take hundreds of years to disintegrate. Even then, only about 10% actually breaks down. Most end up in landfills where they can leach toxic chemicals into the environment.
• Plastic bags are often mistaken for trash. Because people throw them away, they end up in landfilling sites and eventually in our waterways.
•  Plastic bags are not recyclable. Recycling programs are designed to separate plastics into different types. However, plastic bags cannot be recycled separately.
• Plastic bags are not reusable. Once they have been used, they should never be reused.
• Plastic bags are expensive. Each time we use a plastic bag, we pay for its production. We also pay for the disposal of the bag after we are finished using it.
• Plastic bags are bad for wildlife. Animals mistake plastic bags for food and eat them, causing them to choke and die.
• Plastic bags are bad news for fish. Fish mistake plastic bags for food, thinking they are edible. As a result, they swallow the bags whole and suffocate.
•  Plastic bags are bad business. Businesses spend money to dispose of plastic bags. They also spend money to recycle them.
•  Plastic bags are bad politics. Politicians spend money to promote recycling programs. They also spend money on campaigns to convince us to stop using plastic bags.
• Plastic bags are bad economics. Every time we use a plastic grocery bag, we pay for the bag's production. We also pay to dispose of the bag after we finish using it.
• Plastic bags are bad science. Scientists spend money to study how plastic bags harm animals and fish. They also spend money studying how plastic bags harm ecosystems.
• Plastic bags are bad medicine. Doctors spend money to treat patients who have swallowed plastic bags. They also spent money to develop treatments to help prevent plastic bag ingestion.
• Plastic bags are bad education. Teachers spend money to teach students about the dangers of plastic bags. They spend money to teach students how to reduce their consumption of plastic bags.