Some experts estimate that more than 1 million sea animals are killed each year by straws and other types of plastic trash. Additionally, plastics in our digestive tract may affect absorption of some important trace elements (like iron) which we need for maintaining proper health [13]. Straws make up roughly 4 percent of the plastic waste in terms of the number of pieces, but a far smaller percentage in terms of the weight.Due to the fact that the typical weight of a straw is just around one sixty-seventh of an ounce, or 42 grams, the total weight of all those billions of straws combined only accounts for roughly 2,000 tons of the almost 9 million tons of plastic debris that enters the sea each year. Carrying reusable bags and bottles is one great way to avoid single-use plastics in our day-to-day lives; more on preventing plastic waste can be found below. Instead it ends up in landfills or in the environment. The first answer to this question that comes to everyones mind is to stop using plastic bags, right? Now, lets get into the negatives of a plastic straw ban: While banning plastic straws might help the environment in some aspects (well talk about this later), there are also many reasons against (or cons) of a plastic straw ban. Overall, the main reason for a plastic straw ban is to help the environment by preventing plastic straws pollution. Why we shouldn't ban plastic straws Antithesis Journal They are also capable of being ingested by fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, which in turn causes the animals injury and, in the case of fish, allows them to enter the human food chain. Refineries where crude oil is turned into plastic make up one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector. All Rights Reserved. Low rated: 2. NRDC scientist Jennifer Sass says yes and debunks the skeptics claim that in trying to wean ourselves off plastic bags, were only creating more troubles. Making just one simple swap, like purchasing a reusable water bottle, can spare the environment hundreds of plastic bottles each year. And will a plastic straw ban actually be effective when it comes to saving our oceans and environment? Activists Say Straws Should Be Banned Because They Are a 'Gateway Plastic' female pomeranian temperament; splinterlands terms and conditions; carbon emissions data by company; ( ) + . Plastic, in general, is one of the biggest pollutants in the world. It is estimated that there are now 150 million metric tons of plastic in the ocean. Shuddering and unable to breathe, he vomited up five plastic bags. For many in the disabled community, the availability of plastic straws is essential for their well-being and survival. Though plastica chain of synthetic polymers, essentiallywas invented in. Car Modifications for Electric Vehicles: Whats Possible. The majority of this pollutiondominated by single-use plastic wastecomes from countries lacking infrastructure to properly manage waste, particularly in Asia. The single biggest reason why people want to ban plastic straws is because of their negative effects on the environment. Instead of searching for another buyer, maybe some soul-searching is in order. You can use some easy online locators to see the closest plastic bag drop-off. Coca-Cola has said that it alone produces three million tons of plastic packaging each year, equivalent to a terrifying 200,000 plastic bottles per minute. Buy in bulk. They are a part of our modern lives, and we dont tend to think much about them. Starbucks recently announced that it would phase out use of plastic straws by the year 2020. The first is to invest in better waste collection in the handful of countries that account for most of the plastic flowing into the ocean. Should Plastic be Banned Essay for Students in English - VEDANTU A brief history of how plastic straws took over the world - Environment While these countries and municipalities have been making strides in their part of reducing circulation of plastic bags, in total there are 195 countries in the world [19] and the issue of plastic pollution is still getting out of our hands. The bottom line of any plastic ban is that we must use less single-use plastics overall. CRAIG CRIDDLE: In addition to recycling more and reusing materials more, we need new materials that can do the same jobs as current plastics, but are biodegradable, nontoxic and do not concentrate in food chains. A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. Once a paper product has been contaminated with food or drink, it must be disposed of in a landfill. Starbucks plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. Oene Moedt-Foto Natura/Minden via National Geographic Images, Major Corporations and Single-Use Plastics, secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, and research has suggested that human exposure, 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic, one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector, could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030, an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines. Scientists have recorded some species of zooplankton eating tiny plastic particles. Avoid plastic wrap altogether by storing leftovers in reusable containers. Required fields are marked *. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy A study analyzes water transactions that leave water in the river, and shows how they could be scaled up to avert cuts for major water users while supporting imperiled ecosystems. It is predicted that each year 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, with 1.152.41 tons of that plastic being carried there by major rivers all over the world. Without further due, here are the top 3 ways kids can help, Read More 3 Ways Kids can Help the EarthContinue, What Are Microplastics? by TFK Kid Reporter Maria Suarez, 10 Bellaire, Texas Plastic straws should not be banned until we can find alternatives that are affordable, environmentally friendly, and acceptable for disabled people. This means that you need to first educate yourself about the problem. This is the case particularly in Southeast Asia, which has begun to import much of the plastic that used to go to China for recycling. Manufacturers began replacing traditionally paper or glass staples with lighter or more durable and affordable plastic alternatives; plastic jugs replaced milk jars, for instance. 23 Reasons Why we should ban Plastic Bags | Environment Buddy Participate in beach or river cleanups. The reason to worry is that scientists do not know how our metabolism and immunity will react to the increased concentration of plastic particles in our system. It was first invented in 1907 by Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland. If there is one piece of advice that everyone should remember, it would be that nothing is for free in this world. Polypropylene is a form of plastic that is frequently used in the production of straws. In fact, the global backlash against plastic straws likely started after researchers off the coast of Costa Rica shared a viral video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose. 2. According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, microplastics are so small that they move straight through water filtration, Read More What Are Microplastics and Why Are They a Concern? So, for example, companies need to not only make products that are recyclable, but actually make them out of recycled or truly biodegradable material. If the environmental movement drew up a Most Unwanted list for 2018, the plastic drinking straw surely would land The people of Macon, Georgia, saw through it. No! We do not know the full impact of microplastics exceeding the mass of plankton in the ocean. Not only is plastic estimated to kill millions of marine animals and seabirds each year, but its also contaminating seafood that humans have relied on for millennia, particularly with microplastics in animals guts. Once a person gets into the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping, it is not much of an inconvenience at all. New research shows their prolific dam building benefits river water quality so much, it outweighs the damaging influence of climate-driven droughts. Forty years after the launch of the first universal recycling symbol, only 14 percent of plastic packaging is recycled. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. Plastic straws are not the first iteration of straws. that do collect plastic bags and other plastic films and send them for proper recycling. Litter can be the first stage in a waste stream that enters waterways as plastics tossed on the street are washed away by rain or travel via storm drains into rivers and streams. Ask if they have nonplastic alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, or bags. After all, ask your grandparents, they will remember that during their time people were used to go shopping with their own bags or baskets. Yes, it should. Even if you can't go zero waste entirely, it's high time we all ended our reliance on single use plastics. Thanks for signing up. Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips? For the oceans sake, wed better hope so. Polyethylene terephthalate, one of the most commonly recycled plastics and the material that makes up most water and soda bottles, can be turned into everything from polyester fabric to automotive parts. Ultimately, we can further decrease costs and achieve economies of scale through decentralized production systems and perhaps also at large biorefineries. Quick Navigation for Reasons Why Plastic Shopping Bags Should Be Banned REASONS 1. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? Our addiction to plastic also has negative impacts on the climate. Greentumble is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The Pasig River in the Philippines is another scary example of the negative effects of plastic bags on the environment. Additionally, a plastic straw ban could also act as a gateway into other single-use plastic bans for items like plastic bottles and plastic bags, which are worse for the environment than plastic straws. The trend has already started. They discovered that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestl products were found most often. Its because Asian and US coastlines release large amounts of plastic waste in the ocean [7]. The decrease in demand for plastic bags forces manufacturers to reduce their production and consider expanding in a supply of alternative products. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned | IUCN Water And, if you dont like wearing the same shirt or pants, Read More Dont wash it if it doesnt look dirtyContinue, At age 50, Kay is a little over halfway through her life as a driver. Facebook; Contact Now . LEAPE:Plastic straws are only a tiny fraction of the problem less than 1 percent. Stanford Reportspoke withJim Leape, co-director of theStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, andCraig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, about the path to reducing ocean plastic pollution. In early January 2020, China joined the growing movement of more than 120 countries pledging to ban single-use plastics.The country of 1.4 billion citizens is the No. Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back. In countries with a lack of awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags, a polite refusal might not be met with much understanding. Most drop-off collection points accept plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene (plastic number 2) and low-density polyethylene (plastic number 4). Reasons why smoking should be banned articlestrabajos In Taiwan, which was once overflowing with so much trash that it spurred public protest and the nickname Garbage Island, companies now either manage their own waste or subsidize government-run infrastructure. The second, more fundamental imperative is to get plastics out of our waste stream. Plastic bags have become such a nuisance because we as consumers use them excessively even when not needed and authorities havent figured out effective ways of dealing with them as waste. Plastic bags and plastic products overall contain substances that are harmful to our health. Straws, Ives says, made the perfect target: too inconsequential to really be missed but so ubiquitous that their absence would be noticed. Sea turtles are not the only species suffering from plastic bag pollution of the environment. Start from yourself and slowly expand to your family and friends. According to a 2017 study, more than half of non-fiber plastic, which excludes synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, comes from plastic packaging alone, much of which is for single-use items. Skip the Straw - Florida Department of Environmental Protection These dyes on their own can leach toxins, but they can also be contaminated with traces of heavy metals such as lead or cadmium, both of which affect kidney health and proper functioning of other organs. Driven by public pressure, governments and corporations are considering eliminating or phasing out single-use plastics such as straws. Help raise awareness of fellow consumers that means everyone when you think about it (unless they dont shopever). Therefore, a plastic straw ban by itself is unlikely to be very effective in actually helping the environment, although it could act as a gateway into the reduction of other single-use plastics. How To Make A Bracelet Out Of Plastic String? 1. Five Reasons Banning Plastics May Harm the Environment and Consumers National Geographic made a video on how helpless it feels to be caught in a plastic bag. Leape has long been a leader in ocean conservation efforts. An outright ban on plastic straws would create an accessibility problem for disabled people while dining in public. Plastic is more sanitary and safer to use than other alternatives. The Natural Resources Defense Council works to safeguard the earth - its people, Additionally, awareness raising campaigns create a social pressure that should inspire local government and institutions to help in making changes at a bigger scale, like a regional ban or levy. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned - manufacturer, factory The production of these bags is very energy intensive. So, plastic waste only speeds up the destruction of these most biodiverse ecosystems on earth. An additional problem with plastic grocery bags recycling is their cleanliness.
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