What is a common feature between laptop computer bags, hair loss products, skin care treatment? The common feature is plastic. Plastic is extracted out of petroleum. Petroleum is extracted from the earth and taken to a refinery. The crude oil is refined into gasoline, LPG, ethane, butane, propane, naphthalene, tar, grease and other products.
The propane and ethane are cracked into propylene and ethylene at about 3000 degrees centigrade. A catalyst is combined in propylene and ethylene making what is known as fluff which is a powdery material which looks like washing detergent. The fluff is put into a blender other additives are added to it continuously. Now becomes a polymer where it is fed into an extruder and melted.
This melted plastic is cooled while making pellets in a pelletizer. These pellets are the plastic, which is shipped to the customers. The customers then mould the plastic through various processes of moulding by injection, blowing and extrusion. Plastic is considered as the greatest innovation of the 20th century and is used in all aspects of life.
Some desirable properties is its lightweight, does not rot rust, as it is light more bottles or packets can be transported thereby reducing transportation cost. It is believe the save natural resources, because sand to make glass is not removed off the beaches which is a home to many intertidal species endemic to the seashores only. Trees to make paper and cartons are saved, too.
Even though there are so many benefits, why is the use of plastics banned in certain places? This is because after industrial and domestic sewage plastic is the third most dangerous pollutant. It is non-biodegradable, remains in the ecosystem for 700 years, and is highly toxic.
After domestic sewage and industrial waste, plastic is the most toxic anthropogenic pollutant. It remains in the environment for more than 700 years as there are decomposers to degrade it and is highly toxic.
Or we should invent bacteria similar to the oil-slick ingesting bacteria. From the very onset of its production carcinogens like benzene and vinyl chloride, other gases and chemical compounds are released into the atmosphere. The chemicals in the plastics slowly leach into our foods and drinks stored in the plastic bottles and containers due to degradation and make us sick. Aren. ‘t these reasons enough to avoid plastic?
Tags: environment, environmental issues, plastic