Plastic Pollution

Beat Plastic Pollution- Need of Earth

1. BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION-NEED OF THE EARTH Presented By- Ritabrata sarkar

2. WHAT IS POLLUTION ? Pollution is the introduction of contamination into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Ex- Air pollution, water pollution , noise pollution, thermal pollution, light pollution, visual pollution, plastic pollution. WHAT IS PLASTIC ? Plastics are synthetic substance produced by chemical reaction. Almost all the plastics are made from carbon and petroleum except a few experimental resins derived from corn and other organic substances.

3. HISTORY OF PLASTIC :- The first man-made plastic was created by Alexander Parkes who publicly demonstrated it in 1862, Great International Exhibition in London. The material called Parkesine was an organic material derived from cellulose. Celluloid is derived from cellulose and alcoholized camphor. John Wesley Hyatt invented celluloid in 1868. He created celluloid in a strip format for movie film. By 1900, movie film was an exploding market for celluloid.

4. PLASTIC POLLUTION :: It is the accumulation of plastic objects in the earth's environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat and humans. Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized into micro, meso , macro debris based on size. Plastics are inexpensive and durable and as a result levels of plastic production by humans are high. Moreover the chemical structure of most plastics renders them resistant to many natural processes of degradation and as a result they are slow to degrade. Together these two factors have led to a high prominence of plastic pollution in the environment. Plastic pollution can affect land, water ways and oceans. Living organisms, particularly marine animals as well as humans are also affected by plastic pollution.

5. CHEMICALS IN PLASTIC :- The vast majority of plastics are composed of polymers of carbon and hydrogen alone or with oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine or sulphur in the backbone. Common plastics types are: Polypropylene (PP)- Food containers, appliances, car fenders (bumpers) Polystyrene (PS)- Packaging foam, food containers, disposable cups, plates, CD boxes. High impact polystyrene (HIPS)- Fridge liners, food packaging, vending cups. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)- Electronic equipment cases as computer parts, drainage pipe etc. Polyethylene terepthalate (PET)- Carbonated drink bottles, jars, plastic films, microvable packaging. Polyester (PES)- Fibres, textiles.

6. Chemicals in Plastic :- Polyamides (PA) (Nylons)- Fibres, toothbrush bristles, fishing line, under the hood car engine mouldings. Polyvinyl chloride(PVC)- Plumbing pipes and guttering, shower curtains, window frames. Polyurethanes (PU)- Cushioning foams, thermal insulation foams, surface coatings, printing rollers. Polycarbonate (PC)- Compact discs, eyeglasses, security windows, traffic lights, lenses. Polyvinyldene chloride (PVDC)- Food packaging Polyethylene(PE)- Wide range of inexpensive uses including super market bags, plastic bottles Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene(PC/ABS)- Car interior and exterior parts.

7. Types of Plastic Products :- Plastic bags Plastic coatings Plastic furniture Plastic sheets Plastic fittings Plastic tanks Plastic toys Plastic buckets Plastic sanitaryware Plastic stationary

8. SOURCES OF PLASTIC POLLUTION

9. CAUSES OF PLASTIC POLLUTION It was Capt. Charles Moore in 1997 who first publicly reported sights of swirling masses of plastic in the Pacific Ocean bringing media attention to this phenomenon. Till then the world was following the policy of “out of sight, out of mind.” These large masses were called the great plastic garbage patch or  Gyres.  A gyre is a large scale circular feature made up of ocean currents that spiral around a central point. The North Pacific gyre is a massive patch of marine litter in the Central North Pacific Ocean with a diameter of 100 miles. There are similar garbage patches present in at least every ocean. While solving the problem of plastic pollution may seem as easy as just implementing recycling or cleaning up empty bottles, the truth is that the plastic causing the pollution can range in size from big to microscopic. The major contributors to this problem today include: Plain Old Trash : Plastic is everywhere, even on those items you may not expect it to be. Milk cartons are lined with plastic, water bottles are handed out everywhere, and some products may even contain tiny plastic beads. Every time one of these items gets thrown away or washed down a sink, the toxic pollutants have more of a chance to enter the environment and do harm. Trash dumps and landfills are unfortunate major problems, as they allow pollutants to enter the ground and affect wildlife and groundwater for years to come.

10. 2 . OVERUSED AND EXPLOIDATION : As plastic is less expensive, it is overused. When it is disposed off in landfill sites, it does not decompose at a fast rate, and hence pollutes the land or soil in that area. Most people tend to throw plastic bottles and polythene bags away, even after a single use. This drastically increases its pollution rate on land as well as in the oceans, mainly in the developing and underdeveloped countries. Plastic bags, plastic bottles, discarded electronic components, toys, etc., clog the water bodies like canals, rivers, and lakes, especially in the urban areas. Every year, about 100 million tons of plastic are produced all over the world. Out of this, 25 million tons of non-degradable plastic gets accumulated in the environment. 3. PET PLASTIC BOTTLES : Plastic bottles are one of the most common plastic pollutants. Packaged drinking water carbonated soft drinks packaged drinks are distributed in pet plastic bottles. Once they are empty, they are thrown away into trash.

11. 4. PLASTIC FISHING NET AND EQUIPMENT : Commercial fishing is an economic necessity for many parts of the world, and tons of people eat fish for their daily survival. However, this industry has helped contribute to the problem of plastics pollution in the oceans in several ways. The nets used for certain large-scale trolling operations are usually made of plastic. First, these spend long times submerged in water, leaking toxins at will, but they also often get broken up or lost, left to remain wherever they fall. This not only kills and harms local wildlife, but also ensures that pollutants enter the water and fish of the area. 5. IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF PLASTICS : Plastics are durable materials that do not decompose easily when thrown away or disposed off along with general waste, they start pilling up. Burning plastic is incredibly toxic, and can lead to harmful atmospheric conditions and deadly illness. Therefore, if it is in a landfill, it will never stop releasing toxins in that area. 6. FAILURE TO RECYCLE OR UP-CYCLE : As mentioned above, most of the plastics are discarded after single use most plastics if correctly used and carefully can be refused several times . It can also be re-purposed for different uses. Not recycling or up-cycling plastic creates unwanted demand for new plastics.

12. Effects of Plastic Pollution It seems rather obvious that this amount of a material that isn’t meant to break down can wreak havoc on natural environments, leading to long-term issues for plants, animals, and people. Some of the major long-term effects of plastic pollution are: 1. It Upsets the Food Chain : Because it comes in sizes large and small, polluting plastics even affect the world’s tiniest organisms such as plankton. When these organisms become p poisoned due to plastic ingestion, this causes problems for the larger animals that depend on them for food. This can cause a whole slew of problems, each step further along the food chain. Plus, it means that plastic are present in the fish that many people eat everyday.

13. 2. Groundwater Pollution : Water conservation is already a concern in places ranging from California to parts of India, but the world’s water is in great danger because of leaking plastics and waste. If you’ve ever seen a garbage dump, imagine what happens every time it rains – then imagine that being in your drinking water. Groundwater and reservoirs are susceptible to leaking environmental toxins. Most of the litter and pollution affecting the world’s oceans also derives from plastics. This has had terrible consequences on many marine species, which can lead to consequences for those that eat fish and marine life for nutrients – including people. 3. Land Pollution : When plastic is dumped in landfills, it interacts with water and form hazardous chemicals. When these chemicals seep underground, they degrade the water quality. Wind carries and deposits plastic from one place to another, increasing the land litter. It can also get stuck on poles, traffic lights, trees, fences, tower etc. and animals that may come in the vicinity and might suffocate them to death. 4. Air Pollution : Burning of plastic in the open air, leads to environmental pollution due to the release of poisonous chemicals. The polluted air when inhaled by humans and animals affect their health and can cause respiratory problems .

14. 5. It Kills Animals : Despite countless TV ads over the years showing ducks or dolphins trapped in six-ring plastic can holders, these items are still used and discarded en masse each day. Whether because the mass of plastic has displaced animals or the related toxins have poisoned them, plastic pollution does a lot of damage to the world’s ecosystems . 6. It is Poisonous : Man artificially makes plastic by using a number of toxic chemicals. Therefore, use of and exposure to plastics has been linked to a number of health concerns affecting people around the world. The processes of making, storing, disposing of, and just being around plastics can be extremely harmful to living things. 7. It is Expensive : It costs millions of dollars each year to clean affected areas after exposure, not to mention the loss of life to plants, animals, and people. As land becomes more valuable, just finding a place to put garbage is becoming a problem in many parts of the world. Plus, excess pollution has lead to decreased tourism in affected areas, significantly impacting those economies .

15. Effect in Cattles

16. Effects in Birds

17. Effects in Marine animals

18. Effect in corals

19. Solutions to Plastic Pollution The reality is that the only way this problem can be addressed is by individuals and companies around the world agreeing to implement practices that reduce waste on every level. The top tips for reducing plastic waste are: 1. Shop Friendly :- Plastic bags were once a modern convenience but can be efficiently replaced by reusable bags, many of which fold up compactly in order to be portable. Carry a bag and always reuse plastic bags as much as possible. 2. Get Rid of Bottled Water :- People are meant to drink lots of water each day, and plastic water bottles have become a great way to stay hydrated throughout the day. However, most of these are only recommended for single use, and that means that every time someone finishes a bottle it goes into the trash. Many companies now sell reusable water bottles as a substitute, reducing plastic waste and exposure to leaking bottles.

20. 3. Forget to-go Containers :- Plastic food containers, lids, and utensils are all easily replaced by reusable containers, which will cut down significantly on even a single meal’s waste. 4. Educate Businesses :- Speak to local restaurants and businesses about options that they can switch to for packaging, storing, and bagging items. Many companies are starting to come up with excellent low-cost replacements, such as bamboo utensils in place of plastic ones. 5. Get Involved :- Speak to lawmakers and get involved with government on any level, and we’ll see how many special interest groups have made it so that we are dependent on plastic without needing to be. Encourage development of items, and propose alternatives when applicable. 6. Recycle Everything :- Try and select items that come in non-plastic recycled and recyclable packaging, to do our best to properly handle items that can’t be reused. Check everything before we put it in the trash, as more and more items are able to be recycled these days. Remember that because plastic doesn’t break down easily (if ever), recycling plastic means that it is still plastic, just being used for a different purpose. Therefore, we’re not actually reducing plastic amounts or exposure, even in the recycling process.

21. With “Beat Plastic Pollution” as the theme for this day, India went big with an announcement to wipe out all the single-use plastics from the country by 2022. Prime Minister  Narendra Modi applauded World Environment Day as an outset of a global movement to overthrow single-use plastics which will contribute to the country’s rapid economic development. This announcement gave an extension to the activities carried on by millions of Indians like policymakers, celebrities, business magnates and small entrepreneurs, innovators, environmentalist, and activists against plastic pollution around the country. India says no to plastic pollution Steps taken by Govt.

22. Pan-India Initiatives on plastic pollution 2. Extracting of plastic waste from water bodies in Kerala 1. Use of recyclables in government offices in Kerala 3. Tackling plastic use in Sikkim 4. Utilising plastic for road surfacing 5. Recycling plastic for better purposes 6. Adoption of ‘‘co-processing of waste” technique in Gujarat to deal with plastic pollution 7. Introduction of “Beat Plastic Pollution” drive by Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) in East Delhi schools 8.Fishermen of Kerala turning plastics from ocean into roads

23. CASE STUDIES WHEN THE MERMAIDS CRY: THE GREAT PLASTIC TIDE For more than 50 years, global production and consumption of plastics have continued to rise. An estimated 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013, representing a 4 percent increase over 2012, and confirming and upward trend over the past years. In 2008, our global plastic consumption worldwide has been estimated at 260 million tons, and, according to a 2012 report by Global Industry Analysts, plastic consumption is to reach 297.5 million tons by the end of 2015. A simple walk on any beach, anywhere, and the plastic waste spectacle is present. All over the world the statistics are ever growing, staggeringly. Tons of plastic debris (which by definition are waste that can vary in size from large containers, fishing nets to microscopic plastic pellets or even particles) is discarded every year, everywhere, polluting lands, rivers, coasts, beaches, and oceans. Plastic now pollutes every corner of Earth The research, published in the journal Anthropocene, shows that no part of the planet is free of the scourge of plastic waste. Everywhere is polluted with the remains of water containers, supermarket bags, polystyrene lumps, compact discs, cigarette filter tips, nylons and other plastics. Some are in the form of microscopic grains, others in lumps. The impact is often highly damaging .

24. PLASTIC WASTE CAUSES $13 BILLION IN ANNUAL DAMAGE TO MARINE ECOSYSTEMS, UN Concern is growing over widespread plastic waste that is threatening marine life – with conservative yearly estimates of $13 billion in financial damage to marine ecosystems, according to two reports issued at the inaugural meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly. INCREASING AMOUNTS OF PLASTIC LITTER IN THE ARCTIC DEEP SEA The deep sea is becoming a collecting ground for plastic waste, according to research led by scientists from Plymouth University and Natural History Museum. The new study, reveals around four billion microscopic plastic fibers could be littering each square kilometer of deep sea sediment around the world. Marine plastic debris is a global problem, affecting wildlife, tourism and shipping. Yet monitoring over the past decades has not seen its concentration increase at the sea surface or along shorelines, despite experts knowing that more is being created. However, the current study indicates this may be because micro plastics have sunk to the ocean floor, with the number of fibers recorded in the deep seas up to four times greater than in shallow and coastal waters.

25. Tackling the problem of plastic pollution — a short case study of Poland in 90s There are some ways to reduce it and it’s great to see that few of those concepts are about to be introduced in the UK. However, we may be facing few side problems which may (or may not) make our fight slightly more difficult. Poland in 90' was quite innovative in that matter. It wasn’t because of ecological reasons, but more economical ones. Producing bottles was expensive and at that time Poland was a country on the beginning of its economical growth path. Plastic Waste Crisis: What India Can Learn From Other Countries Around The World France- Pioneer of Plastic Ban: France is the first country to pass a law banning all kinds of plastic - plates, cups, and utensils to combat the problem of plastic pollution. As per the ‘Plastic Ban' law passed in 2016, replacements made with the plastic items must be bio-degradable which can be further composted. The law has completely banned plastic shopping bags and aims to half city's plastic usage by 2025.

26. Rwanda- Plastic Bag Free: Rwanda was one of the first countries to eliminate the usage of plastic bags by putting a ban on plastic bags in 2008. The country was faced with the problem of plastic bags chocking waterways and destroying the country's ecosystem. To fight this problem the country passed a law banning all non-biodegradable plastic from the country. Anyone found using or smuggling plastic bags are heavily penalized and in some cases may face a jail term . Sweden- The Plastic Recycler: The country has officially run out of trash and is asking other countries for their garbage to keep its recycling plant running. Following the mantra of ‘No Plastic Ban, Instead More Plastic Recycling', Sweden burns most of its waste in incinerators. Sweden has tackled the plastic pollution at source by organizing several campaigns Less than one per cent of waste from Swedish households goes to landfill dumps. No wonder this country boasts of being one of the world's best recycling nations.

27. Ireland- Tax Leverage on Plastic: In 2002, the country passed a plastic bag tax under which consumers would have to purchase bags. The law was tremendously successful as within weeks of its implementation there was a reduction of 94 percent in plastic bag use. Presently, plastic bags are illegal in Ireland. China- Eliminator of 100 billion plastic bags: To commercially discourage citizens, the country imposed a fee charge on plastic bags in 2008 making it illegal for stores to give out plastic bags for free. After two years of strict implementation, the country's usage of plastic bags has dropped by a whopping 50%. By eliminating nearly 100 billion plastic bags, China has been successful in reducing its plastic waste generation.

28. Critical impact Plastic has become an indispensable material in modern society. Worldwide, one million plastic bags and one million plastic bottles are used every minute. About 50% of our plastic use is single use (disposable) and it constitutes 10% of the total waste generated. More than 9.1 billion tons of plastic are said to have been “manufactured since the material was initially mass-produced in the 1950s”. In 2015, scientists said that “of the nearly 7 billion tons of plastic waste generated, only 9% was recycled, 12% incinerated, and 79% accumulated in landfills or the environment ”. In India, which accounts for almost 18% of the world population in 2.4% of the global land area, the accumulation of plastic waste is huge. An estimate in 2015 revealed that 60 cities across the country generated over 15,000 tones of plastic waste every day. Even if plastic is a convenient alternative, it is a difficult substance for nature to digest. goods sector is $75 billion.

29. Each year, 13 million tones of plastic end up in the oceans. A study revealed that 20 rivers (mostly from Asia) carry two-thirds of plastic waste to the ocean; the Ganga’s contribution to this is one of the highest. Researchers exploring the Arctic have found very high levels of micro plastics trapped in the ice. Last year, a plastic spoon was found in the remains of a whale shark off Rameswaram. Experts explained that whale sharks are filter feeders and like to swallow everything floating in the sea. The economic impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems through fisheries and tourism losses and beach cleaning-up costs is estimated to be around $13 billion per year. Plastic disposed of on land degrades slowly and its chemicals leach into the surroundings. Drinking water samples analyzed from 14 countries, including India, revealed that 83% have micro-plastics concentrations. According to a United Nations Environment Programme report, the overall annual natural capital cost of plastic use in the consumer goods.

30. CONCLUSION :: Thus, while tackling the issue related to environmental protection and cleanliness, we started with attack on symptoms rather than causes of pollution (Measurement of pollution and treatment technologies). Then subsequently we gave stress on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and could work on better planning and better control. And today we have started to attack the root cause of pollution-prevention of pollution. We are talking about clean technologies. We are aiming for biodegradable and eco-friendly products and processes. Bioplastics is only a part of the large efforts that we are determined to make. Bioplastics is a reality and is a practical truth. Our willingness and improvement in technologies will give it a wider success.

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