How does the plastic material create harm to the environment?

Answer 1

Most plastics are not biodegradable; that is, they do not break down over time into simpler substances as do foodstuffs or natural fibers. Some scientists are investigating methods of creating biodegradable plastics that deteriorate, for example, on exposure to sunlight. One of the main problems in this type of research is making certain that the plastics degrade only after they are used and not before.

The effects of plastics on the environment, however, go beyond the issue of recycling. Plastic-foam processors, for example, have used chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as foaming agents. There is now considerable evidence that CFCs deplete the atmospheric ozone layer, which protects the Earth by blocking out much of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. According to the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement signed in 1987, ratifying nations must greatly reduce their use of CFCs by the year 2000. Other foaming agents that do not harm the ozone layer are meanwhile being studied.

Answer 2

The long life(10,000 years) amounting to almost immortality and its ever increaing presence of plastic is the undoing.Gods are immortal and thank god, there is only one god in Christianity and Islam.If they were as numerous as in Hindu religion(33 billions) and ever procreating they would have been a scourge(as they are to Hinduism).If only some way could be found out to make the gods as mortal as its devotees perhaps there would be hope.But far from reducing their numbers the devotees yearn for the immortals status for themselves. Imagine the plight of the overpopulated world with all the immortals with the limitations of space. There is no god like Yim of the Parsees who creats more space every 300 years by holding the earth in his palms and pressing it.

That is plastic.And to add to the woes attempts to make it mortal is fraught with the possibilities that it may melt away in godowns before putting it to use.Plastic (and Stainless Steel) are products which are anachronistc(SS is said to rust away only after 2,00,000 years) with the modern times of effervescent fashions.

If only plastic could have been fashioned out of harmless materials its long life would have been inconvenient but not a curse. However, the poisonous chemicals that go into its constitution are an ever present and ever increasing danger to the protective oxon layer.Even if the prognostications that discarded plastic would form the major portion of our waste have not been proved correct still it does form a substantial portion. It also is an ever present danger to the animal world. In Mumbai(India) a zebra dies because a plastic bag in which it was offered something to eat went inside along wit h it and blocked his intestines I recall a story from the Greek mythology where the hero asked for immortality from the gods but forgot to supplement it with life long youth. They say the pooor fellow is roaming on the earth in search of somebody who could give him the youth or at leasl take away the curse of immortality. I forgot his name but am sure it must be Plastic.

Answer 3

Depending on the formulation of the specific plastic compound. For instance PVC can release harmful Chlorine based substances to the environment, Acethal products release other compounds that are harmful.

Answer 4

It has harmful things in it that can kill an animal if they were to eat it, or toxins that could sink into the ground and kill those plants and trees, etc. It can't 'disappear' on it's own like an apple could if you left one outside for long. It would melt and give off bad chemicals that can hurt the environment.

Answer 5

Most plastics are not biodegradable and it will cause a lot of pollution to the environment. We have to learn how to reuse things instead of just throwing them away.

Answer 6

Plastic bags are not biodegradable, but rather, photodegradable. They break down in sunlight into smaller toxic bits, contaminating soil and waterways. This affects us very directly. A shocking statistic says all adult Americans now urinate plastics.

Answer 7

As others have said, plastics don't break down to be reabsorbed, as paper can be over time. If we continue to use and throw away items that are non-biodegradable, we turn the Earth into one huge garbage dump.

Answer 8

plastic plays a havoc to our environment .as they r non biodegradable they cause : Land pollution , chokes sewage ,When burnt they cause air pollution ,etc.Mainly due to these causes and many more plastics r harmful for environment .

Answer 9

Actually,plastic is a non bio degradable synthetic polymer,due to this reason it is not
degraded in its natural components & if it is
swalloed by ruminants it may cause their death.
More over it chokes rivers n rivulets & becomes
problamatic for aquatic life.

Answer 10

plastic material create harm when it is burned
which causes serious health related problems to the living world,even their death can occour.