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This article was published in 2020. It does relate to my claim that plastic should be banned in the U.S. The author of this article is Jennifer Dignan. The website has a .com ending meaning that it may be fake or bias. I did not find any spelling or grammar mistakes in the article. This article is informing the reader about the dangers of plastic.

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This article was published in 2020. It does agree with my claim statement. The source of this article is Conserve Energy Future. The website ending is .com, meaning that it may be bias or fake. I did not find any spelling or grammar mistakes in this article. The purpose of the article is to persuade the reader to stop using plastic, especially single use plastic shopping bags.

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This picture was posted on September 29, 2018. This picture agrees with my claim. The illustrators of this picture is Kath Bee and Levity Beet. The URL domain of the picture is .com meaning that it may be bias or fake. I did not find any spelling or grammar mistakes in the picture. This picture is persuading the viewer to not use plastic bags anymore.

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This picture was posted on September 27, 2019. It supports my side of the argument, that single-use plastic should be banned. The author of this picture is Rajinder Nagarkoti. The website ending is .com meaning that it may be bias or fake.I did not find any spelling mistakes in this picture. It is persuading people to stop using plastic because it is hurting many animals.

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This article was posted in 2020. It agrees to my claim . It is taken off of Change.org. The website has an .org ending meaning that it may be bias. I did not find any spelling or grammar errors in the article. This article informs and persuades people to stop using plastic and start using reusable materials.

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0 have signed. Let's get to 15,000!

LOVE the Earth, HATE the plastic!
There are many different ways in which we humans help reuse and reduce waste, not just as corporations and businesses, but also as individuals, families and schools. When a person makes an everyday purchases in a grocery store or retail store, they often walk out of the store with one or multiple plastic bags in their hands. Whether you leave the store with a plastic bag, and what you do with it later, is what makes the difference in the world and the usage we give that bag. Some ways that we can help ban or reduce the waste of plastic bags would be by:

1. Decline the bag. Hand-carry the items out of the store if you can!

2. Bring your reusable bags instead. The most challenging of this is remembering to take them into the store, and creating the habit.

3. Spread the word: By refusing to accept plastic bags from cashiers and store owners.t only takes a second to refuse a plastic bag, and to politely remind the cashier that plastic bags are bad for the environment.

Many of us do not know that over 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year, worldwide! A single plastic bag can take 20 to 1,000 years to degrade which can not only harm us but can harm animals too especially the aquatic animals. Plastic bags remain toxic even after they break down which is extremely sad. If we ban plastic bags the plastic bags are made from non-renewable sources and on this account, highly contribute to climate change. Plastic bags do not only pollute our water but also our land. Plastic bags are usually lightweight and as such, they can travel very long distances by either water or wind. Wind blows these plastic bags and trashes a whole area. These litters gets caught up in between trees, fences and floats in water bodies thus moving to the world's oceans.

As we all know with great power comes great responsibility but what some people fail to realize is how important it is to conserve our environment and took keep a good healthy surrounding. Those who oppose for banding plastic bags would say that bans often lead plastic bag manufacturers to scale back business and may lead to layoffs. Plastic bag bans will require shoppers having to purchase reusable bags, which can range from $1 and up and people might find it really expensive. Those who oppose plastic bag bans are more often, not employed by plastic bag manufacturers or lobbyist for the industry. Plastic bag manufacturers want to stay in business and their efforts that would force them to change their business model to one that fits with a more sustainable ideology or go out of business which nobody as a business owner would want. Other people would point out that banning plastic bags probably means cutting down more trees, which could be true but not in most cases. Many people from around the world are saying that plastic bags are much more cost-effective to produce than the alternatives. Plastic bags manufacturing also has less water waste and much less deforestation.

Plastic Bag Ban. The Truth About Plastic Bags. (2016, March 10). Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/topic/plastic-bag-ban/

Environmental Impact. Effects, Dangers of Plastic Bags. (2018, April 03). Retrieved from https://www.reusethisbag.com/articles/plastic-shopping-bags-environmental-impact/

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0 have signed. Let's get to 15,000! LOVE the Earth, HATE the plastic! There are many different ways in which we humans help reuse and reduce waste, not just as corporations and businesses, but also as individuals, families and schools.

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This video was published on April 21, 2015. The video supports my claim. The author of this video is Emma Bryce, and it was taken off of Youtube from TedEd. It has a website ending of .com which means that it may be bias or fake.There were no spelling or grammar mistakes in the video. This video is entertaining and informing people about the problem of plastic.

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What really happens to the plastic you throw away - Emma Bryce

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This picture was published in 2020.  This picture agrees with my claim. This image was found on the Plastic Pollution Coalition web page. It has a website ending of .org meaning that it may be bias. I did not find any spelling or grammar errors in this picture. This picture is to inform people of the damage plastic does to our marine creatures.

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This video was posted on April 13, 2017. This video supports my claim. The source of this video was Youtube and author is Freedom Three Publishing. The website that i found this picture on has a .com ening meaning that it may or may not be bias or fake. I did not find any spelling or grammar mistakes. There were also not many words in the video. This video entertains and informs you about the major problem of plastic and how to fix it.

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This picture was published in 2016. This comic strip supports my claim that plastic should be banned. Alex Hallatt is the author of this picture. The page that i found this picture on is a .com website meaning that it may be bias or fake. I did not find any spelling or grammar mistakes. The purpose of this picture is to entertain people and to inform them about how much plastic we have in our oceans.

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This article was published on April 15, 2019. This article does relate to my topic because it is talking about how plastic is damaging our environment. The author of this article is Le Drenche. This article has an .eu website meaning that it is college material. I did not find any spelling or grammar errors and the article seems pretty accurate. The author is trying to inform and persuade the reader about the major ongoing problem of plastic and how to fix it.

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What are single-use plastics?

Single-use plastics are plastic products which are used only once before thrown away. We often speak about this kind of plastic to speak about products like plastic bottles, coffee stirrers, plastic bags or straws.

Around 150 millions of tons of single-use plastic products are produced each year in the world? It represents half of the total world plastic production per year. Only roughly 10-13% of plastic products in the world are recycled.

Why is it controversial?

Most of plastic products are based on petroleum. Also some dangerous chemicals are used to transform petroleum into plastics. This material does not biodegrade. Instead, it breaks into small or microscope particles, releasing the chemicals used to harden the material back into the atmosphere. These particles make their way into our food and water and were already detected in our blood systems.

Moreover, plastic waste makes easily it's way into seas and oceans. Besides polluting water and beaches, these plastic objects harm and kill marine species. Together, plastic represents 70% of all marine litter items.

Why do we talk about it today?

In order to fight against marine pollution, the European Commission proposed a new legislation banning some of the most used and most polluting single-use plastic products. Among the banned products, we can find plastic cutlery, straws, plates, balloon sticks, drink stirrers and plastic cotton buds.

Also, producers of single-use plastics will have to help cover the costs of recycling and waste management, as well as awareness raising for products like cigarettes butts, drink and food containers and wrappers. Member States will have to collect 90% of single-use plastic bottles by 2025.

This directive was adopted by the European Parliament on the 27th of March.

Choose your side

The idea behind the Rift is simple: for each topic of debate, we provide you with an expertise based on a pro-con approach, written by competent and legitimate experts. We want to help you make your own opinion, and guide you on first steps to civic engagement.

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FOR
Paving the way for a sustainable production and consumption of plastics

Larissa Copello de Souza
Zero Waste Consumption and Production Campaigner, Zero Waste Europe
zerowasteeurope.eu

When it comes to plastics, and especially single-use applications, recycling alone is not enough. The production of plastics has increased 20-fold in the past half-century, and it is expected to grow even more. Single-use and short-lived plastic applications have the highest disposal rates, the lowest recyclability, and pose a major challenge to our health, ecosystems and economy.

Downstream solutions alone cannot solve the plastic pollution crisis

In fact, most of the plastics we use are designed to have a short useful life, sometimes even a matter of minutes. Although initiatives to boost collection rates and recycling are welcome, these downstream solutions alone cannot solve the plastic pollution crisis. There is just too much plastic being produced and used to be managed and handled. Instead, we need to tackle the problem at its root. Market restrictions (such as bans) on single-use plastic products are an example of upstream solutions that can help beat plastic pollution and pave the way towards a deeper systemic change in the way we consume resources and create waste.

For Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) transformational change is needed when it comes to the use of materials as a whole. In the case of plastics, as for many other materials, single-use does not make sense. We need to shift towards a sustainable production and consumption that allows us to keep within the environmental boundaries of our planet, with no hazard for people's health or our ecosystems, and in line with a circular economy (where incineration and landfill are not an option). It is our government's' interest to prioritise investment that focus on quality products that are resilient and long-lasting, rather than on short-term applications.

We need to shift towards a sustainable production and consumption that to keep within the environmental boundaries of our planet

Reducing single-use plastic is not only needed and feasible, it also has the potential to boost the local economy, while allowing savings in the management of littering and low-value waste, which has also been stressed in the UN environment report, according to which "bans on single-use plastics can be a step towards more comprehensive policies aiming at reducing the generation of plastic waste and at replacing single-use plastics with more sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives".

Cutting on single-use plastic products, making plastics responsible by design (long-lasting, reusable, recyclable, toxic-free, and incorporating recycled content), and investing in waste prevention systems, such as reuse, are key to curb plastic pollution and ensure a more sustainable management of resources.

AGAINST
Banning Plastics Does not Solve the System Problem

Use of single-use plastics (think wrappers, straws and bags) has skyrocketed over the last few decades. Our ability to recycle these plastics at scale remains poor. Globally, 8 million metric tons of plastic trash leak into our natural spaces each year, harming wildlife, mucking up the ocean and jeopardizing people's livelihoods.

We can't just ban bad products-we must invest in alternatives

It's encouraging that governments are focusing on passing laws to fight single use plastic. Unfortunately, while these laws may reduce the most visible form of plastic pollution, it could be at the expense of other environmental impacts. That's because, somewhat ironically, disposable plastic bags require fewer resources (land, water, CO2 emissions, etc.) to produce than paper, cotton or reusable plastic bags-by a wide margin.

For example, Denmark's Ministry of Environment and Food found that you would need to reuse a paper bag at least 43 times for its per-use environmental impacts to be equal to or less than that of a typical disposable plastic bag used one time. An organic cotton bag must be reused 20,000 times to produce less of an environmental impact than a single-use plastic bag. That would be like using a cotton bag every day for nearly 55 years. (Note that these figures aggregate the bags' impact on water use, CO2 emissions, land use and more, but they do not include their impact on plastic pollution.)

Banning plastic straws is also increasingly popular. But these bans leave the impression that they solve the plastics pollution problem without much discussion of systematic solutions. As a society, we should think holistically about the products we use and their impacts. We can't just ban bad products-we must invest in alternatives.

We need to invest in redesigning plastics

Governments need to team up with private industry to address more systemic issues. We need to invest in redesigning plastics so that they can be readily broken down into their molecular units and remanufactured into new plastics of the same quality, the essence of a closed loop system. We need better recycling technology that can address the major obstacle of recycling plastics: about 25 percent of plastics collected are contaminated and therefore unusable. We need to reinvest government budgets in the infrastructure and associated policies needed for these systemic solutions. Once these technologies are deployed at a large scale, we can start recapturing the economic value of plastics, incentivizing their recovery and recycling, while minimizing plastic pollution and overconsumption of natural resources.

Banning single-use plastic bags and straws without significant further action is putting a finger on a spigot at a time when we need to suppress the tidal wave. Moreover, it may have the unintended effect of relieving public and government pressure for budget investments and comprehensive policy solutions and innovation by the private sector throughout the value chain.

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Single-use plastics: to ban or not to ban? - The Rift

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What are single-use plastics? Single-use plastics are plastic products which are used only once before thrown away. We often speak about this kind of plastic to speak about products like plastic bottles, coffee stirrers, plastic bags or straws. Around 150 millions of tons of single-use plastic products are produced each year in the world?

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This article was published on March 3,2019. It was last updated December 24, 2019.  This information relates to my topic and it supports the con side of my article. The author of this article is Better Meets Reality. The article is a .com website meaning that it may be bias or fake. I did not find any spelling or grammar mistakes in this article. This article is informing the reader that plastic, on the other hand, can be good. Sometimes plastic can help keep our food hygienic and safe.

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In this guide, we outline some of the more notable pros and cons of plastic in terms of how we use it as a material in society, and the potential impact it may have.

Summary - Pros & Cons Of Plastic

Plastic is a polarising material because of the stark benefits and drawbacks it presents, and the multiple ways it can impact humans, wild life, the environment, and the economy.

It certainly has it's potential drawbacks.

There's no denying that synthetic plastic is made from non renewable fossil fuel feedstock, that some plastic contains BPAs and other potentially harmful chemicals, fillers and additives, that plastic usually has a high waste rate amongst disposable packaging materials, or the extent of plastic pollution on beaches, in rivers and lakes, in the ocean and on land (although some effort is being made by organisations to clean that up).

Additionally, microplastics seem to be everywhere (in our food and water, in the soil, in fresh water, and in the ocean, and more), plastic tends to have a lower recycling rate than other materials, and plastic can take thousands of years to fully degrade ... just to name a few more drawbacks.

But, plastic also has it's benefits.

It generally cheap (making things more affordable, particularly to lower income earners), and being a synthetic material means we can design and manufacture it to be and do things we otherwise can't with natural materials.

Plastic can help minimise food waste, keep food hygienic and safe, keep medical instruments and items sterile and safe, help save fuel in vehicles by making vehicles lighter, is used in renewable energy equipment and systems like solar panel set ups, and is responsible for a lot of key plumbing piping and electrical conduits and cabling world wide (just to name a few key benefits).

There's also many other common uses for plastic, and we use it across many key sectors/industries in society.

Something that surprises some people is that plastic also benefits the environment across multiple sustainability indicators by helping us save resources and reduce emissions at different stages across a material or product's life cycle.

Several life cycle assessment reports and case studies of items like bottles, bags, and packaging support this.

Going forward ...

Instead of demonising plastic altogether, we might look at how we can extract maximum and value benefits out of plastic, whilst minimising the downsides as much as practically possible (and identifying, as well as maintaining awareness of plastics that may be the most problematic).

A lot of this might come down to how we choose to use it, and what we use it for.

Redesigning plastic products, developing new plastic chemistries (and new plastics), using more plastic alternatives and substitutes where beneficial, reducing plastic use and waste rates where possible, re-using, re-purposing and recycling plastic where possible, along with upgrading and improving plastic waste management systems, technology and facilities ... are all potential places to start.

Solving plastic problems whilst maintaining the benefits and value of plastic is something that needs to be looked at on a case by case basis (by item, product, company, city, etc.), and will require all parties across the plastic life cycle to analyse and improve their behavior (suppliers, manufacturers, consumers, sellers, waste management collectors and processors, governments, and so on).

Pros Of Plastic

A summary of some of the potential pros:
Some Plastics Have A Long Lifespan
Not all plastics are the single use or disposable type of plastic.

PVC piping for example may last 50 to 100 years, and construction plastic has a mean lifetime of 35 years.

Plastic with a longer lifespan has a lower waste rate than plastics that become waste in a matter of seconds or minutes.
The Production Of Plastic Compares Favorably To The Production Of Other Materials In Some Ways
Although the production of plastic is energy and resource intensive in some ways, other materials can be less eco friendly in their production process.

One example is a metal like aluminum (unless it's recycled) that is generally energy intensive to manufacture. Another might be bamboo, which despite being a semi natural fibre, can lead to environmental pollution from the chemical bamboo viscose process.
Plastic Takes Up Less Space In Landfills
Plastic might take up less space/volume in landfill (bankrate.com) than other materials (some sources say plastic take up 7 times less space than paper).
Plastic Doesn't Emit Methane When Breaking Down Unlike organic materials, plastic doesn't emit methane when it breaks down Plastic Can Be Used To Get Water To Those Who Need It Quickly & Affordably
Plastic bottled water is an affordable and quick way to get water to populations of people who need it, and may not have access to safe and clean water, or any water at all.

Examples may include cities experiencing a water shortage, regions that have been damaged by a natural event, and places that don't have working water infrastructure at all.
There's Different Ways To Manage Plastic Waste With Heat, Other Than Traditional Burning
Other plastic waste management options exist that use heat, such as gasification and pyrolysis.

These options can process plastic with minimal emissions or pollution (but, admittedly, both have other issues with cost, scaling etc.)
Plastic Is One Of The Most Energy Dense Materials To Burn/Incinerate
Plastic has a high energy output for incineration or cement kilns because of the petroleum that makes it up.

Additionally, plastic can be a direct replacement sometimes for burning fossil fuels, and there are other potential benefits to incinerating plastic.
New Plastic Types & Plastic Chemistries Are Being Researched & Developed One example is PDK plastic, that is being developed to be able to be recycled over and over. Plastic Bottles Are In Some Ways More Eco Friendly Than Other Material Substitutes Plastic as a material performs better across some environmental indicators than other material substitutes for bottles. Plastic Bags Are In Some Ways More Eco Friendly Than Other Material Substitutes Plastic as a material performs better across some environmental indicators than other material substitutes for shopping type bags. Plastic Straws May In Some Ways Be More Eco Friendly Than Other Material Substitutes Plastic as a material performs better across some environmental indicators than other material substitutes for drinking straws. Plastic Packaging Is In Some Ways More Eco Friendly Than Other Material Substitutes
Plastic as a material performs better across some environmental indicators than other material substitutes for packaging (such as carrier bags, caps and closures, beverage containers, stretch and shrink film, other rigid packaging and other flexible packaging)
Plastic Is In Several Ways More Sustainable Than Paper
For example, paper mills are traditionally known to be some of the biggest polluters on Earth.

Additionally, in the UK, the paper products sector used almost as much energy as the rubber and plastics sectors combined in 2016 (although, this is just a total - and not per capita of plastic and paper output)

Chemical Makeup & Properties Can Be Modified To Suit Use

As a synthetic material, plastic's chemistry can be modified to provide more beneficial properties for it's end use - making it softer or harder, more malleable, more durable, and so on.
This is illustrated with the different types of plastic that each have different properties and are used in different products and items. Plastic Is Worth A lot To The Economy & Employs A lot Of People The global plastic products market is worth about 1.1 trillion, and in the US is employs about 1.76 million people
Plastic is cheap and easy to make/produce.
Protects Our Health & Safety, & Promotes Hygiene In Some Ways
When it comes to food safety (via plastic packaging, wrapping, trays etc.), and when it comes to sterilised and sealed medical instruments - just as two general examples.
Preserves Food & Prevents Food Waste
Prevents food from spoiling and going to waste with sealed plastic packaging and wrapping.

Less food waste means less deforestation, land clearing and agricultural chemical inputs as well.
Is Important For Infrastructure & Construction
Plastic is used for plumbing pipes, as well as electrical cable conduits.

It's also used in construction inside buildings and households.
Important For Transportation
The light weight of plastic helps save fuel when used in vehicles (where heavier materials would be less fuel efficient), and also makes up important parts in various vehicles.
Performs Many Other Critical & Convenient Uses In Society
There's many other critical uses for plastic in society, including both everyday (textiles is a common one) and specialized type uses.
Makes Delivery/Transport Of Products Cheaper & Easier
Leads to cheaper and more efficient transport when plastic is used in packaging compared to traditionally heavier and space inefficient materials like glass.
Not Fragile Or Prone To Breakage
When compared to a material like glass.
Can Be Repurposed, Or Downcycled For Secondary Use Applications
Plastic fill is one example of downcycling.

One example of repurposing is using plastic bottles for recycled fibre clothing.

Different plastic types can be repurposed for different secondary uses.
The Water Footprint Of Plastic May Not Be As Bad When Compared To Other Materials & Resources It takes about 22 gallons to make one pound of plastic (which can make roughly 45 PET water bottles). In comparison, one sheet of paper requires about 3 gallons of water to make, and one hamburger requires about 634 gallons. The Carbon Footprint Of Plastic May Not Be As Bad When Compared To Other Materials & Resources
Some estimates show that producing 1kg of aluminum emits roughly 2.5 times the carbon emissions of 1kg of plastic.

In addition, even when plastic as a material might produce more carbon emissions than another material by weight - plastic products can be lighter, and this can equalize total final emissions in a comparable product ... this can be the case with similar sized glass and plastic bottles.

In addition, some sources indicate that synthetic plastic fibre textiles like nylon and synthetic fleece have a comparable or lesser carbon footprint at the point of purchase compared to wool and cotton.

There's Still A Lot Of Potential To Better Use Or Reduce Plastic, & Manage Plastic Waste

In some ways, society hasn't tapped into the potential to use plastic much more wisely and efficiently (such as redesigning products to be more plastic efficient, as well as reducing our individual plastic packaging footprints), nor have we reached the potential to manage plastic waste better (via redesigning products to make them more recyclable, and investing in better waste collection and sorting systems, along with upgraded plastic waste management facilities, technology and infrastructure).
There's many potential solutions to plastic problems that we can make much more significant progress with a shift in awareness and focus, and greater investment of money and time
Read more about the ways in which plastic benefits society, the environment and the economy.

Cons Of Plastic

A summary of some of the potential cons:
Plastic Comes From A Non-Renewable Resource
Plastic is produced from fossil fuel feedstock - usually petroleum or natural gas.

Right now, around 4% of the oil and natural gas we use go towards plastics.

Even more fossil fuels get burned in the refining process, and with plastic production expected to increase in the future, plastic production could account for 20% of global annual oil consumption.

Comparatively, plastic substitutes such as bamboo and wood comes from renewable (and natural) resources.
Plastic Is One Of The Most Common Debris/Waste Materials Found In The Ocean
About 60-80% of all marine debris is plastic.
Ocean Plastic Pollution Is A Problem
Plastic pollution in the ocean comes from both land and marine sources.
Plastic Is One Of The Most Common Waste Materials Found On Beaches, Land & In Rivers
Plastic waste/litter found on land, on beaches, and in fresh water sources like rivers may be littered, or inadequately managed at open and uncontained dumping sites (where it leaks into the environment).
Some of the most commonly littered and polluted items are plastic bottles, straws and stirrers, lids, food wrappers and food packaging, amongst others. Plastic Pollution On Land Is A Problem There's many different causes of plastic pollution on land, and there is perhaps not enough research into the full impact it might be having. Plastic Pollution Costs Money To Address & Clean Up
As just one example, removing plastic from ocean surface water is usually not profitable when considering the re-sell or re-use value of one kilogram of plastic (about 30 cents), compared to what it costs to remove it (about $5).
Plastic Pollution Can Lead To Other Economic Losses For the economy as a whole, and for individual industries and sectors.
Additionally, some estimates indicate that plastic packaging alone represents an $80 billion loss to the global economy every year
Plastic Can Cause Human Health Concerns
Because of the BPA, phthalates and other chemicals, additives and fillers that may be present in some plastics.

There's a concern plastic food containers leach BPA into our food, and plastic drink bottles leaches it into our water.

BPA is found in polycarbonate plastic in baby bottles, sippy cups, and reusable water bottles.

Other chemicals that give plastic their rigidity or flexibility (flame retardants, bisphenols, & other chemicals) can have toxicity concerns when they potentially leach out from the product that contains them.

BPA Free Plastic Products Might Not Be A Fully Human Safe Solution

A common BPA substitute is BPS ... however, some research shows that BPS could possess similar safety concerns to BPA.
Plastic Impacts Wild Life & Marine Life
For example, ingestion of plastic and entanglement in plastic are two problems for wild life.
Plastic Has A Low Recycling Rate In Some Countries
Some plastic items are recycled at a higher rate than others.

But, plastic as a whole has a low recycling rate of 9% in the US, just as one example. The global average is roughly 14%, China is at around 22%, and India is at about 60%
Plastic Can't Be Recycled Infinitely
Unlike metals for example, plastic can't be recycled over and over, infinitely.

Plastic can only be recycled a certain number of times before it loses it's integrity and quality, and has to be downcycled, or sent to landfill or incineration.
Some Plastics Can't Be Recycled At All
Some plastics and plastic products can be recycled, whilst others can't at all.
Plastic Recycling Has Numerous Challenges
'Dirty' plastics or plastics that have been cross contaminated with other plastics are examples of challenges that make plastic recycling less efficient, or less effective.

Another is that some products contain several types of different plastic (such as some sport drink bottles), or different materials - which makes recycling inefficient or not possible.

Another is that some recycling processing and re-sell chains can be long and inefficient (i.e. one piece of plastic may change hands and travel long distances in order to be recycled and re-used or repurposed)
Plastic Recycling Isn't Always Feasible Or Profitable
Recycling some types of plastic isn't economically viable ( because of the market value of that plastic, or how plastic value can be tied to oil prices, or a number of other problems with collecting and sorting/processing plastic)
Some Plastics Have A High Waste Rate
Single use and disposable plastics like plastic packaging for example become waste quickly and frequently, compared to some other types of plastic.

The high waste rate of some plastics likely is linked to the litter and pollution rates of plastic.
Plastic is also one of the most common material found in municipal waste and landfills. Plastic Is Not Biodegradable
Unlike organic materials like 100% natural untreated wood or bamboo for example, plastic is not a biodegradable material
Plastic Takes A Long Time To Break Down
Compared to other materials, plastic takes a very long time to break down and degrade.

On top of that, different plastic products/items take longer to break down than others, such as plastic fishing line which can take up to 600 years to break down according to some estimates.

Some researches note that there is a chance plastic may never fully break down i.e. it may stay around forever in the form of micro or nano plastics
Incinerating Plastic Has It's Own Problems & Challenges
One of these is air pollution in the case that there isn't contaminant capture technology installed.

Another might be ensuring a consistent supply of plastic.
The Best Way To Dispose Of Plastic Isn't Always The Same Or Clear
It can depend on location, technology, different types and products containing plastic, but also on environmental, economic and other assumptions being made about each disposal option.
Synthetic Fibres Containing Plastic Might Not Be As Eco Friendly As Natural Fibres In Some Ways
Synthetic textiles (like polyester, nylon, acrylic etc.) that contain plastic micro fibres, may require more embodied energy and have higher CO2 emissions per tonne of spun fiber than natural fibre textiles
Micro Plastic Fibres From Clothing & Textiles Are Being Observed All Across Society & The Environment
Plastic micro fibers from synthetic and natural-synthetic blend clothes and textiles are thought to be one of the biggest sources of micro plastics in our food and water supplies, soil, rivers and water ways, and the ocean.

This can happen especially when clothing is washed in our washing machines
The Long Term Effects Of Microplastics Are Still Not Fully Clear
Although initial studies suggests micro plastics aren't impacting humans in any way, there is some impact on micro organisms.

The full and long term impact of micro plastics on the environment, human and living organisms is still not 100% clear and definitive.
Humans Inhale & Ingest Micro Plastic Fibres Humans can inhale and ingest micro plastics from bottled water, tap water, food supplies, indoors from plastic fibre clothing and textiles, as well as from plastic objects and furniture Plastic In The Environment Can Soak Up Persistent Organic Pollutants Plastic can act like a sponge and soak up and transport around POPs like pesticides, solvents, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemicals. Bioplastics Still Have Their Own Issues & Problems
Bioplastics can rate worse than regular plastic across some environmental indicators.

Bioplastics can also be more expensive, as well as needing specific composting conditions to break down effectively.

Bioplastics are therefore not a complete solution against regular plastics, at least not at the moment.
Potential Issues WIth Some Types Of Plastic Like PVC
VC in PVC is potentially the most toxic plastic for our health and environment.

Some sources indicate that no other plastic contains, or has the potential to release as many dangerous chemicals.

There can be issues incinerating PVC or sending it to some landfills because of the lead, mercury, phthalamites and chlorine involved in a PVC product's creation.

Although, it should be noted that more economical and easier ways to recycle PVC are becoming available.

CPVC can also possess health and toxicity concerns (some leaching studies report that PVC nor CPVC should be used for drinking water).

Vinyl chloride 'from older PVC piping and has been found in the drinking water of a small number of communities across [the US' (nrdc.org)
Plastic May Account For More Greenhouse Gases Than First Thought New research suggests ... plastics account for 3.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions Other Material Substitutes Can Be More Sustainable Than Plastic The More They Are Re-used
For example, carrier bags and drink bottles made of substitute materials compare more favorably to plastic the more they are re-used.

A stainless steel drink bottle for example may be more sustainable than a plastic bottle when used 500 times of more according to one estimate.
Wood Is A More Sustainable Material Compared To Plastic Across Several Indicators Especially wood from sustainably managed wood stock, and when looking at various applications like building materials, furniture, TV units, window frames, and more. Metal Furniture May Be More Sustainable Than Plastic Furniture When measured by health, and lifecycle, reuse and recyclability indicators High Quality Food Grade Silicone May Come Out Slightly Ahead When Compared To Plastic Although neither material is ideal from an eco or sustainability perspective, silicone might be better for a few different reasons when used for some food and beverage type applications. Boxed/Carton Water Is In Some Ways More Sustainable Than A Plastic Water Bottle
Although boxed water has it's own drawbacks, some companies make recyclable cartons, and claim to have significantly lower carbon footprints and use less fossil fuels than plastic bottles.
Disposable Plastic Bottles Can Be A Waste Of Water
Some estimates say it takes at least twice as much water to produce a plastic water bottle as the amount of water contained in the bottle.

When including water in the supply chain (and not just the plastic bottle), that amount of water could be six or seven times what's inside the bottle (npr.org).

When consumers are frequently using new disposable plastic bottles without a legitimate need to, this can be a waste of water.

Read more on the cons and potential negatives of plastic on society as a whole in this guide.

1. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/least-eco-friendly-sustainable-animal-friendly-fibres-fabrics/

2. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/plastic-pollution-on-land-faq-guide/

3. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/potentially-harmful-effects-of-plastic-on-the-environment-wildlife-humans-health-the-economy/

4. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/how-long-it-takes-for-different-materials-everyday-items-to-break-down-degrade/

5. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/how-long-plastic-takes-to-break-down-degrade-in-landfills-in-the-ocean-the-environment/

6. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/plastic-vs-glass-vs-metal-stainless-steel-aluminum-bottles-comparison-which-is-best/

7. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/plastic-vs-paper-vs-cotton-vs-other-reusable-bags-comparison-which-is-best/

8. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/plastic-vs-paper-vs-metal-vs-glass-vs-bamboo-vs-silicone-reusable-straws-comparison-which-is-best/

9. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/is-metal-more-sustainable-than-plastic-metal-vs-plastic-comparison/

10. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/ways-in-which-plastic-benefits-society-the-environment-the-economy/

11. https://plasticpollutioncoalition.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/222813127-Why-is-plastic-harmful-

12. https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/repair/vinyl-siding-lethal1.htm

13. http://theconversation.com/youre-eating-microplastics-in-ways-you-dont-even-realise-97649

14. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/what-is-plastic-used-for-in-society-sectors-that-use-the-most-plastic/

15. https://theconversation.com/ocean-cleanup-wont-turn-a-profit-but-we-should-still-do-it-104097

16. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/potentially-harmful-effects-of-plastic-on-the-environment-wildlife-humans-health-the-economy/

17. https://www.bankrate.com/finance/smart-spending/paper-plastic-whats-environmentally-correct-choice.aspx

18. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/reasons-why-some-plastic-cant-be-recycled/

19. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/what-plastics-can-cannot-be-recycled-how-to-find-out/

20. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/what-can-plastic-be-recycled-into-reused-repurposed-for/

21. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/is-recycling-economical-and-profitable/

22. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/how-many-times-can-you-recycle-different-materials-plastic-paper-metal-glass-etc/

23. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/most-recyclable-materials-recycling-rates-of-different-materials-paper-metals-plastic/

24. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/what-are-the-most-problematic-harmful-types-of-plastic/

25. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/plastic-in-the-ocean-faq-guide/

26. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/best-way-to-dispose-of-plastic-recycle-landfill-or-burn-incinerate/

27. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/pros-cons-of-waste-incineration-waste-to-energy-benefits-disadvantages/

28. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/pros-cons-of-sending-plastic-to-landfill/

29. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/the-different-types-of-plastic-how-many-there-are-what-they-are-most-commonly-produced-what-they-are-used-for-which-types-can-be-recycled-more/

30. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/is-plastic-sustainable/

31. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/solutions-to-plastic-problems-how-to-solve-plastic-pollution-how-to-manage-plastic-in-society-in-the-future/

32. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/is-wood-more-sustainable-than-plastic-wood-vs-plastic-comparison/

33. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/is-bamboo-more-sustainable-than-plastic-bamboo-vs-plastic-comparison/

34. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/is-silicone-more-sustainable-than-plastic-plastic-vs-silicone-comparison/

35. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/is-glass-more-sustainable-than-plastic-glass-vs-plastic-comparison/

36. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/is-paper-more-sustainable-than-plastic-comparison/

37. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/is-boxed-carton-paper-water-better-than-plastic-other-bottles/

38. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/how-much-water-it-takes-to-produce-make-common-everyday-products-foods-water-footprint-virtual-water/

39. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/10/28/241419373/how-much-water-actually-goes-into-making-a-bottle-of-water

40. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/carbon-footprint-of-common-everyday-things-products-foods/

41. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/which-sectors-industries-use-the-most-energy-electricity/

42. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/how-to-reduce-your-landfill-waste-footprint-based-on-landfill-waste-stats/

43. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/most-common-types-of-waste-found-in-oceans-on-beaches/

44. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/most-commonly-littered-items-in-society-land-rivers-beaches-oceans/

45. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/recycling-rates-in-different-countries/

46. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/what-do-we-use-oil-and-gas-for-sectors-countries-that-use-the-most-oil-gas/

47. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/why-fossil-fuels-are-still-important-what-we-use-fossil-fuels-for-other-benefits/

48. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/most-common-plastic-waste-generated-found-on-beaches-in-oceans-on-land/

49. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/plastic-packaging-makes-up-almost-half-of-all-plastic-waste-what-it-is-what-to-know-about-it/

50. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/economic-impact-of-plastic/

51. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/pros-cons-of-recycling-plastic/

52. https://www.bettermeetsreality.com/a-realistic-plastic-free-living-plastic-free-july-guide-with-tips/

53. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/whats-your-drinking-water

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The Pros & Cons Of Plastic - Better Meets Reality

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In this guide, we outline some of the more notable pros and cons of plastic in terms of how we use it as a material in society, and the potential impact it may have. Plastic is a polarising material because of the stark benefits and drawbacks it presents, and the multiple ways it can impact humans, wild life, the environment, and the economy.

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This article does not state when it was published, but it was last modified on January 28, 2013. This article relates to my side, that single-use plastic should be banned in the U.S. This source is beachapedia.org. This article was on a .org website meaning that it may be a bias website. No, I didn't find any spelling mistakes, the article looks good. The information informs and persuades people. It informs you how dangerous plastic is to our environment, but persuades you to do your part and help keep the earth clean.

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According to many researchers plastics now comprise one of the biggest threats to marine environments. Each year in the United States alone, over 24 billion pounds of plastic packaging is produced, which is specifically designed to be thrown away as soon as that package is opened. Plastics do not biodegrade, but instead break down into smaller and smaller particles. These plastic particles not only persist in the ocean, but they absorb the toxins from the ocean and are then eaten by fish, sea birds and other marine life. These particles are absorbed into the food web, and over 100,000 marine mammals and turtles die each year because they eat, swallow, or get tangled up in plastics. Plastic bags are considered especially dangerous to sea turtles, who mistake them for jellyfish, a main food source. Currently, 86% of all known species of sea turtles have had reported problems of entanglement or ingestion of marine debris.

Single use plastic bags, such as those commonly used at the grocery store, make up a significant portion of Marine Debris and cause a very considerable amount of harm to the environment. It is estimated that about 1 trillion of these plastic bags are used each year world-wide. Over 100 billion of these petroleum-based bags are used in the United States each year and in addition to the harm caused to the marine environment, the production of these bags requires 12 million barrels of oil per year. Also, municipalities spend millions of dollars attempting to clean up this trash and to recycle as much as possible; it costs California $25 million annually to landfill discarded plastic bags and public agencies in California spend more than $300 million annually in litter cleanup.

Paper bags and biodegradable plastic bags arguably have less harmful impacts on the environment, but also have disadvantages. Paper bags are recycled more frequently than plastic ones (less than 5% of plastic bags are recycled nationally [some estimates say it's closer to 1%], while 21% of paper bags are recycled nationally), however, they require more energy to produce and transport as well as much more energy to recycle. Additionally, increasing the use of paper bags would lead to cutting down more trees, though cities passing bans have responded to this by setting certain standards for the materials used. Paper takes up more space in landfills and costs more to have in stores (the cost of which is passed down to consumers). Biodegradable plastic is not currently a feasible alternative (although it may be in the future), because of the lack of commercial composting facilities necessary to recycle them. The amount of litter would not be greatly alleviated and the lightweight bags would still pose the same harms to wildlife.

Reusable bags are the preferred alternative. Those who oppose plastic bag bans claim that there is no evidence of mass appeal, that consumers will likely have to pay for these bags (which cost about $1), and that consumers will have to deal with the hassle of having to remember a bag before they go to the store. Despite these inconveniences, switching to using reusable bags rather than paper or plastic bags would be beneficial economically as well as environmentally. When Los Angeles considered banning plastic bags, the staff report presented to the council stated that "facilitating the increased use of reusable bags would conserve energy and natural resources, reduce the volume of waste disposed in landfills, diminish plastic bag litter, and invite citizens to actively participate in practices that promote a clean and sustainable environment." Reusable bags come in many different types and have potential to appeal to the public as a socially responsible and perhaps even a fashionable way of shopping.

See Rise Above Plastics to learn more.

References

Plastic Bag Fact Sheet (Heal the Bay)

California Plastic Debris Action Plan

This article is part of a series on Clean Water which looks at various threats to the water quality of our oceans, and the negative impacts polluted waters can have on the environment and human health.

For information about laws, policies, programs and conditions impacting water quality in a specific state, please visit Surfrider's State of the Beach report to find the State Report for that state, and click on the "Water Quality" indicator link.

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According to many researchers plastics now comprise one of the biggest threats to marine environments. Each year in the United States alone, over 24 billion pounds of plastic packaging is produced, which is specifically designed to be thrown away as soon as that package is opened.