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Dangerous Polystyrene

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Dangerous Polystyrene Many people are not aware of the harmful effects of Polystyrene. This post aims to highlight some of the dangers, both to our health and to the environment. According to ChemicalSafetyFacts.org Polystyrene is a versatile plastic used to make a wide variety of consumer products.It is one of those materials that’s everywhere around us. Polystyrene is an inexpensive and hard plastic Polystyrene is also used to make drinking cups and food containers – the hard plastic ones and also the soft foamy ones. A popular brand of polystyrene foam is called Styrofoam™. Common polystyrene items- https://www.lipstiq.com/2016/124822/polystyrene Polystyrene effects on Humans Polystyrene contains the toxic substances Styrene and Benzene, suspected carcinogens and neurotoxins that are hazardous to humans. Hot foods and liquids actually start a partial breakdown of the Styrofoam, causing some toxins to be absorbed into our bloodstream and tissue. Polystyrene material should ...
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Microplastics: The Invisible Plastic

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What are microplastics? According to the U.S National Ocean Service ( oceanservice ),Microplastics are small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long which can be harmful to our ocean and aquatic life. Microplastics in Toothpaste- downtoearth.org Microplastics come from a variety of sources which include from larger plastic material that breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces. In addition, microbeads, a type of microplastic, are very tiny pieces of manufactured polyethylene plastic that are added as exfoliants to health and beauty products, such as some cleansers and toothpastes. These tiny particles easily pass through water filtration systems and end up in the ocean and Great Lakes, posing a potential threat to aquatic life which can consequently affect animal and human life as the plastic content is transferred through the food chain. Microplastics & Marine Life Marine organism are unable to tell the difference between food and microplastics and therefore indiscr...
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Styrofoam and Plastic Bans

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What is Styrofoam and Polystyrene. According to webstaurantstore , Styrofoam is a closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam. It is often used interchangeably with expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam. Polystyrene is a non-biodegradable hard plastic. Both are usually used in to-go applications including take-oucontainers, disposable utensils, and coffee cups. Both are non-biodegradable and considered cited dangerous to human life, sea life and wildlife. Styrofoam containers are also said to be among the items that contribute significantly to flooding especially in Trinidad. Common plastic and styrofoam items- https://www.stlucianewsonline.com Styrofoam and Plastic Bans in the Caribbean More than 60 countries have already committed to introducing levies and bans to reduce single-use plastic waste.The fight against single-use plastic and styrofoam has been gathering steam over the past years, and the Caribbean has been one of the regions taking the lead in this area: Grenada has put in place a b...
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Major Impacts of Plastic Pollution

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Fatal Effects of Plastic Pollution Plastic pollution is one of the most relevant and serious problems of this Generation. Plastic has gradually become a staple for our everyday life, but this is no longer practical. The production, use and disposal model for conventional plastics is ecologically unsustainable has proved to be very detrimental to the environment. 'The global plastic consumption throughout the globe was approximated at 260 million tons in 2008, and it was predicted to be more than 300 tons in 2015'– according to the Global Industry Analysts. ( https://www.eartheclipse.com ). The major impacts of plastic pollution: Environmental Impacts Plastic bags in the environment pose significant hazards to wildlife both on land and in the ocean. Plastic bags can choke waterways and exacerbate natural disasters. Plastic bags and Styrofoam containers take hundreds of years to decompose, contaminating soil and water. Plastic Pollution in Nigeria- http://www...
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The Importance of Recycling

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The amount of rubbish we create is constantly increasing as the population is increasing and people are buying more plastics to meet new lifestyle changes and ultimately creating more waste. In order to minimize the huge negative impact on the natural environment it is crucial that persons try their best to recycle plastics. http://fortune.com/2018/01/17/eu-pushes-plastic-recycling/ What is Recycling ? According to Wikipedia, (h ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling ), Recycling is defined as " Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into reusable objects to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, energy usage,  air pollutio n (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by decreasing the need for “conventional” waste disposal and lowering greenhouse gas emissions compared to plastic production. Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of ...
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The History of Plastics

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What Are Plastics, and Where Did They Come From? The term Plastic  originally meant “pliable and easily shaped.” However  it now refers to a category of materials called polymers which are long chains of molecules.  Cellulose which is found in cell walls of plants, is a very common natural polymer. Clear Polymer Granules.- https://www.amcopolymers.com/solutions/clear-polymers During this last century humans have developed the ability and knowledge to construct synthetic polymers. In some cases, natural substances such as cellulose are utilized but carbon atoms provided by petroleum and other fossil fuels are used most often. Synthetic polymers are similar to organic polymers as they are made up of long chains of atoms, arranged in repeating units but they are often much longer than the latter. The length of these chains, and the order in which they are aligned, result in polymers being strong, lightweight, and malleable. Although these properties make synth...
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Plastic Pollution In Trinidad

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Caribbean countries are among the biggest producers of trash in the world per capita. In Trinidad and Tobago, over eight thousand tonnes of plastics are annually dumped at the nation’s landfills. This figure does not include the countless amounts which are thoughtlessly disposed of throughout the environment. Image by Caribbean 360: http://www.caribbean360.com/news/trinidad-generating-trash-world-per-capita In order to minimize this figure, the SWMCOL (Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company implemented the Waste Recycling Policy in 2014 which involves the coordination and implementation of the National Waste Recycling Management System. This involved plastic processing equipment, the addition of a number of recycling programs and an increased focused on public awareness. In order for this initiative to become efficient, it is mandatory that citizens of Trinidad and Tobago to also make an effort to prevent the pollution of plastic. Individuals can add simple practices to the...
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