Major Impacts of Plastic Pollution

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.developnaija.com

Economic Impacts

• Stranded single-use plastic creates visual pollution, impacting tourism and recreational activities.
• The minimization of single-use plastic pollution is increasingly becoming a high priority particularly in those countries that rely heavily on tourism as a major source of GDP such as Small Island Development States.
• The future costs of removing all disposable plastics from the environment, may be higher than the costs to prevent littering today.

Tourist surrounded by plastic debris- https://www.thenational.ae/

Social Impacts

• Plastic waste and microplastic waste ingested by fish can enter the food chain, ultimately impacting human health.
• By blocking sewage systems and providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes, plastic bags can raise the risk of transmitting waterborne diseases like malaria.
• Illegal disposal of plastic often takes the form of open burning, generating toxic gas such as furan and dioxin.

Plastic Impact on Human Health-http://tryforgood.com