10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned

Each year on two far-flung Australian islands, more than half a million hermit crabs die after becoming trapped inside our plastic waste. Oil and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources and through their extraction and production, they emit greenhouse gases, which contribute to global climate change. It topped 60 million tons (54.4 million metric tons) in 2010 based on a September 2018 report titled "Plastic Pollution."But China announced it plans to outlaw the production and sale of . According to a 2017 study, more than half of non-fiber plastic, which excludes synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, comes from plastic packaging alone, much of which is for single-use items. As plastic bags tend to get caught in recycling machinery, most recycling facilities do not have the capacity to recycle plastic bags and therefore do not accept them. Spare Yourself the Guilt Trip This Earth DayIts Companies That Need to Clean Up Their Acts, These Fanciful Sea Creatures Were Carried in on the Tide. Using a straw directs a concentrated stream of liquid onto a localized area of the teeth, which can cause the enamel to wear away and lead to dental disease. For most, straws are not a necessity, but a convenience. We should just stick to plastic. Thoughtful laws are needed to control the problem and at the same time encourage innovation. Consumer outrage about the plastics crisis is already commanding attention from big companies and from many governments. Single-use plastics in particularespecially small items like straws, bags, and cutleryare traditionally hard to recycle because they fall into the crevices of recycling machinery and therefore are often not accepted by recycling centers. Plastic bags are everywhere. Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. Logically, the key to starting a change in your community is education. It means that most bags can be recycled. Some microplastics are even small by design, like the microbeads used in facial scrubs or the microfibers in polyester clothing. She can remember all of her vehicles the Pontiac 6000, her familys car that was passed on to her when she went to college; the Volkswagen Rabbit, and later Fox, that took her through young adulthood; the Honda Civics,, Read More Car Recycling: Everything You Need to Know (With Statistics)Continue, Whether youre a scuba diver, snorkeler, or amateur swimmer, the ocean is a playground where you come to explore the beauty of nature and the difference from your regular lifes environment. Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. Try reusable and compostable beeswax wrap for an easy and decorative option. Litter can be the first stage in a waste stream that enters waterways as plastics tossed on the street are washed away by rain or travel via storm drains into rivers and streams. A plastic straw ban could be a good step in the right direction, but we must use less single-use products overall to actually help the environment. Sadly, one of their newly acquired enemies is created by us who should protect them instead. The truth is that we do not know yet the full scale of negative impacts plastic waste can have on marine and terrestrial environments because it hasnt been around long enough to allow us to assess possible scenarios of its influence on natural cycles. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. (Source: Water in the West), Analysis reveals how restoring relatively narrow forest buffers could substantially improve regional water quality and carbon storage in Costa Rica and elsewhere. How Plastic Bottles Become Death Traps for Hermit Crabs. Disney is eliminating single-use plastic straws and stirrers at all its theme parks, resorts and properties. The following are ten lines on why plastic bags need to be prohibited: 1) The careless disposal of trash in plastic bags leads to an increase in litter.2) The use of plastic bags contributes to the depletion of our natural resources, including water, trees, and agricultural products.3) Because of the danger it causes to marine life, the total We should do likewise. Her Stand-Up Paddleboard Is a Platform for Campaigning Against Plastic Pollution, A Growing Concern: Microplastic Pollution on Farm Fields. If it looks clean, smells clean (and sounds clean! The most heartbreaking part of this is that the affected animals are not aware they eat something that will make them feel miserable and will slowly kill them. InCalifornia, a bill to ban straws unless requested at dine-in restaurants is awaiting a signature from the governor. We add another 8 million tons each year thats about five grocery bags full of plastic waste on every foot of shoreline around the world, according to a recent study. Oene Moedt-Foto Natura/Minden via National Geographic Images, Major Corporations and Single-Use Plastics, secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, and research has suggested that human exposure, 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic, one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector, could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030, an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines. Why? Plastic bags. Similar fate has met dolphins, seals, cats, dogs, deer and many other animals which got severely cut on their bodies due to plastic bag entanglement. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. A recent report showed that plastic production contributes to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions at every point in its life cycle. Thats bad news for our carbon reduction goals: if plastic production continues unabated, its greenhouse gas emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030equal to adding nearly 300 new coal-fired power plantseven as the need to curb global climate change becomes more urgent. Made from petroleum products, Baekland's " bakelite " plastic was a revolutionary material. NDLA National Disability Leadership Alliance: Nothing About Us Without Us. And, if you dont like wearing the same shirt or pants, Read More Dont wash it if it doesnt look dirtyContinue, At age 50, Kay is a little over halfway through her life as a driver. Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem. Polypropylene is a form of plastic that is frequently used in the production of straws. Ultimately, we can further decrease costs and achieve economies of scale through decentralized production systems and perhaps also at large biorefineries. A wave of single-use plastic bans is sweeping the country and the globemost often on plastic bags, straws, stirrers, and takeout clamshells. It also took 100% of those plastic grocery bags out of the recycling system, where they bound up machinery and increased costs. Straws don't provide as much utility as bags, so for many this is an easy adjustment. They are a part of our modern lives, and we dont tend to think much about them. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. We need to make fully biodegradable polymers that are cost-competitive. The production of these bags is very energy intensive. Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. Using these non-renewable resources to make plastic bags is very short-sighted, considering that the typical useful life of each plastic bag is about 12 minutes and that the worlds oil reserves contain enough oil to cover our needs through 2050, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. 1. As a result, the actual recycling rate for plastic bags globally is between 5 to 15 percent, while in the United States it makes only 1 percent a year [17]. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment? Talk to the owners of the restaurants you frequent. Criddle and Leape are also senior fellows at theStanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Straws, Ives says, made the perfect target: too inconsequential to really be missed but so ubiquitous that their absence would be noticed. Even human footprints left in the sand represent mountain-like obstacles in their path and waves washing up on the beach are another challenge, as they thrust them back on the dry land to try once again before finally being picked up by a return current and start swimming for their life. Other country that has decided to enforce the country-wide plastic bag ban after suffering of negative consequences was Mauritania. Juan Cristobal Cobo/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Many of you may have heard it already. But should plastic straws really be banned? In 2008, a crocodile in Australia died because of 25 plastic bags filling its stomach [11]. Once a paper product has been contaminated with food or drink, it must be disposed of in a landfill. If plastic straws are completely banned, local small businesses like boba tea shops will have to look for pricier alternatives. Gas, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. Scientists are showing that we are sending tons of tiny plastic particles into our soils each year, potentially affecting crops and our health. Other states such as Hawaii, cities such as Seattle and New York, and corporations such as Amazon and Starbucks are also considering or have initiated plastic phase-out plans. Help raise awareness of fellow consumers that means everyone when you think about it (unless they dont shopever). There are some great initiatives that strive to provide jobs for women in rural communities with limited possibilities of securing monthly income. Plastic straws are one of the most common forms of pollution found on beaches and in oceans all over the world. Interestingly, these granules contain the seeds of their own destruction: enzymes that break the polymer down when it is needed for food. Once a person gets into the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping, it is not much of an inconvenience at all. Straws made of paper are neither recyclable nor capable of decomposition. The trend has already started. To align with global efforts, India banned single-use plastic items from July 1, 2022. . But these cases make up a small fraction of single-use plastic. One of the most significant negative effects that plastic bags have on the natural world is that it takes a very long time for them to degrade.In addition, the breakdown of plastic bags in the sun results in the release of hazardous compounds into the surrounding soil, and the combustion of plastic bags results in the release of a poisonous material into the surrounding air, contributing to the problem of ambient air pollution. The Natural Resources Defense Council works to safeguard the earth - its people, Single-use plastics are a glaring example of the problems with throwaway culture. The first is to invest in better waste collection in the handful of countries that account for most of the plastic flowing into the ocean. Quick Navigation for Reasons Why Plastic Shopping Bags Should Be Banned, [1] https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf, [2] https://www.eco-business.com/opinion/getting-rid-of-plastic-bags-a-windfall-for-supermarkets-but-it-wont-do-much-for-the-environment/, [3] https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/2018/04/09/plastic-chokes-dhakas-drainage/, [4] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bags-petroleum/, [5] https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2935417&page=1, [6] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/plastic-planet-waste-pollution-trash-crisis/, [7] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/124006/pdf, [8] https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/rare-sea-turtles-eating-plastic-at-record-rate, [9] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cobi.12126, [10] http://www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr/index.en.php?id=934, [11] http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2008/12/plastic-bags-and-animals-making-the-wild-safe-for-wildlife/, [12] http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6374/460, [13] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/22/microplastics-found-in-human-stools-for-the-first-time, [14] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bag-clean-costs/, [15] http://www.bagmonster.com/2010/04/the-true-cost-of-single-use-bags.html, [16] http://www.cep.unep.org/cep-documents/unep-press-release-on-the-effects-of-plastic-waste-on-marine-ecosystems.pdf, [17] https://greentumble.com/can-plastic-bags-be-recycled/, [18] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bag-clean-costs/, [19] https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-countries-are-in-the-world.html, [20] https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf. Post date: 18 yesterday. The resulting number is staggering. Its Plastic Incineration. Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. Now, lets get into the negatives of a plastic straw ban: While banning plastic straws might help the environment in some aspects (well talk about this later), there are also many reasons against (or cons) of a plastic straw ban. 2023 Get Green Now. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they can drink. Such changes could have outsized benefits for vulnerable populations that rely on rivers for their water supply. They discovered that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestl products were found most often. Well, lets have a look at the most important reasons why single-use plastic bags should be banned right now. There is a lot of research now underway on the health effects of ocean plastics, but we already know that some plastics, and the chemicals that attach themselves to plastics in the water, can cause cancer, genetic disruptions and other ill effects. Such materials already exist in nature. 1. plastic straws litter our environment Every day, about 3-6 billion plastic straws are produced. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. A laboratory photograph of microplastics found in the Corsica River in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Maryland, An albatross found dead with a belly full of plastic on Midway Atoll. This leaves few other alternatives other than plastic straws. "To us, it was the 'gateway plastic' to the larger, more . In addition, despite the fact that the FDA has deemed this to be safe for consumption, chemicals from the plastic may seep into liquids, releasing substances that have the potential to influence estrogen levels. The small pilot whale, found in a Thai canal this past June, is another symptom of a crisis in the worlds oceans. We shouldnt ban plastic straws if it creates an accessibility issue. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips? Fortunately, microorganisms can also use cheap, renewable substrates, such as food wastes, biogas methane, carbon dioxide and renewable hydrogen. Paper vs. Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. Prior the ban, 70 percent of livestock losses were attributed to plastic bag ingestion. We are a couple of environmentalists who seek inspiration for life in simple values based on our love for nature. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. The phthalate DEHP, as just one example from dozens, is often added to plastic goods like shower curtains and garden hoses to make them more flexiblebut was also found to be a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. Tangled in trees and fences along roads, floating in water, lying on the ground in parks and forests, surrounding garbage bins, washed off on beaches. Plastic bags being the major component of the trash thrown away, most of it ends up on the streets. It was first invented in 1907 by Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland. On average, taxpayers end up paying about $88 per year just on plastic bag waste [15]. Alarmingly, scientists estimate that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight in 2050. Companies are forced to innovate, rethinking their designs and sourcing sustainable materials. JIM LEAPE: Our oceans are currently swimming with plastics. It is good for our environment, health and global climate. Some experts estimate that more than 1 million sea animals are killed each year by straws and other types of plastic trash. Search for jobs related to Reasons why smoking should be banned articles or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 22m+ jobs. What does occur in most instances is that when out in the environment, the plastic breaks up into tiny microscopic pieces that get deposited in soils (where we grow food) or contaminate waterways. Since their birth, baby turtles have only one goal to get to the sea and swim into deep waters where they will feed and if successful grow into adult turtles. What do the bans accomplish? But beyond these impacts, the bans have cultural effects. Items made of plastic that come into contact with food can be recycled, whereas products made of paper that absorb both food and garbage cannot. In Germany alone, we use 40 billion plastic straws every year. Increased awareness about the negative effects of single-use plastics would help the environment a lot more than just a simple plastic straw ban. female pomeranian temperament; splinterlands terms and conditions; carbon emissions data by company; ( ) + . In 2015 researchers from the University of Georgia estimated that between 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic per year make their way into the oceans via people living within 30 miles of a coast. According to a study that was published by Bloomberg News, it is predicted that the percentage of contaminated ocean water that is caused by plastic straws and stirrers is a shockingly modest 0.03 percent. 1 producer of plastic waste in the world. Buying a product through my link comes at no extra cost to you, and I only recommend products that I believe in. Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health. Many people with disabilities rely on flexible straws to drink safely and independently. Criddle isdirector of StanfordsCodiga Resource Recovery Center,a member ofStanford Bio-Xand an affiliate of thePrecourt Institute for Energy. The first answer to this question that comes to everyones mind is to stop using plastic bags, right? The bottom line of any plastic ban is that we must use less single-use plastics overall. Plastic straws (like most plastic) are non-biodegradable, meaning that it cant be naturally broken down by decomposers. 1. Stanford Reportspoke withJim Leape, co-director of theStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, andCraig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, about the path to reducing ocean plastic pollution. We use them to drink beverages at home and we get them at almost every restaurant. But only a few of us realize that each time we accept those disposable plastic grocery bags at store checkout, we actively participate in wasting energy and depleting non-renewable resources. CRIDDLE:Cost is a huge issue. In Taiwan, which was once overflowing with so much trash that it spurred public protest and the nickname Garbage Island, companies now either manage their own waste or subsidize government-run infrastructure. In my opinion, plastic straws should not be banned outright, because many disabled people require plastic straws to drink. They prevent millions of tons of plastic from entering the waste stream each year. Some opposers of the plastic straw ban say that a ban is unlikely to actually help the environment, as plastic straws do not make up a large percentage of plastic in the ocean. There is only one requirement these plastic bags need to be dry and clean, otherwise they contaminate the entire batch and your effort will do more harm than good. If we ban single-use plastic straws we will have to turn to the dangerous alternatives.In source Here's a quick list of the ways plastic straws may be harming your health: 1. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes. Car Recycling: Everything You Need to Know (With Statistics), Sustainable Diving & Snorkeling: How to Prevent Damage to Marine Ecosystems, What Are Microplastics and Why Are They a Concern? Learn how your comment data is processed. More and more states are looking to pass a new kind of recycling law that asks manufacturers to foot the bill for the waste created by their products. Individual actions can lead to collective actions. Straws are notorious for being readily blown away by the wind. Microplastics are plastic debris that measures less than five millimetres, or 0.2 inches, in diameter. Busca trabajos relacionados con Reasons why smoking should be banned articles o contrata en el mercado de freelancing ms grande del mundo con ms de 22m de trabajos. They store these polymers inside their cells as tiny granules. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy Theyre in about a quarter of the seafood in our markets, and even in table salt. Rating: 5 (913 reviews) Highest rating: 5. What Is Plastic Made Of And How Is It Manufactured? By 2030, CEO James Quincey has pledged to use 50 percent recycled material in its bottles and cans and recycle one bottle or can. Criddle has evaluated use of microorganisms to biodegrade plastic materials and to synthesize biodegradable bioplastics from waste feedstocks. And when it comes to waste that lasts forever, every ton counts. A 2018 study of coral reefs in the Asia-Pacific has confirmed that plastic waste deposited on coral reefs promotes outbreaks of diseases that gradually destroy whole reef colonies [12]. China 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned Manufacturers, Supply 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with High Quality, Wholesale 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with Low Price, High Quality. (Its also important to remember that waste management is just one part of the global materials cycle. On their long journey, they will encounter many difficulties and only a small portion of them will survive. Its also important to look at the bigger picture regarding plastic bans. Then, you should try to explain your reasons for not wanting your products packed in plastic bags. Although single-use plastic pollution accumulates most visibly on our streets, in fact our water suffers even more. You should examine what alternatives are available and whether local retailers, who often operate with a limited monthly budget, have the ability to make the switch. In this essay on should plastic be banned, it is very important to put forth the fact that there are many bodies of health and environmental governance around the world who argue that plastic ban can be problematic stating the following reasons-. Ask if they have nonplastic alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, or bags. Author: floridadep.gov. Recycling more plastic, more frequently, reduces its footprint. | | Problematic degradation 4. You as an individual have the power to make a gradual change in your community. In early January 2020, China joined the growing movement of more than 120 countries pledging to ban single-use plastics.The country of 1.4 billion citizens is the No. Thats a promising start. Sugar and oils are too expensive. Plastic bags floating in the ocean resemble jellyfish, one of the main sources of food for some species of sea turtles, especially the critically-endangered Leatherback turtles. India, for example, generates 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day but collects only 60 percent of it. Why is plastic bad for the environment? Plastic pollution is one of the biggest problems facing our world today. What can I do for you? Policies like bottle bill lawswhich generally require retailers to add a fee on individual bottles, which can then be partially redeemed by customers when they recycleare a way to increase corporate responsibility for waste while providing a monetary incentive to recycle. 5 Metals in your Home that can be Recycled for Cash, How exactly bidets offer a healthier, green option for your bathroom, A Closer Look at General Motors (GM) Sustainability Initiatives. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. Because they are so lightweight, plastic bags get easily picked up by wind and travel long distances by wind and water to pollute the nature. Once in the ocean, plastic pollution is extremely dangerous to marine life, and plastic straws are no exception. High costs for cleanup 8. Another example of a locally issued ban is Seattle where not only single-use plastic bags have been banned but also single-use compostable and biodegradable bags. All Rights Reserved. Buy a metal or bamboo reusable straw. We all are just trying to do our job well. Skip the Straw - Florida Department of Environmental Protection Low rated: 2. Scientists have recorded some species of zooplankton eating tiny plastic particles. How exactly does the use of plastic do harm to the environment?Plastic has a very long half-life in the environment, during which it poses a danger to animals and spreads toxic chemicals.Additionally, plastic is a contributor to the warming of the planet.Nearly every type of plastic is manufactured using chemicals that are leftover from the manufacturing of fossil fuels, which contribute to global warming (gas, oil and even coal). Well, before putting it into the laundry basket, take a look at it closely. And recent studies found plastic in the guts of 90 percent of the seabirds tested and 100 percent of the turtles. We do not know the full impact of microplastics exceeding the mass of plankton in the ocean. For example, in Botswana, the consumption of plastic bags dropped by 50 percent after the introduction of the tax in 2007. If you are a kid reading this, and you want to get green and help the Earth, you are at the right place. Banning straws may confer 'moral license' allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. The consumed plastic congests the digestive tracts of these animals, and can lead to health issues such as infections, painful intestinal blockage, starvation or death by suffocation. ), then its clean! Do you wonder why? The explanation is quite simple. Even if you can't go zero waste entirely, it's high time we all ended our reliance on single use plastics. An additional problem with plastic grocery bags recycling is their cleanliness. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. Most retailers will get your point, but it can also happen that they will not be willing to sell you some products without placing it in their plastic bags because of having to oblige with some hygiene and sanitary standards (for example when selling meat products). These modern conveniences are so ubiquitousand so quickly thrown outthat they hardly register in our minds. Also, giving a speech in . Avoid individually packaged goods, like snack packs. The cashier usually understands, only had to do what instructed and what most customers expect (unfortunately) from him or her. Once the wheel starts spinning, it leads to even more positive changes. Let us know if you liked this article. We produce 300 million tons of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. These costs include the true environmental costs of resource extraction and depletion, the loss of quality of life, economic loss from littering, and wildlife loss. the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution, Impact of Plastic Bags on the Environment, non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources, Plastic Bag Degradation: What You Should Know, Serious Effects of Plastic Pollution on Human Health.

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