Plastic pollution poses serious threats to both the environment and human health. Plastic waste accumulates in land and water bodies around the world, harming wildlife through entanglement and ingestion. Animals often mistake plastic for food due to its small size, which can cause starvation. Chemicals used in plastics' production and additives that leach out are linked to health issues like cancers and developmental problems in humans. Urgent action is needed to promote safer plastic alternatives and responsible waste disposal to mitigate these potential hazards.

1. ONLINE ASSIGNMENT
Submitted by Submitted to
KAVITHA N.A SHYMIJA .M .Z
Physical science Physical Science
KUCTE, Kumarapuram KUCTE, Kumarapuram

3. INTRODUCTION
Plastic pollution is the accumulation of the different types of plastic material on land,
as well as in water bodies like rivers, oceans, canals, lakes, etc. As a commodity, it is used on
a large scale all around the world. Basically, it is a synthetic polymer that consists of many
organic and inorganic compounds, and is mostly derived from petrochemicals like olefins.
Plastic materials are mainly classified as thermoplastics (polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride)
and thermosetting polymers (polyisoprene). Apart from these, they can also be classified as
biodegradable, engineering, and elastomer plastics. Although they are extremely useful in
many ways, and have been an important part of the global polymer industry, their production
as well as disposal, pose a great threat to all the life forms on Earth.
Plastic, one of the most preferred materials in today's industrial world is posing
serious threat to environment and consumer's health in many direct and indirect ways.
Exposure to harmful chemicals during manufacturing, leaching in the stored food items while
using plastic packages or chewing of plastic teethers and toys by children are linked with
severe adverse health outcomes such as cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine
disruption, developmental and reproductive effects etc. Promotion of plastics substitutes and
safe disposal of plastic waste requires urgent and definitive action to take care of this
potential health hazard in future.
The advent of fuel based plastics has revolutionized the industrial world and there is
no area of manufacturing which is untouched by plastics. Convenience and cost factors have
pitch forked plastics as the most preferred material of choice till recently, a rethinking about
its impact on environment and sustainability is slowly putting a brake on its continued use.
While cheap petroleum fuels from which most plastics are derived was once justified to
introduce them in place of traditional materials like glass and metals, this plea cannot hold
any more since the cost of non-renewable fossil fuels increased several fold during the last 3
decades.
Research based on plastics proves their injurious nature towards human health in
many direct or indirect ways. Phthalates or phthalate esters are esters of phthalic acid mainly
used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility) in Poly Vinyl
Chloride (PVC). PVC is a widely used material, including extensive use in toys and other
children's products such as chewy teethers, soft figures and inflatable toys. Di (2-ethylhexyl

4. phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), di-isononylphthalate (DINP), di-isodecyl
phthalate (DIDP), benzyl - butyl - phthalate (BBP) and di-n- octyl- phthalate (DNOP) are
phthalates mainly used in converting polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from a hard plastic to a
flexible plastic. Phthalates migrate into the air, into food and into people including babies in
their mother's wombs. Phthalates can be released from soft PVC by surface contact,
especially where mechanical pressure is applied e.g. during chewing of a PVC teether).
Release of phthalates during manufacture, use and disposal of PVC products, in addition to
their use as additives in ink, perfumes etc. has lead to their ubiquitous distribution and
abundance in the global environment.
PLASTIC POLLUTION
HALF OF OUR WORLD ARE SWALLOWED BY PLASTIC

5. Plastic pollution involves the accumulation of plastic products in the environment that
adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, or humans. Many types and forms of plastic
pollution exist. Plastic pollution can adversely affect lands, waterways and oceans. Plastic
reduction efforts have occurred in some areas in attempts to reduce plastic consumption and
promote plastic recycling. The prominence of plastic pollution is correlated with plastics
being inexpensive and durable, which lends to high levels of plastics used by humans.
TYPES
Plastic pollution on plants
Plastic pollution occurs in many forms, including but not limited to littering, marine
debris (man-made waste that has been released in a lake, sea, ocean, or waterway), plastic
particle water pollution, plastic netting and Friendly Floatees. A large percentage of plastic
produced each year is used to make single-use, disposable packaging items or products which
will get permanently thrown out within one year. Often, consumers of the various types of
plastics mainly use them for one purpose and then discard or recycle them.
Per the United States Environmental Protection Agency, in 2011 plastics constituted
over 12% of municipal solid waste. In the 1960s, plastics constituted less than 1% of
municipal solid waste.
Effects on the environment
Land
Chlorinated plastic can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil, which can
then seep into groundwater or other surrounding water sources. This can cause serious harm
to the species that drink this water.
Landfill areas are constantly piled high with many different types of plastics. In these
landfills, there are many microorganisms which speed up the biodegradation of plastics.
Regarding biodegradable plastics, as they are broken down, methane is released, which is a
very powerful greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to global warming. Some landfills
are taking initiative by installing devices to capture the methane and use it for energy, but
most have not incorporated such technology. Release of methane does not only occur in

6. landfills, biodegradable plastics also degrade if left on the ground, in which case degradation
takes longer to occur.
Ocean
Nurdles are plastic pellets (a type of microplastic) that are shipped in this form, often
in cargo ships, to be used for the creation of plastic products. A significant amount of nurdles
are spilled into oceans, and it has been estimated that globally, around 10% of beach litter is
nurdles. Plastics in oceans typically degrade within a year, but not entirely, and in the process
toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A and polystyrene can leach into waters from some
plastics. Polystyrene pieces and nurdles are the most common types of plastic pollution in
oceans, and combined with plastic bags and food containers make up the majority of oceanic
debris. In 2012, it was estimated that there was approximately 165 million tons of plastic
pollution in the world's oceans.
Effects on animals
Plastic pollution has the potential to poison animals, which can then adversely affect
human food supplies. Plastic pollution has been described as being highly detrimental to large
marine mammals, described in the book Introduction to Marine Biology as posing the "single
greatest threat" to them. Some marine species, such as sea turtles, have been found to contain
large proportions of plastics in their stomach. When this occurs, the animal typically starves,
because the plastic blocks the animal's digestive tract. Marine mammals sometimes become
entangled in plastic products such as nets, which can harm or kill them.
Over 260 species, including invertebrates, have been reported to have either ingested
plastic or become entangled in the plastic. When a species gets entangled, its movement is
seriously reduced, therefore making it very difficult to find food. Being entangled usually
results in death or severe lacerations and ulcers. It has been estimated that over 400,000
marine mammals perish annually due to plastic pollution in oceans. In 2004, it was estimated
that seagulls in the North Sea had an average of thirty pieces of plastic in their stomachs.
Plastic bags harm animals in the ocean by them thinking that its food because plastic doesn't
biodegrade it gets smaller and smaller. Also in the ocean a lot of animals get caught in ropes
and they choke.

7. Effects on humans
Plastics contain many different types of chemicals, depending on the type of plastic.
The addition of chemicals is the main reason why these plastics have become so
multipurpose, however this has problems associated with it. Some of the chemicals used in
plastic production have the potential to be absorbed by human beings through skin
absorption. A lot is unknown on how severely humans are physically affected by these
chemicals. Some of the chemicals used in plastic production can cause dermatitis upon
contact with human skin. In many plastics, these toxic chemicals are only used in trace
amounts, but significant testing is often required to ensure that the toxic elements are
contained within the plastic by inert material or polymer.
Plastic pollution can also affect humans in which it may create an eyesore that
interferes with enjoyment of the natural environment.
DEFECTS AND CAUSES
Due to their insolubility in water and relative chemical inertness, pure plastics
generally have low toxicity in their finished state, and will pass through the digestive system
with no ill effect (other than mechanical damage or obstruction).However, plastics often
contain a variety of toxic additives. For example, plasticizers like adipates and phthalates are
often added to brittle plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to make them pliable enough for
use in food packaging, children's toys and teethers, tubing, shower curtains and other items.
Traces of these chemicals can leach out of the plastic when it comes into contact with food.
Out of these concerns, the European Union has banned the use of DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl
phthalate), the most widely used plasticizer in PVC. Some compounds leaching from
polystyrene food containers have been found to interfere with hormone functions and are
suspected human carcinogens. Moreover, while the finished plastic may be non-toxic, the
monomers used in its manufacture may be toxic; and small amounts of those chemical may
remain trapped in the product. The World Health Organization's International Agency for
Research on Cancer(IARC) has recognized the chemical used to make PVC, vinyl chloride,
as a known human carcinogen. Some polymers may also decompose into the monomers or
other toxic substances when heated. The primary building block of polycarbonates, bisphenol
A (BPA), is an estrogen-like hormone disrupter that may leach into food. Research in
Environmental Health Perspectives finds that BPA leached from the lining of tin cans, dental

8. sealants and polycarbonate bottles can increase body weight of lab animals'
offspring.[citation needed] A more recent animal study suggests that even low-level exposure
to BPA results in insulin resistance, which can lead to inflammation and heart
disease.[citation needed] Bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, present in plastic wrap based on PVC, is
also of concern, as are the volatile organic compounds present in new car smell. Toxic
chemicals all
Plastics have following harmful effects:
1) Choking hazard if consumed directly
2) Release toxic gases during production and on combustion.
3) Being non biodegradable cause disposal problems.
4) Contain hazardous chemicals like BPA, PVC
REDUCTION EFFORTS
Household items made of various types of plastic.
Efforts to reduce the use of plastics and to promote plastic recycling have occurred.
Some supermarkets charge their customers for plastic bags, and in some places more efficient
reusable or biodegradable materials are being used in place of plastics. Some communities
and businesses have put a ban on some commonly used plastic items, such as bottled water
and plastic bags.

9. Litter the Landscape
Once they are used, most bags go into landfill, or rubbish tips. Each year, more and
more bags are ending up littering the environment. Once they become litter, plastic bags find
their way into our waterways, parks, beaches, and streets. And, if they are burned, they infuse
the air with toxic fumes.
Kill Animals
About 100,000 animals, such as dolphins, turtles whales, penguins are killed every
year due to these bags. Many animals ingest plastic bags, mistaking them for food and
therefore, die. And worse, the ingested plastic bag remains intact even after the death and
decomposition of the animal. Thus, it lies around in the landscape where another victim may
ingest it.
Non-biodegradable
One of the worst environmental effects is they are non-biodegradable. The
decomposition takes about 400 years. No one will live so long to witness decomposition of
plastic! Thus, save the environment for the future generation of humans as well as animals.
Petroleum Is Required to Produce Plastic Bags
Petroleum products are diminishing and getting more expensive by the day, since we
have used this non-renewable resource, increasingly. Petroleum is vital for our modern way
of life. It is necessary for our energy requirements -- for our factories, transport, heating,
lighting, and so on. Without viable alternative sources of energy yet on the horizon, if the
supply of petroleum were to be turned off, it would lead to, practically the entire world
grinding to a halt. And to make plastic, about 60 - 100 million barrels of oil are needed every
year around the world.
COLLECTION
The two common forms of waste collection include curbside collection and the use of
drop-off recycling centers. About 87 percent of the population in the U.S.A. (273 million
people) have access to curbside and drop-off recycling centers. In curbside collection, which
is available to about 63 percent of the U.S.A. population (193 million people), people place

10. designated plastics in a special bin to be picked up by a public or private hauling company.
Most curbside programs collect more than one type of plastic resin; usually both PETE and
HDPE. At drop-off recycling centers, which are available to 68 percent of the U.S.A.
population (213 million people), people take their recyclables to a centrally located facility.
Once collected, the plastics are delivered to a material recovery facility or handler for sorting
into single-resin streams to increase product value. The sorted plastics are then baled to
reduce shipping costs to reclaimers.
There are varying rates of recycling per type of plastic, and in 2011, the overall plastic
recycling rate was approximately 8% in the United States. Approximately 2.7 million tons of
plastics were recycled in the U.S. in 2011. Some plastics are recycled more than others; in
2011 "29 percent of HDPE bottles and 29 percent of PET bottles and jars were recycled.
PROPER DISPOSAL OF PLASTIC
Plastic which is disposed off can be recycled and used in many different ways such as
for tote bags, wallets, or pouches. There are biodegradable plastic bags available, which can
help to a considerable extent.
These changes might be gradual, and even less appealing against the problem; but
taking small steps can greatly contribute to the reduction of plastic pollution. It is time for us
to take some preventive steps, and ensure a better life for the future generations.
Single-use bags have become such a ubiquitous way of life that it seems as if we
simply cannot do without them. However, if we have the will, we can start reducing their use
in small ways.
A tote bag can make a good substitute for holding the shopping. You can keep the bag
with the cashier, and then put your purchases into it instead of the usual plastic bag.
Recycling the bags you already have is another good idea. These can come into use for
various purposes, like holding your garbage, instead of purchasing new ones.
While governments may be working out ways to lessen the impact of plastic bags on
the environment, however, each of us should shoulder some of the responsibility for this
problem, which ultimately harms us. From the above paragraphs, you must have understood
the gist of the harmful effects of plastic bags on environment. They are not only non-

11. biodegradable, but are one of the major pollutants of the sea. For a clean and green
environment, try to use alternatives to plastic whenever and wherever possible. Cut down on
your use of plastic, and do your bit to save our planet.
CONCLUSION
Every once in a while the government passes out an order banning shop keepers from
providing plastic bags to customers for carrying their purchases, with little lasting effect.
Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well as consumers because they are cheap,
strong, lightweight, functional, as well as a hygienic means of carrying food as well as other
goods. Even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do
without, they are responsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up the precious
resources of the earth.
About a hundred billion plastic bags are used every year in the U.S. alone. And then,
when one considers the huge economies and populations of India, China, Europe, and other
parts of the world, the numbers can be staggering. The problem is further caused by the
developed countries shipping off their plastic waste to developing countries like India. There
are many harmful effects of plastic bags.
Plastic bags are used by everybody. You get them, right from a vegetable vendor to a
designer store. They are convenient and easy to use. Though commodities made of plastic are
handy, it is time to become aware of the harm that plastic causes to life on Earth. Before the
picture turns even more ugly, it is better that you take some effective preventive measures to
reduce this type of pollution.
To bring a decline in its usage, start using paper or cloth bags for shopping and other
purposes as much as possible, and avoid bringing plastic bags at home.
Understand the severity of the problem of plastic pollution, and know the consequences of
dumping plastic in water and on land.