Plastic pollution is the harmful accumulation of manufactured plastic goods in the environment, contributing to climate change and harming wildlife. Major sources include food packaging, healthcare industry plastics, and single-use items like straws and bags, with most plastics being non-biodegradable and poorly recyclable. The tourism and construction industries also significantly contribute to plastic waste.

1. Plastics
a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers such as
polyethylene, PVC, nylon, etc., that can be moulded into shape while
soft, and then set into a rigid or slightly elastic form.

3. What is Plastic Pollution?
 Plastic is a very useful material, but it is also made of hazardous substances
that can cause illness, and it is not biodegradable since it is designed to last
longer.
 Plastic pollution is the accumulation of manufactured plastic goods in natural
settings that harms humans and wildlife.
 One of the major contributions to climate change is plastic pollution.
 Plastic is nearly impossible to decompose, and it ends up in landfills and the
ocean, harming marine life.
 This frequently entails the destruction of plant life and the endangerment of
nearby wildlife.
 Furthermore, waste management is unable to successfully recycle most
plastic (even those marked for recycling), resulting in the majority of plastic
trash ending up in landfills or the ocean.

4. Bottle & Container Caps
Bottle & Container Caps account for 15.5% of pollution in the environment as
a whole.
Caps are harmful to the environment because they float on the surface of the
water and seem like a tempting meal for birds.
Healthcare Industry
Plastics have been extensively used in the healthcare industry (25%) in the
manufacturing of surgical gloves, syringes, insulin pens, IV tubes, catheters,
inflatable splits, and other medical tools and devices.

5. Sources of Plastics
Food Wrappers & Containers
Food Wrappers and Containers account for 31.14% of pollution in the
environment as a whole.
Modern food packaging makes food safe, dependable, shelf-stable, and sanitary.
Unfortunately, the majority of food packaging is single-use and cannot be
recycled.
Fishing Nets
Many parts of the world rely on commercial fishing for a living, and millions of
people eat fish on a daily basis.
However, in numerous ways, this industry has contributed to the problem of
plastic pollution in the oceans.

6. Plastic Bags
Plastic Bags account for 11. 18% of pollution in the environment.
The inherent evil of plastic bags is well established by now, and reusable bags
have mostly entered the mainstream - but unfortunately, this hasn't resulted in a
big reduction in plastic bags.
These are extremely long-lasting, and just 3% of them are recycled.
Straws and Stirrers
account for 8.13% of pollution in the environment.
Straws have no way of recycling, which should be prohibited.
In other words, even if there is a need, there is no method to recycle straws.
On a daily basis, a huge number of straws are used (roughly 500 million per day
in the U.S. alone).

7. Beverage Bottles
Beverage Bottles account for 7.27% of pollution in the environment.
The process of water bottling emits 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into
the environment each year.
Bottles recycle at a reasonably high rate of 74 %, depending on the kind of
plastic used.
Tourism Industry
Through the construction and creation of infrastructure and services, tourism
increases the amount of plastic washed into the oceans.
Agricultural Industry
Polymers enable farmers, foresters, and fishermen to retain livelihoods, improve
productivity, reduce crop losses, and conserve water in a variety of ways, from
mulching and irrigation to fishing gear and greenhouse films.

8. Construction Sector
The construction industry is the second-largest consumer of
plastic, accounting for 20 percent of all plastic waste.
They are anticipated to produce 300 metric tonnes of plastic every year,
with half of that being single-use.
The most common uses of polymers in construction
are piping and conduit, which account for 35% of total output.
https://prepp.in/news/e-492-sources-of-plastic-pollution-environment-notes