Why are plastic containers bad for the environment?
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a surge in the usage of plastics. The use of plastic containers has also increased as a result. There is no doubt that these plastic storage boxes are bad for the environment.
This article will highlight the reasons why plastic containers are so bad for the environment, and explain how you can help solve this problem.
1. Plastic Containers are Not Biodegradable
A biodegradable material can be broken down by living organisms. This means that it can be naturally recycled into new organic molecules and new life.
Plastics are not biodegradable. Plastic storage boxes cannot be recycled by living organisms. A combination of the sun’s energy and environmental factors like rain will continue to degrade plastic down into smaller and smaller pieces. These pieces of plastic will always remain on Earth as microplastics. It creates an expensive waste management burden and social and economic crises for local communities.
2. Production of Plastic Containers Requires Fossil Fuels
The production of plastics requires the use of non-renewable fossil fuels. Most plastic containers are made from a plastic known as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is produced by using oil. Oil is a type of fossil fuel.
Fossil fuels are non-renewable and they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. There is no question that the use of plastic storage containers are bad for the environment.
3. Plastic Containers Causes Pollution and Harms Marine Ecosystems
According to the Center For International Environment Law (CIEL), up to 12 million tonnes of plastics leak into the oceans annually, severely harming biodiversity and killing marine species. It is important that we do not underestimate the severity of this problem.
Animals like birds or fish can mistake plastic in the ocean for food. When an animal consumes enough plastic, their digestive systems could get clogged up, eventually starving them to death. Sometimes, the uneven shape of plastic pieces could even choke animals, like sea turtles, to death. The plastic that is ingested by an organism can move up along the food chain. When predators eat prey with plastic in their systems, the plastic gets passed along into the next animal in the food chain. A large number of marine animals die of ingesting plastic. If we continue to use plastic containers, the plastics we use will cause harm to the marine ecosystems.
We can conclude that we must not continue the usage of plastic containers. Wardrobe Works is a eco friendly wardrobe organization solution provider. We like to invite you to click the Learn More button below to find out ways that your can reduce the usage of plastic containers.
