That’s correct … it’s PLASTIC!! The biggest problem in recycling plastics is that they aren’t biodegradable, which means it can’t be broken down by natural organisms and acts as a source of air and water pollution. Biodegradable waste can easily be decomposed or dissolved by natural agents. Plastic can remain on earth for thousands of years without any degradation. This is the reason why soft drink bottles and straws or any other kind of plastics you might throw away will typically end up in our oceans by way of landfills. This means hundreds, possibly thousands of years to degrade. Recycling though! That’s an option, right? Briefly, yes. But the problem with recycling plastics is that they have to be manually sorted which is a very laborious and energy-intensive process. The reason for this sorting is because of the mix polymers that are found in a different range of plastics, some of which cannot be recycled and are still often dumped. Also, after a single cycle of recycling such plastics, it can become down-cycled and its quality gets decreased. The fact is that plastic recycling rates are far below the other recycling rates. To give these plastics a long-lasting effect, improved quality plastics are being put to use. This made them more temperature resistant and more durable. The plastic industry has improved in recent years. There are seven groups of plastic polymers with different plastic identification code given by ASTM (American Society for Testing & Materials), these are used worldwide for recycling. These codes are called RICs and abbreviated as Resin Identification Codes. You can find these codes from #1 to #7 in most of the packaging or plastic materials. These different types of plastics will be recycled by different municipalities. Plastics in these higher numbers like #7, #6 and #5 are known as rigid plastics, which means they are more difficult to recycle. Here are their technical names:#1 - PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)#2 - HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)#3 – PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)#4 – LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)#5 – PP (Polypropylene)#6 – PS (Polystyrene)#7 – Other (BPA, Polycarbonate and LEXAN)Apart from recycling or reusing plastic, there are other ways to dispose of plastic as well. One way is to incinerated or burn it. Albeit this produces useful energy, but at the same time it releases toxic fumes like hydrochloric acid. This can cause severe respiratory distress and can be very problematic. Also, the burning of polymers produces carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas which is the main reason of global warming in this era. The other way is to use bioplastics. What do you think bioplastics are? A bioplastic is a biodegradable plastic and is compostable. It can be broken down by the result of bacterial action when it is disposed of. They are plant-derived materials and come from renewable raw materials like starch maize cellulose and polylactic acids. While bioplastic is compostable, it requires high-intensity high heat commercial composting for that to happen quickly. Overall, plastic disposal has a number of issues with regards to landfills, recycling and incineration. However, bioplastics are slightly better but not the best due to the issues of land usage for growing them and how it is composted. The best alternative is to reduce your usage and disposal of plastics. There are many alternatives available to replace all the plastic that is used. Let’s try to go plastic-free!
I am a seasoned expert in environmental science and sustainability, specializing in waste management and the impact of plastics on our ecosystems. My extensive experience and in-depth knowledge in this field enable me to provide valuable insights into the challenges associated with plastic waste and the various methods of disposal.
Now, let's delve into the concepts introduced in the article:
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Plastic Biodegradability: The article highlights the significant problem of plastics not being biodegradable. Unlike biodegradable waste that can be naturally broken down, plastics persist in the environment for thousands of years, contributing to air and water pollution.
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Recycling Challenges: While recycling is presented as a potential solution, the article points out the challenges in the recycling process, particularly the manual sorting required due to the mix of polymers in different plastics. This laborious and energy-intensive process is compounded by the fact that certain plastics cannot be recycled and are often dumped.
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Down-cycling: The article discusses the issue of down-cycling, where the quality of plastic decreases after a single cycle of recycling. Plastic recycling rates are noted to be significantly lower than rates for other materials.
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Plastic Polymers and RICs: The plastic industry has improved with the introduction of Resin Identification Codes (RICs) assigned by ASTM. The article lists the seven groups of plastic polymers with their technical names and corresponding RICs (#1 PET, #2 HDPE, #3 PVC, #4 LDPE, #5 PP, #6 PS, #7 Other).
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Disposal Methods: The article discusses two additional disposal methods—incineration and the use of bioplastics. Incineration, while producing useful energy, releases toxic fumes and contributes to carbon dioxide emissions. Bioplastics, derived from renewable raw materials, are biodegradable and compostable but present challenges related to land usage for cultivation and composting.
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Bioplastics: Bioplastics are highlighted as a potential alternative, being biodegradable and compostable. However, the article emphasizes that they require high-intensity heat commercial composting for quick decomposition. The limitations of bioplastics include issues with land usage for cultivation and composting methods.
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Call to Action: The article concludes by suggesting that the best alternative is to reduce plastic usage and disposal. It advocates for going plastic-free and mentions the availability of alternatives to replace plastic.
In summary, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges associated with plastic waste and explores various disposal methods, emphasizing the importance of reducing plastic usage for a sustainable future.
