Global Problems


GP

Plastic Bags

Global damage caused by Plastic Bags.

The process of the production of plastic bags. The invention of plastic bags. The amount of plastic bags used per year. Use of plastic bags and sheets. Single-use plastic bags produce a large quantity of garbage each year. Recycling process for plastic bags. Plastic bags lifecycle. Problem created by plastic bags in oceans. It causes of blocking drains and contaminating drinking water. Plastic bags effect on land. It also reduces the fertility of the soil. The burning of plastic bags emits a large amount of smoke. It has many health effects and also cause food chain problems. US government, United Nations and other countries efferts to stop the using of plastic bags.

(1) Production of Plastic bags

The production process starts with natural gas or crude oil in a cracking plant. Plastic bags are produced from crude oil and natural gas by cracking. In the crack manufacturing process. There are two methods: one from natural ethane gas and the other from crude oil. The cracking process of ethane gas changes it into ethylene. Ethylene is a hydrocarbon product used in the production of many chemicals. With the help of pressure and cracking processes, ethylene is converted into polyethylene with the help of catalyst chemical reactions on ethylene, which cause the polymerization to form this polymer chain. The second method is for the production of plastic bags. The raw materials are crude oils. This process is used for the production of plastic chemicals from the crude oil extract polymer propylene. then this propylene changes with the help of chemical reactions into polypropylene. Polypropylene and polyethylene are the basic materials used in the production of plastic bags. There are many other processes in the production of plastic bags, like cube blend, adding colours, extrusion, and many more.

(2) Invention of Plastic bags

The first plastic bags were made by a Swedish company in 1965. The person who invented the plastic bag was an engineer. His name was Sten Gustaf Thulin. He invented the plastic bag. With the passage of time, plastic bags became popular in Europe. After then, the utilization of these plastic bags started in the United States as well, but now all over the world, plastic bags are used on a large scale

(3) Quantity of production

Each day, around 1.5 billion plastic bags are produced. Every month 43 billion plastic bags are produced. This quantity annually reach 500 billion plastic bags are produced. Every person uses one plastic bag every day. Every second, all over the world, 16000 plastic bags are used. The mass of these plastic bags approaches 100 million tonnes every year. Each day 275,000 tons of plastic bags are produced according to some sources, the production of plastic bags, much more than mentioned.

(4) Usage of Plastic bags

Plastic bags are mainly used for carrying goods, covering clothes, and many other things to save them from dust and colourful liquids and remain in good condition for safety. Plastic bags are also used for comfortability and satisfaction of customers. Due to their low cost, these plastic bags are provided free of charge when shopping for goods. When a person or individual buys something from a shops or markets, plastic bags are provided to customers for free. Some kinds of plastic bags are used for storing specific substances. Some beautiful and stylish plastic pouches are used as bags for nuts in shopps. Plastic bags are also used for frozen foods like milk, meat, ice cream, and many other frozen foods. Grocery stores use plastic on a large scale, and vegetable sellers also use large quantities of plastic bags. Plastic bags are also used in medicine due to their non-porous properties. for specific purposes.

(5) Plastic Sheets

Plastic sheets are used for greenhouses. In some places, plastic sheets are also used to save water. Many kinds of vegetables and fruits are saved from cool weather. it also save different kinds of vegetables. even though there is not suitable weather for those vegetables outside of greenhouses. These plastic sheets, which are used for greenhouses, have a lifetime of around six months. After that, these plastic sheets are not usable. It's due to sunlight, wind, and many other reasons.

(6) Garbage Dumps

According to the data, in each second, more than 16,000 plastic bags are produced. Plastic bags are not easily recyclable. It requires 500 to a thousand years for recycling. Each year, 100 million tonnes of plastic bags are the cause of garbage dumps. With the flow of time, the number of used plastic bags is increasing. The process of increasing the number of plastic bags is going on. It is not easily recyclable, and it is also used on a large scale. Day by day, these used plastic bags gather in the form of garbage dumps. These garbage dumps are going to increase. due to large-scale single-use plastic bags. 10% of this garbage flows into the oceans each year. This amount is nearly 10,000,000 tons. The plastic bags in garbage dumps are the caused of the growth of microorganisms. Some of these plastic bags are filled with humidity, and inside them, there may be some food. These foods and the humidity inside of them use plastic bags to cause the growth of microorganisms. Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi cause bad smells and many diseases. These bacteria and microorganisms can spread infection in humans. Which causes diseases in humans. As there are many countries, they do not have a good system for the management of garbage. In these countries, there are garbage dumps everywhere. These dumps consist of more than 80% of all plastic bags.

(7) Recycling

Plastic bags are made from polyethylene; that’s why they cannot easily be recycled. more than 100 years required, or it can reach up to 1000 years for the recycling of plastic bags. The methods for plastic bags to reproduce new plastic bags from used plastic bags are very expensive. It is repulsive for industries. A method that uses plastic bags many times instead of one-time usage. It is used many times to clean it and then dry it before reusing these plastic bags. They must be satisfied that it has not been used before for poisonous material that is dangerous for the health of humans. This method also takes time and work. That’s why customers are not interested in this method.

(8) Lifetime of Plastic bags

According to estimation, the life of a plastic bag is between 100 and 1000 years. It depends on which plastic bags are lying under which conditions.

(9) Ocean

According to estimates, 10 to 15 million tonnes of plastic flow into oceans each year. These plastic bags also create problems in oceans, like on land. Used plastic bags have effects on marine life as well. Billions of plastic bags are going from land to oceans each year. This number increases by more than 5 billion pieces of plastic bags each year. The plastic bags have a long life cycle; that's why they remain for a long time. For this reason, plastic bags are found in oceans everywhere, from shallow to deep. Mariana trench plastic bags exist. 476 kilograms of plastic bags add to the oceans in each second. In one minute, it will weigh more than 2810 kilograms, and it has a long life cycle of 500 to 1,000 years. This has a very long duration.

(i) Marine Life

On marine life, plastic bags have an effect. Plastic bags are found on the surface of oceans, inside oceans, and on the ground of oceans. Some animals get entangled in plastic bags, which creates trouble and hard conditions for them. Some of them look like plankton that are eaten by other animals. Many plastic bags look like the same colour and shape of prey; the predator attacks them and eats hem. Microorganisms of many kinds grow on plastic bag garbage; these may act as habitats for these microorganisms, which can grow on a large scale. Most of these microorganisms are parasites of other animals; the existence of parasites causes a bad decrease in their population. The eaten plastic may cause death due to problems in the digestive systems of organisms living in oceans. These plastic bags cause many marine organisms to reduce reproduction and fertility and change their habitat.

(ii) Marine Plants

Marine plants are the plants that grow in oceans and are called marine plants. There are many species in marine plants, like in terrestrial plants. In marine plants, photosynthesis also takes place. The sunlight penetrates water, which is necessary for photosynthesis. Plastic bags reflect sunlight. The reflection of light reduces the photosynthesis action in the ocean. This causes a reduction of oxygen in the atmosphere; some marine plants have no roots, like ocean grass. They float on the surface of the water. On the same surface, plastic bags also float. These plastic bags cause a reduction in surface area. Another type of marine plant has bladders for floating on the surface of water. These plants are facing habitat problems due to plastic bags. Many other plants face problems like colour-changing tests due to plastic bags. Marine plants are a big source of food for marine animals and the habitat of marine animals. These plants change their colors due to garbage. Most of this garbage is plastic bags. Some animals cannot live easily with other colors. then they are not easily identified by animals to escape from predators. Marine plants produce up to 80% of the oxygen on earth.

(iii) Islands of Plastics

Islands of plastic in the ocean: plastic bags have a big contribution to making these islands. These cover the surface area of the oceans. These plastic bags also reflect the light on the surface of the ocean. It causes the reduction of sunlight in water. As a result of this reduction in photosynthesis inside oceans, terrestrial creatures also face a reduction in the quantity of oxygen and food.

(iv) Microplastics

With the passage of time, plastic bags are goten smaller and smaller pieces. Then these plastic bags convert into microplastic. These micro Plastics removing from the water of oceans is impossible. Due to their tiny size, removing microplastics is a very complicated task.

(10) Blocking Drains

When heavy rainfall occurs, the drainage of many cities blocks due to plastic bags of garbage. This process takes place in those cities.This happend in those cities. Which do not have responsible municipal co-orporations. After the blockage of the drains.The sewage flows on the roads. Sometimes this process becomes very inflexible. The public also faces trouble with flows of sewage on the roads and on footpaths. After opening the drains, plastic bags and other garbage remain. It is also a cause of trouble for public of those cities. Sometimes these incidents take place.

(11) Affect of Plastic bags on Land

Almost all places are affected by plastic bags. These plastic bags reduce the beauty of all places. Many on the many beaches filled with plastic bags. The public moves to the beaches for a sack of enjoyment, but they do not enjoy that much. Housing areas and streets are filled with plastic bags and garbage. These plastic bags degrade the beauty of societies, parks, and picnic points and also minimise calmness. There are many workers trying to keep the cities clean, but with the blow of the wind, all efforts becomes useless. Only a few countries manage used plastic bags from cities or towns in a well-organized way remove.

(12)Drinking Water

Plastic bags contaminate drinking water. These kinds of tanks or storage, like jails and pound dams, In some places, storage tanks of water are made from cement and bricks without surface covering, like a swimming pool. The used plastic bags from garbage blow with wind and get into the above-mentioned tanks. due to the long life of plastic bags. These plastic bags are sometimes the cause of the transmission of microorganisms and viruses. These plastic bags may come from garbage dumps or drainage. where many kinds of microorganisms and viruses already exist. This plastic garbage may work as a carrier for these microorganisms and viruses.

(13) Soil

Plastic bags are used on a large scale, and after utilising them, they become useless. These shoppers' bags are thrown in the garbage with the passage of time. These plastic bags degrade. Plastic bags convert into microplastics and leach into the soil. The leaching of microplastics into the soil reduces the fertility of the land. The existence of microplastics in soil stops the growth of roots. Microplastics also have a bad effect on humans' health. Microplastics cause the minimization of plants. The minimization of plants causes a reduction in food. Also, the world is already facing a shortage of food.

(14) Burning of Plastic bags

Burning a plastic bag produces thick black smoke in the air. Plastic bags are burned in those countries that do not have good management for their waste and garbage. In some places, plastic bags are burned for heat. In many places, plastic bags are burned in heaters. These heaters have pipes, and they don’t produce pollution inside the room. but the pipes open in the same surroundings in which they live.
Plastic bags are burned in factories. Many people burn plastic bags to get rid of them. Many countries have put bans on the burning of plastic bags. The burning of plastic bags produces very dangerous and highly toxic pollutants and also produces a substance known as carbon black. According to estimates, there are more than 30,000,000 tonnes of plastic bags burned each year.
Some research shows that burning 1 kg of polyethyl eleterapthalte produces 327 g of carbon black. This data is taken from mass-balanced analyses of carbon black.

(15) Health Effects

Plastic bag garbage increases day by day. In the manufacturing of these plastic bags, different colours and many other chemicals are used, which are hazardous to the health of humans when burned. These plastic bags produce toxic smoke when a person inhales them. It has more dangerous and toxic effects than cigarettes. Smoke from plastic bags also causes serious lung problems in humans. Some studies have found that micro plastics are caused of defects in childbirth. Plastic bags are caused of depression and anxiety in humans, and many other health problems are caused by plastic bags in humans. Nearly 1,000,000 people lose their lives each year due to plastic bags. Many marine animals and sea birds lose their lives due to plastic pollution each year.

(16) Food Chain

When the size of plastic bags is less than 5 mm. Then it is called microplastic. These microplastics are mistakenly used by different animals. They may be terrestrial, aquatic, or marine. The signs of plastic found in many animals. These animal are eaten by humans. It is clear that it can transfer to the human body. Some Australian experts have found signs of plastic in marine animals. Microplastics have covered almost all of the world. Until now, it has not been clear what kind of impact microplastics have on animals. There are also studies going on on the impact of microplastics on human beings.

(17) Wildlife

Plastic bags convert to microplastic. These microplastics are leached into soil. It causes the decreasing fertility of the land. It stops the growth of roots. The plants will not grow well which causes a reduction in food for herbivores. The number of herbivores will decrease with the reduction of plants. Herbivores will compelle to migrate for the sake of food. The migration of herbivores will impact the population of carnivores in that region.it also has effect on the population of the Omniverse. Plastic bags blow with the wind and get into ponds of water. These plastic bags provide habitat for many microorganisms in the water of ponds. Which is not healthy anymore for those animalswhich live inside the ponds. the community that lives in the pond. It has a bad effect on the health of population of ponds. It also has an effect on animals living around the ponds.

(18) United States Government

US government measurement for reducing utilization of plastic bags. The US government has a plan to phase out the use of plastic bags and products packed in single-use plastic. Although this plan will act step wise, the Bureau of Land Management is preparing a plan for reducing the utilization of plastic bags. this policy has began from 2024 and continue in 2025 this policy fully implement in 2027 the bureau of environmental working on evaluation of plastic use this work will complete till 2026. A United States geopolitical survey is working on sustainable methods to reduce the use of plastic bags. This institute also works on an easy pathway for recycling plastic bags. There many steps have taken by Biden administration also.

(19) United Nations

The United Nation has taken many steps to stop the use of plastic bags. The United Nations started observing Plastic Bags international Day on the third of July. This day's observation started in 2010. After that, each year, this day is observed all around the world against plastic bags. With the help of the United Nations, many conferences have been held for this purpose to reduce plastic bag usage.

(20) Other Countries

France, Italy, and Morocco have banned plastic bags. Due to these countries' actions, large amounts of garbage from plastic bags have been reduced. Other countries have a tax on plastic bags for purposes of reducing their utilization, like Croatia, Malta, and Israel. In some countries, municipalities and cities have put bans on all non-biodegradable plastic bags. This decision also has a good impact on the environment and reduces plastic bag garbage.