increasingly - plastics being used in place of natural materials such as wood, metal, cotton and leather because they are:
- relatively cheap
- easily moulded into various shapes
- light, tough, strong, waterproof
- durable (resistant to decay, rusting and chemicals)
→ plastics can be used to replace natural polymers such as silk and rubber
However most plastics are nonbiodegradable.
- they cannot be broken down by bacteria and other living organisms in the soil. → hence biggest problem with use of plastics is how to dispose of them after the are used or no longer required.
| Land Pollution | Water Pollution | Air Pollution |
|---|---|---|
| - plastics do not decompose (decay or get broken down) - thus burying plastic waste in landfills → leads to increasing amount of built up waste. (accumulation) | Plastics thrown into sea → endanger marine animals. - e.g. turtles mistake plastic bags for food and choke on them. Plastics may also clog up rivers and drains, which might become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. When plastics broken down → they release toxins which pollute the water | Plastics are mostly flammable. when plastics are incinerated → they produce poisonous gases. - e.g. PVC produces corrosive hydrogen chloride gas on combustion. carbon dioxide produced from burning of plastics can lead to increased greenhouse effect and global warming. |