Shazma Ilyas1, Muhammad Ali Amir1
1Department of Environmental Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad
The accumulation of synthetic plastic products in the ecosystem to the point where they negatively impact not just human beings but additionally wildlife and their natural environments is referred to as plastic pollution. From the ocean floor to the peak of Mount Everest, plastic may be found everywhere.
Because animals mistake plastics for food, flood low-lying regions by obstructing waterways, or they just have a significant negative aesthetic impact on the environment, plastics have gained increased attention as a dangerous plastic pollutant. Experts estimate that 50% of plastic garbage is single-use, or used just once before being discarded and that the majority of plastic waste is not recycled or used again. Single-use plastic products include plastic containers, shopping bags, water bottles, and other items.
Despite the fact that disposing of plastic waste is the primary environmental concern, the manufacturing process contributes significantly to the carbon emissions that drive global warming. More than 90% of the ingredients and energy used in the creation of ps originate from fossil fuel sources. Bottled water production uses 2000 times more energy than tap water production.
The Problem with Plastic and Examine its Impacts on Marine as well as Terrestrial Animals:
Ps is a polymeric substance or one with very large molecules that usually resemble long chains created from what seems to be an interminable series of interconnecting links. There are many natural polymers, such as silk and rubber, but since they break down in the environment, there is no proof that these “ps” from nature contribute to environmental pollution. However, synthetic ps typically stay in natural settings since they are largely non-biodegradable.
From the present annual average of 11 million tonnes, land-based ps waste entering the ocean is anticipated to triple over the next 20 years. Due to entanglement and other dangers, ps pollution negatively affects over 800 marine and coastal species, and much more mistakenly eat ps after mistaking it for food. Consuming ps can pierce crucial organs or clog the digestive system in wildlife. Animals who consume ps run the risk of starving to death because they mistakenly think they are full.
Animals may occasionally have less stomach reserve volume after consuming ps, which makes it more difficult for them to eat. In the same way that swallowed ps pollution and abandoned trash may impair and, in many cases, kill land animals, they can also result in digestive blockages and damage. Ps can cause serious harm to animals, sometimes even leading to limb amputations. Raccoons and other animals frequently become stuck in ps ring drink holders, suffering severe physical harm such as deep wounds and slashes.
Impact of Consumer Behavior and Government Policies:
Consumer behavior is crucial in fostering change and supporting successful environmental action. Negative personal habits, like flinging cigarette butts in public places, are frequently widely practiced and become acceptable social norms (more colloquially, habits). In order to generate meaningful changes in social practices, such as the reduction or removal of the widespread usage of single-use water bottles, a sizable proportion of people must modify their behavior.
Improved social practices should result from greater awareness of the problem and a sense of obligation to address it. While the government implemented a fee for the use of plastic bags, a change in consumer behavior has been noticed (Senturk and Dumludag, 2021). The government can reduce pollutants and ps litter by imposing a fee on ps bags (Madigele et al., 2017). For instance, people must reduce the amount of ps they consume and discard (Foschi and Bonoli, 2019).
Offering financial incentives to businesses looking into plastic substitutes would be another method for governments to assist in leveraging this corporate knowledge. These might consist of tax breaks, money for R&D, incubators for new technologies, public-private partnerships, and assistance for initiatives that recycle single-use products and turn trash into a resource.
Some Consumer-Based Tips to Bring About a Reductive Change in Plastic Consumption:
1. Encourage retailers and brands that use less ps
2. Provide assistance to municipal services
3. Take steps to reduce ps litter
4. Demand for biodegradable and sustainable product substitutes
5. Cut back on single-use ps.
6. Plan to make green purchases
7. A responsible attitude towards the consumption and recycling of ps
8. A clear understanding of the damaging impacts of ps pollution on the environment
9. Making ps waste into a resource
10. Motivating people to adopt a green lifestyle
The Role of Consumer Pressure in Encouraging Companies to act
Businesses are coming up with plans to phase out single-use ps, use more recycled materials in their packaging, and put more emphasis on recycling because they can’t afford to ignore the public outcry. A group of 25 investors put pressure on Nestlé, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever to reduce their use of ps packaging in June. These investors jointly manage more than $1 trillion in assets. Businesses that use ps are obviously necessary to break this unsustainable loop. The consumer products industry is particularly aware that customers are already voicing their preferences by boycotting companies that do not cut back on the usage of single-use ps. Businesses of all sizes are already undergoing change.
Successful Community Initiatives in Reducing Plastic Pollution
‘Break Free from Plastic’ and ‘Plastic Free July’ are two contemporary movements that have gained momentum. According to research on “Plastic Free July,” participants’ usage of single-use ps decreased considerably in contrast to a control group.
Changes can be made more quickly by community initiatives than by national administrations. For instance, eight years prior to the implementation of the national carrier bag fee, the UK town of Modbury outlawed plastic bags in 2007. According to others, Modbury’s strategies served as an example of how consumers and small companies may influence social change and promote environmentally sustainable behavior.
The ‘Plastic Free Communities Program
In order to reduce single-use plastic, the British organization “Surfer’s Against Sewage” created this. The following goals need to be attained in order to be designated as a “Plastic Free Community”:
- Civic engagement and events ‘Plastic Free Community’ events must be attended by communities.
- Citizens’ Allies the ‘plastic free’ group must show that they reached out to as numerous groups and organizations as they could with their events. The ‘Plastic Free Communities Pledge’ will thereafter be adopted by these neighborhood organizations.
- Business Leaders, The group must support a nearby company in becoming a “Plastic Free Champion” and have a strategy for supporting others in assuming this position and leadership.
- Local government, The local council must adopt a resolution in support of the transition to a plastic-free world since they have direct control over the management of local companies, schools, community organizations, and garbage disposal.
Group for plastic-free steering, The ‘Plastic Free Communities’ Programme should be discussed locally by an association of stakeholders, who should also create goals and finish their application for authorized status.
As of February 2021, 718 communities have this ‘plastic-free’ status in the UK.
Conclusion:
The degradation of our environment and animals with ps poses serious risks to both humans and species. It is crucial to alter consumer behavior, implement legislation, and support neighborhood initiatives in order to address this issue. Packaging businesses must use less ps and choose more sustainable alternatives. Together, we can eliminate ps from our lives in the future.
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