28-07-2014, 03:03 PM
Plastics
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ABSTRACT
Plastics have transformed everyday life, usage is increasing and annual production is likely to exceed 300 million tons by 2010. We synthesize current understanding of the benefits and concerns surrounding the use of plastics and look to future priorities. It is evident that plastics bring many societal benefits and offer future technological and medical advances. However, concerns about usage and disposal are diverse and include accumulation of waste in landfills and in natural habitats, physical problems for wildlife resulting from ingestion or entanglement in plastic, the leaching of chemicals from plastic products and the potential for plastics to transfer chemicals to wildlife and humans. However, perhaps the most important overriding concern, which is implicit throughout this volume, is that our current usage is not sustainable. Around 4 per cent of world oil production is used as a feedstock to make plastics and a similar amount is used as energy in the process. Yet over a third of current production is used to make items of packaging, which are then rapidly discarded. Given our declining reserves of fossil fuels, and finite capacity for disposal of waste to landfill, this linear use of hydrocarbons, via packaging and other short-lived applications of plastic, is simply not sustainable. There are solutions, including material reduction, design for end-of-life recyclability, increased recycling capacity, development of bio-based feed stocks, strategies to reduce littering, the application of green chemistry life-cycle analyses and revised risk assessment approaches. Such measures will be most effective through the combined actions of the public, industry, scientists and policymakers. There is some urgency, as the quantity of plastics produced in the first 10 years of the current century is likely to approach the quantity produced in the entire century that preceeded.
1. INTRODUCTION
Many of the current applications and the predicted benefits of plastic follow those outlined by Yarsley and Couzens in the 1940s. Their account of the benefits that plastics would bring to a person born nearly 70 years ago, at the beginning of this ‘plastic age’, was told with much optimism.
It is a world free from moth and rust and full of color, a world largely built up of synthetic materials made from the most universally distributed substances, a world in which nations are more and more independent of localized naturalized resources, a world in which man, like a magician, makes what he wants for almost every need out of what is beneath and around him.
The durability of plastics and their potential for diverse applications, including widespread use as disposable items, were anticipated, but the problems associated with waste management and plastic debris were not. In fact the predictions were ‘how much brighter and cleaner a world [it would be] than that which preceded this plastic age’.
Plastics are synthetic substances produced by chemical reactions. Almost all plastics are made from petroleum, except a few experimental resins derived from corn and other organic substances.
"Plastics"
derived their name from their properties to be molded, cast, extruded or processed into a variety of forms, including solid objects, films and filaments. These properties arise from their molecular structure. Plastics are polymers, very long chain molecules that consist of subunits (monomers) linked together by chemical bonds. The monomers of petrochemical plastics are inorganic materials (such as styrene) and are not biodegradable.
Plastic has many properties which has made it a raw material of choice for Manufactures of plastic Bags and packing materials. Cost of production, lightweight, strength, easy process of manufacture, and availability are few of the properties. There is nothing wrong with plastic as a material.
Plastics
Plastics are synthetic substances produced by chemical reactions. Almost all plastics are made from petroleum, except a few experimental resins derived from corn and other organic substances.
"Plastics" derived their name from their properties to be molded, cast, extruded or processed into a variety of forms, including solid objects, films and filaments. These properties arise from their molecular structure. Plastics are polymers, very long chain molecules that consist of subunits (monomers) linked together by chemical bonds. The monomers of petrochemical plastics are inorganic materials (such as styrene) and are not biodegradable.
PLASTIC USAGE
Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight, strong, durable, corrosion-resistant materials, with high thermal and electrical insulation properties. The diversity of polymers and the versatility of their properties are used to make a vast array of products that bring medical and technological advances, energy savings and numerous other societal benefits.
As a consequence, the production of plastics has increased substantially over the last 60 years from around 0.5 million tons in 1950 to over 260 million tons today. In Europe alone the plastics industry has a turnover in excess of 300 million euro’s and employs 1.6 million people.
Almost all aspects of daily life involve plastics, in transport, telecommunications, clothing, footwear and as packaging materials that facilitate the transport of a wide range of food, drink and other goods. There is considerable potential for new applications of plastics that will bring benefits in the future, for example as novel medical applications, in the generation of renewable energy and by reducing energy used in transport.
If we look around our house, groceries, malls, and everywhere, we will see things and materials that are made from plastic. But why did plastic become so popular and common? The answer to that question very simple, plastic are light in weight which is easy to carry, plastic are very durable and can last a lifetime, plastic are very available and easy to produce.
If we check the market, there are different types of plastics available and for different usage. There are tough quality plastics that are made as containers to store products, food, and liquids. Another type of plastic that you can see is the plastic bag which is use to pack things like your groceries, clothes, and other things that you use, and plastic that is use to make furniture like tables and chairs.
Environmental Damage
Plastic bags have been known to cause a lot of environmental damage. A single plastic bag can take up to 1000 years, to decay completely. This makes the bags stay in environments longer, in turn leading to great build-up on the natural landscape (much more than degradable materials like paper). In other words, the more plastic bags you use, the greater the chances of environmental damage.
ADVANTAGES OF PLASTICS
Plastic is very useful in the building and construction, electronics (laptops wouldn't work well if they were made from glass), packaging (glad wrap), transportation industries. Very easy to make - water bottles, plastic bags, etc
The main advantages of plastic materials are also the reason why plastic is such a problem. It lasts forever and it is very cheap to make. When I say it lasts forever, I mean it does not biodegrade. There is a flotilla of plastic the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean. It gradually photo-degrades into tiny pieces that enter the marine food chain.
Reusing
plastic is preferable to recycling as it uses less energy and fewer resources. Long life, multi-trip plastics packaging has become more widespread in recent years, replacing less durable and single-trip alternatives, so reducing waste. For example, the major supermarkets have increased their use of returnable plastic crates for transport and display purposes four-fold from 8.5 million in 1992 to an estimated 35.8 million in 2002. They usually last up to 20 years and can be recycled at the end of their useful life.
According to a 2001 Environment Agency report, 80% of post-consumer plastic waste is sent to landfill, 8% is incinerated and only 7% is recycled. In addition to reducing the amount of plastics waste requiring disposal, recycling plastic can have several other advantages:
Conservation of non-renewable fossil fuels - Plastic production uses 8% of the world's oil production, 4% as feedstock and 4% during manufacture.
Reduced consumption of energy.
Reduced amounts of solid waste going to landfill.
Reduced emissions of carbon-dioxide (CO2), nitrogen-oxide (NO) and sulphur-dioxide (SO2).
Plastic process scrap recycling
. CONCLUSION
From 1988 onwards the damage caused due to plastics takes place.13 billion plastic bags are given every year. Though commodities made of plastic come handy it is time to be aware of the harm it causes to the life on earth. Plastic is one of the key ingredients that cause contamination of environment. Its disposal and production has increased the mortality rate of living beings. Man introduced plastic and used it in many forms. However, it has caused enough damage to the nature. It has killed many animals and introduced many health ailments in humans too. Before the picture turns uglier, it is better to take some effective preventive measures to reduce pollution.
The disposal plastic can be recycled and used in many different ways such as tote bag, wallets or a pouch. There are biodegradable plastic bags available which can reduce the problem of pollution. These changes might be gradual and even seem micro against the huge problem; but taking such small steps can contribute to reduction of plastic pollution. As this article has displayed the consequences of pollution, it is time to take some preventive steps to stop it and make living better for the future generations. If we avoid usage of plastic we can save our environment