Environmental & Health Impacts of the use of plastics:
Plastics are made from fossil fuels. The use of these leaves a large ecological footprint on the environment, not to mention that this plastics do not break down easily, if at all. [1]
Our overuse of plastics results in a dumping of plastics into our oceans at a rate of 8 million tons per year. [2] The pilling up of plastics around the world continues to build up and now we're facing issues like the Great Pacific garbage patch. Scientists now have estimated that at the rate we continue to dump plastics into our oceans, by 2050 we will have more plastic than fish in our oceans. [3]
Additional to environmental impacts, plastics are known to leave behind chemicals detrimental to human health such as the neurotoxin Bisphenol A (also known as BPA). [4]
For these reasons some governments are interested in banning the use of single- use plastic water bottles in their regions to lower these impacts on the environment and promote sustainability within their boundaries.
Alternatives to plastic bottles:
Some alternatives to plastic bottles are already available and many more are to be designed. For example, a simple solution to this is to use a reusable plastic bottle and fill it up at stations, water fountains, or food establishments. [5]
Additionally, other products exist that provide the single use water alternative in a container with a less ecological impact. An example of this is "Boxed Water" which is sold in a single use cardboard box, which is more readily recyclable. [6]
The future looks promising as some signs of better alternatives to plastics are emerging. A group of students has managed to created a biodegradable plastic bottle from algae and other natural materials. The implementation and use of a product like this could take a big cut in the use of plastics. [7]
Where is this headed:
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- ^ "The environmental toll of plastics — Environmental Health News". www.environmentalhealthnews.org. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ^ "New Study Shows Plastic in Oceans Is on the Rise". 2015-02-13. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ^ "By 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world's oceans, study says". Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ^ "Plastics, human health and environmental impacts: The road ahead - Journalist's Resource". Journalist's Resource. 2014-10-09. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ^ "Get rid of plastic water bottles | Food | Green Living". www.greenlivingonline.com. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ^ "Boxed Water | Home". www.boxedwaterisbetter.com. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ^ "Design Student Invents Genius Biodegradable Alternative to Plastic Water Bottles". nextshark.com. Retrieved 2016-11-15.