Single-use plastics in particularespecially small items like straws, bags, and cutleryare traditionally hard to recycle because they fall into the crevices of recycling machinery and therefore are often not accepted by recycling centers. NRDCs Eric Goldstein gives the scoop on the latest environmental villain and explains why plastic straws really are a big menace to our oceans. Some opposers of the plastic straw ban say that a ban is unlikely to actually help the environment, as plastic straws do not make up a large percentage of plastic in the ocean. In my opinion, plastic straws should not be banned outright, because many disabled people require plastic straws to drink. We use them to drink beverages at home and we get them at almost every restaurant. Carrying reusable bags and bottles is one great way to avoid single-use plastics in our day-to-day lives; more on preventing plastic waste can be found below. and reefs composed of coral, F) I Plastic straws are one of the top five most often used items. But single-use plastics come with a steep environmental priceone that well be paying off for millennia. Thus, plastic straws cant be recycled. As plastic bags tend to get caught in recycling machinery, most recycling facilities do not have the capacity to recycle plastic bags and therefore do not accept them. Once in the ocean, plastic pollution is extremely dangerous to marine life, and plastic straws are no exception. Help us break the cycle of causing unnecessary harm and damage in the name of "convenience". There are some great initiatives that strive to provide jobs for women in rural communities with limited possibilities of securing monthly income. They are also not biodegradable and cannot be broken down naturally by bacteria and other decomposers into non-toxic materials. New research shows their prolific dam building benefits river water quality so much, it outweighs the damaging influence of climate-driven droughts. Ill talk about this more in the next section: By itself, a plastic straw ban is unlikely to have a large impact on the environment. Unfortunately, such a high level of pollution doesnt come without consequences. Do you wonder why? Car Modifications for Electric Vehicles: Whats Possible. Plastic bags floating in the ocean resemble jellyfish, one of the main sources of food for some species of sea turtles, especially the critically-endangered Leatherback turtles. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. Theyve even made their way up to the secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. If youd like to learn more about how plastic straws negatively impact the environment, you can check out this article I wrote about the environmental impact of plastic straws. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. Participate in beach or river cleanups. Some experts estimate that more than 1 million sea animals are killed each year by straws and other types of plastic trash. Additionally, a plastic straw ban could also act as a gateway into other single-use plastic bans for items like plastic bottles and plastic bags, which are worse for the environment than plastic straws. Once a person gets into the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping, it is not much of an inconvenience at all. Logically, the key to starting a change in your community is education. Put simply, single-use plastics are goods that are made primarily from fossil fuelbased chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after useoften, in mere minutes. Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. But should plastic straws really be banned? Plastics bags are not so much necessary that man cannot live without it. Then, they have a propensity to break down into microplastics, which then clutter the ecosystems in question. Once the wheel starts spinning, it leads to even more positive changes. In effect, nature has designed this plastic for disassembly. Its possible that using a plastic straw would make it easier for you to drink without spilling, but the long-term expenses are not worth it. Spare Yourself the Guilt Trip This Earth DayIts Companies That Need to Clean Up Their Acts, These Fanciful Sea Creatures Were Carried in on the Tide. In New York, 23 billion plastic bags are used by residents each year. There are many uses for plastic that are not only reasonable but important, such as surgical gloves, or straws for people with disabilities. By simply using less plastic, you can help keep marine life from eating and getting entangled in garbage. Lizzie Carr is shining a light on what is floating through the worlds waterways, and breaking athletic records along the way. About half the cost of making biodegradable polymers is the cost of feedstock. All Rights Reserved. They are a part of our modern lives, and we dont tend to think much about them. CRIDDLE:Cost is a huge issue. Plastic bag bansideally accompanied by a fee on paper bagsare also catching on. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. This means that you are not consuming more resources every time you need to carry your groceries home. Better alternatives are available 10. The crucial challenge is to ensure that these bans are just a first step. While an extra two cents may not seem like a lot, it could make a difference for some businesses that depend on plastic straws. In fact, it is estimated that up to 10 million plastic bags are used every minute around the world [1]. Litter can be the first stage in a waste stream that enters waterways as plastics tossed on the street are washed away by rain or travel via storm drains into rivers and streams. Getting rid of a single plastic straw may not have a very large effect on the environment. All rights reserved. Cause of environmental pollution 2. How can you help to ban plastic bags in your area? Dont re-wash something if you can wear it again. It is good for our environment, health and global climate. The first country to ban single-use plastic bags was Bangladesh in 2002 when plastic bag litter clogged drainage channels and contributed to destructive floods. It has been projected that, if current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish. Sugar and oils are too expensive. You can use some easy online locators to see the closest plastic bag drop-off. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. Even if plastic doesnt end up in the ocean, recycled plastic is often exported from high-income countries to developing countries to process. In this essay on should plastic be banned, it is very important to put forth the fact that there are many bodies of health and environmental governance around the world who argue that plastic ban can be problematic stating the following reasons-. And recent studies found plastic in the guts of 90 percent of the seabirds tested and 100 percent of the turtles. Required fields are marked *. Single use plastics wreak havoc on wildlife and the earth. The resulting number is staggering. Our waterway plastic pollution is particularly concentrated: Just ten rivers carry 93 percent of the worlds total amount of plastic that enters the oceans via rivers each year. New York State and Hawaii just passed theirs, set to go into effect in 2020, and Californias bag ban, which was passed in 2014, has been shown to have reduced plastic bag usage by 85 percent (with some customers opting to pay a 10 cent fee for thicker plastic bags) and has reduced coastal pollution. Plastic straws are one of the most common forms of pollution found on beaches and in oceans all over the world. A complete ban on plastic straws would harm disabled people, which definitely isnt the goal of such a ban. Left alone, plastics dont really break down; they just break up. Overall, the goal of a plastic straw ban should be to increase public awareness for single-use plastics and their nasty effects on the environment. Paper vs. Why? Paper straws cost on average around 2.5 cents ($0.025), whereas plastic straws cost only half a cent ($0.005). Each day, the United States of America uses 500 million drinking straws. Activists Say Straws Should Be Banned Because They Are a 'Gateway Plastic' Advocates hope a straw ban will be the first step toward broader plastic prohibitions. What never leaves, Read More Sustainable Diving & Snorkeling: How to Prevent Damage to Marine EcosystemsContinue, Top 3 Ways Kids can Help the Earth! Have a look yourself to imagine the suffering of these animals. In Taiwan, which was once overflowing with so much trash that it spurred public protest and the nickname Garbage Island, companies now either manage their own waste or subsidize government-run infrastructure. This is the case particularly in Southeast Asia, which has begun to import much of the plastic that used to go to China for recycling. Petroleum-based plastic bags are composed of very resistant synthetic polymers that may take up to 1,000 years or never until they completely degrade in natural environments [6]. On their long journey, they will encounter many difficulties and only a small portion of them will survive. It is estimated that there are now 150 million metric tons of plastic in the ocean. We produce 300 million tons of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. Nows the Time. They are tinier than a palm of your hand and appear so fragile when struggling across the beach to make it to the sea. This strategy has been adopted by some countries and municipalities so far and has proven to greatly reduce plastic bag usage by consumers. Tushy Ace Review (After 3 Months): Is this Luxury Bidet Worth it? The majority of plastic bags are made of polyethylene, a substance that is derived from crude oil refining and natural gas processing. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? Facebook; Contact Now . Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they can drink. For example, some disabled people may not be able to properly hold or pick up a cup, so they need to use straws to drink properly. So, for example, companies need to not only make products that are recyclable, but actually make them out of recycled or truly biodegradable material. It means that most bags can be recycled. Reducing plastic use is the most effective means of avoiding this waste (and the impacts linked to plastic production and use). They suspect that it may add stress on the liver by introducing more pathogens into the body. What Is Plastic Made Of And How Is It Manufactured? Beached whales have been found with stomachs full of plastic trash.