What are the risks and disadvantages of plastic? This is a question we humans have seemingly not asked ourselves for close to half a century. But now we are all finally waking up and the plastic free lifestyle and plastic bans are among the most discussed topics in the media. Why are we waking up? Because one of the crucial disadvantages of plastic can now no longer be overlooked.
Therefore, in this article I would like to introduce you to this and all the other disadvantages of plastic, which are also the reason for which we should all reduce our plastic waste.
3 important disadvantages of plastic
Plastic has been hailed for decades - but even though plastic is super flexible, there are some reasons to fundamentally question the material. In the following, you will now learn about 3 decisive disadvantages of plastic that may change your personal approach to plastic for good.
#Disadvantage 1: Plastic is not biodegradable
The material plastic is eternal. Every little piece of plastic ever made on our planet still exists. Isn't that frightening - if you imagine that about 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year? The disadvantage that plastic is not biodegradable is what we see today, especially on the beaches of this world. Because the plastic waste pulls in at least 5 large jumbles of garbage in the sea its circles. The main cause of this is disposable plastic products such as cutlery, cups, plastic bags or straws - which really only benefit industry.
The remnants of our throwaway society cost the lives of up to 100,000 marine mammals and one million seabirds each year.
NABU - Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union Germany e.V.
Plastic waste in the environment does not just cause visual damage, however. Every year, more than one million marine animals die due to our consumer behavior. Birds eat lighters, bottle caps, cigarette butts (which also contain plastic) and other small pieces of plastic - and perish. Or they strangle themselves on old fishing nets or six-pack rings. Turtles, dolphins, whales and other marine mammals also perish. How can this be justified?
Even though plastic is not biodegradable, it does decompose over time into Microplastics. What effects this has on our health, I would like to address, among other things, in the next disadvantage of plastic.
#Disadvantage 2: Plastic is toxic
Plastic is not only harbors disadvantages and dangers for wildlife, but also for our own health. When the plastic decomposes, it becomes highly hazardous plasticizers such as bisphenol A (BPA) are released. Since such plasticizers provoke hormonal changes in the body, they are particularly dangerous for the development of children. In the article Protect children from plasticizersyou can learn more about it.
As Microplastics in the sea the toxin is already causing great damage to marine life such as fish, crabs and mussels. Studies have shown that the plastic particles pass into the cells, where they become Inflammations, physiological disorders and to higher mortality rates led. In this way, the Plastic in the food chain - this is called bioaccumulation of toxins. Unfortunately, the disadvantages of microplastics in our food for our health are still largely unexplored.
Um diese Gefahr für unsere Gesundheit einzugrenzen, ist es für uns Konsumenten gut zu wissen, dass sich in vielen Produkten Plastik versteckt, von denen wir es nicht gedacht hätten.
So steckt Microplastics in cosmeticssuch as shampoos, shower gels or scrubs. Even in beer plastic has already been detected and also the chewing mass of Chewing gum is made of plastic.
A detailed overview of such products, you get in the article about Hidden plastic.
#Disadvantage 3: Plastic is difficult to recycle
Not all plastics are created equal. Unfortunately, this is a major disadvantage for the Plastics recycling. Thermoplastics, thermosets and elastoplastics are the three common forms of plastic. However, there are also many mixed forms that cannot simply be processed together. Plastics that are not clearly defined are recycled for energy - i.e. incinerated. This is a pity, because it was once obtained with a high energy input and risk for the environment.
However, this disadvantage is not only due to the fundamental difficulty of recycling. Proper waste separation from households also plays its part in making it difficult to recycle plastics. Many people do not know what exactly goes into which garbage can. The article Separate waste correctly, will certainly remedy the situation.
Making people aware of the disadvantages of plastic
Despite its disadvantages, we should not demonize plastic, but learn to Plastic advantages to use correctly. Because what we have done on our earth shows that we are currently not yet able to do this.
We must therefore always be aware of the disadvantages of plastic in all the decisions we make. The material is not biodegradable, it is health to be questioned and it is not easy to recycle. We need to question whether it really makes sense to pump petroleum out of the ground, process it laboriously, and make plastic forks out of it, which are then used for 10 minutes after purchase and then thrown away. Instead of simply using a stainless steel fork and washing it off.
The problem with plastic can be reduced by each and every one of us by learning to produce as little waste as possible in our daily lives. In my Book plastic free for beginners I describe step by step the way to a plastic-free everyday life. Take a look.
Stay clean,
PS.: In the article Zero Waste Lifestyle I describe in detail the basic rules for a plastic- and waste-free life. If you want to know how a plastic-free life works, you can check out my Book plastic free for beginners get or also the 30 Days To Zero Waste Online Course complete.
