What Is Plastic And Why Is It Bad?

Plastic has become an inseparable part of our daily lives. From convenient product packaging to useful household items, plastic is truly everywhere. However, despite its lightweight, durability, and affordability, plastic poses an alarming threat to our environment and global ecosystem.

Fun Fact: According to the UN Environment Programme, even though we produce approximately 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year (an amount equivalent to the weight of the human population), only 9% of this plastic is recycled. The vast majority ends up in landfills, incinerated, dumped, or leaked into the environment.

As society becomes more aware of the issues surrounding plastic pollution, one common question naturally comes up: What exactly is plastic, and why is it a threat to our environment?

In this blog post, I’ll give you an overview of what plastic is, why we use so much of it, and some of the biggest environmental and health concerns surrounding it. Hopefully, by the end, you’ll have a better understanding of the plastic problem and feel more confident about making lower-waste choices in your everyday life.

What Is Plastic?

Fun Fact: According to the Water Footprint Calculator, it requires 22 gallons of water to produce one pound of plastic. This means it takes at least double the amount of water to produce a single-use bottle as the amount of water in the actual bottle.

Plastic is one of the most versatile materials humans have ever created. It is strong, lightweight, flexible, and can be shaped or molded into almost anything. From toothbrushes and water bottles to car parts and medical devices, plastics have become an important part of modern life.

There are 2 types of plastics: Thermosets typically cannot be recycled because they harden as you heat them, meaning that no matter how much heat you apply, they cannot be remelted into new material. On the other hand, thermoplastics are recyclable plastics because they can be remelted and remolded into new products.

And plastic can be made of:

• Polymers: Large molecules created by chemically bonding smaller units called monomers together. They are the basic building blocks of plastic.
• Petrochemicals: Most modern plastics are made using chemicals derived from fossil fuels such as crude oil and natural gas.
• Additives: Chemicals that are mixed into plastic to give it certain properties, such as color, flexibility, strength, or durability.

The raw materials for today's plastics come from many sources, but the majority can be produced using hydrocarbons extracted from easily accessible natural materials such as natural gas, coal, and crude oil.

Summary: In simple terms, plastics are versatile materials that can be shaped using heat and pressure. They are known for their lightweight, durable, and cost-effective nature. The raw materials for plastics are derived from natural sources such as natural gas, coal, and crude oil.

Photo: © Yevhen Smyk via Getty Images

Why Is Plastic Bad For The Environment?

Now that we know what plastic is, it’s easy to understand why we use so much of it. But here’s the problem: the same qualities that make plastic useful can also make it difficult to manage once we no longer need it.

Problem #1 - Non-Biodegradable: Standard plastics are not compostable, meaning they do not naturally break down like food scraps, leaves, or other organic materials. Some plastic products can persist in the environment for decades or even centuries, taking up valuable space in landfills and polluting natural habitats.

Problem #2 - Pollution: The majority of plastic production relies on petroleum and natural gas, both of which are nonrenewable fossil fuels that release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases during extraction and manufacturing.

Also, when plastic waste is poorly managed, it can end up in landfills, rivers, beaches, and oceans. Once plastic reaches the environment, it can release toxic chemicals that can seep into the ground and contaminate crops or drinking water.

Problem #3 - Microplastics: Plastics can degrade into smaller fragments known as microplastics (tiny plastic fragments less than 5 millimeters in size). These microscopic particles have now been found in the water we drink, the food we eat, and even the air we breathe.

Problem #4 - Making Plastic Uses A Lot Of Natural Resources: The production of plastics requires significant amounts of energy and resources, including the extraction of fossil fuels, as well as large quantities of water.

Plastics account for around 4-8% of global oil consumption. If production and demand continue to grow, this figure is expected to rise to 20% by 2050. (According to the Center for International Environmental Law, this means plastic production alone could generate 56 gigatons of CO₂ emissions by 2050!)

Summary: Plastic pollution has become a global environmental concern because plastic can persist in the environment for a very long time, contribute to pollution on land and in water, break apart into microplastics, and require significant amounts of fossil fuels and other natural resources to produce.

Photo: © Photoboyko via Getty Images

Does Plastic Harm Our Health?

Fun Fact: According to the American Chemical Society, microwaving food in plastic containers can release as many as 4.22 million microplastic and 2.11 billion nanoplastic particles from only one square centimeter of plastic area in just 3 minutes!

Yes, plastic can harm our health in more ways than most people realize. Here are some of the potential ways plastic can affect our well-being:

1. Toxic Chemicals: Plastic products can contain toxic chemicals such as phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and flame retardants. These chemicals can leach toxins into the food or drink they contain. When consumed, these toxins can enter our bodies and harm our health.
2. Microplastics & Nanoplastics: Microplastics (particles smaller than 5 millimeters) and nanoplastics (even smaller fragments invisible to the naked eye) are now found virtually everywhere: the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink.

Exposure to the toxic chemicals found in plastic has been linked to various health issues in humans. These include cardiovascular diseases, developmental and neurobehavioral disorders, metabolic diseases, immune dysfunction, endocrine disruption, and an increased risk of certain cancers.

Note: Plastic can pose risks to human health, but the extent of these risks may vary depending on the type of plastic, the specific chemicals involved, and the duration and intensity of exposure. However, considering the potential negative impacts, it is advisable to reduce plastic use whenever possible, especially in contexts where it comes into contact with food and beverages.

Summary: Despite being one of the most pervasive materials on the planet, plastic also poses a significant health risk, especially when it comes into contact with food and beverages. These chemicals have been shown to cause a wide range of effects on human health.

Photo: © Pancaketom via canva.com

Does Plastic Harm Wildlife Health?

Absolutely, plastic pollution can have devastating effects on wildlife health across land and sea. According to Greenpeace, more than one million seabirds and over 100,000 marine mammals die each year as a direct result of plastic pollution in our oceans.

Marine animals, birds, and terrestrial creatures often mistake plastic debris for food and easily become entangled in it. While larger plastic items can lead to injuries, suffocation, and even death, smaller fragments known as microplastics can accumulate in the digestive system, causing reduced feeding signals.

Fun Fact: There are countless ways plastic ends up in the ocean, but rivers are a major contributor. According to The Ocean Cleanup, approximately 1.15 to 2.41 million tonnes of plastic enter the sea from rivers each year. (More than half of this plastic is less dense than water, meaning it won't sink and will remain floating on the surface once it hits the ocean!)

Unfortunately, marine mammals don't understand the dangers that plastics pose to them. Floating plastic bags can resemble jellyfish to turtles, while small fragments of colorful plastic often look like fish eggs to seabirds. Once consumed, these plastics fill the animal’s stomach, giving a false sense of fullness and preventing them from eating real food.

Beyond ingestion, many animals also suffer from entanglement in plastic debris such as discarded fishing nets, six-pack rings, ropes, and plastic bags. When animals become trapped, they can lose mobility, suffocate, or drown. (This problem was created by humans, and only humans can fix it!)

Summary: Modern plastics never fully biodegrade. They can break down into smaller microplastics, where marine life and birds mistake them for food. Even worse, plastic can cause animals to become entangled, making them drown, starve, or choke to death.

Photo: © Peter Shaw via Getty Images

What About Compostable Plastic?

Compostable plastics can sound like the perfect solution to our plastic pollution problem. After all, if something is labeled “compostable,” you can simply throw it away and let nature take care of the rest, right?

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Compostable plastic needs the right combination of heat, moisture, oxygen, microorganisms, and time to break down properly. It must be processed in commercial or industrial composting facilities, rather than your typical backyard compost bin.

This is where things start getting confusing. A product can be plant-based without being compostable, and it can also be compostable without being entirely plant-based. In other words, the source of the plastic doesn't tell you what will happen to it after you throw it away!

Disposal matters too. If a compostable plastic product is placed in the recycling bin, it can contaminate the recycling stream because it is not intended to be recycled with conventional plastics. If it's sent to a landfill, it isn't being given the composting environment it was designed for.

And if it's placed in a composting facility that doesn't accept compostable plastics, it can become contamination there too. That's why you shouldn't assume that a compostable plastic product will automatically disappear when you put it in your backyard compost, throw it in the trash, or send it to the recycling bin.

Summary: Compostable plastic is a type of biodegradable plastic designed to break down into compost under specific conditions such as the right temperature, moisture, oxygen, and microorganisms to break down properly. They should not automatically be treated like food scraps or regular plastic recycling.

Photo: © Retann via Getty Images

What Can We Do To Solve This Problem?

Have you ever wondered where all the plastic stuff we throw away goes? Most of it will be transported to a landfill, where over 90% will spend the next hundreds of years to biodegrade.

Fun Fact: Nearly 180,000 trucks are being used to transport garbage each day throughout the United States, driving an average of 25,000 miles per truck each year.

Due to the high demand for plastic, many companies will continue producing plastic products for their consumers to earn profits. We (as consumers) must be aware of this problem and start doing something about it.

To help solve the plastic pollution problem, we can take several actions:

1. Use Plastic-Free Products: One of the easiest ways to reduce plastic waste is to replace plastic products with alternatives that use less plastic. For example, switching from a traditional plastic toothbrush to a bamboo toothbrush can save up to 95% plastic waste from the handle.
2. Reduce Single-Use Plastics: Minimizing our use of single-use plastics like plastic bags, water bottles, straws, take-out containers, and any other plastic items that are used once and then discarded can make a significant contribution to reducing plastic waste.
3. Proper recycling: This should go without saying, but when you use plastic products that can be recycled, always be sure to recycle them. This can effectively prevent plastics from ending up in the landfill or oceans and reduce the need for new plastic production.

And remember, you don't have to make every change at once. Start with one or two plastic products you use regularly, find a lower-waste alternative, and build from there!

Summary: Solving the plastic pollution problem requires collective effort. As consumers, we can help by reducing unnecessary plastic, avoiding single-use products, choosing lower-waste alternatives, recycling correctly, and encouraging others to do the same.

Quick Takeaway

Plastic is one of the most versatile and widely used materials in our modern life. Its lightweight, durable, flexible, and inexpensive nature makes it a go-to material for nearly every industry. However, this also created one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time.

Most plastics are made from non-renewable fossil fuels such as crude oil or natural gas, and their production releases harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Once discarded, it just breaks down into smaller microplastics that marine life and birds often mistake for food.

But the problem doesn’t end there, plastics also contain toxic chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and flame retardants, which have been linked to numerous health problems, including hormonal disruption, immune system damage, developmental issues, and an increased risk of certain cancers. (Humans are unknowingly consuming plastic through food, water, and even the air we breathe!)

My Personal Take: Stay informed about plastic pollution and share what you learn with your friends, family, and community. Small changes may seem insignificant on their own, but millions of people making better choices can create a much bigger impact.

Frequently Asked Questions Related To Plastic And Why It Is Bad:

Question #1: How are plastics made?

Answer: Most conventional plastics are made from fossil fuel-based materials such as crude oil and natural gas. These materials are heated and then combined with other chemicals to create a polymer. Once the polymer is created, it can be molded into a variety of shapes. (Common plastic products include bottles, bags, and toys!)

Question #2: How does plastic pollution affect the environment?

Answer: Plastic waste can accumulate on land and in waterways, contaminating them with harmful chemicals, persist for a very long time, and break apart into smaller microplastics. It can also harm wildlife through ingestion and entanglement.

Question #3: What are some ways to reduce my plastic consumption?

Answer: If you're looking for a way to reduce your plastic pollution, I would recommend using a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic toothbrush. It's affordable, and you don't have to do anything extra. (Bamboo is a renewable resource that grows quickly and requires no pesticides or fertilizers!)

Question #4: How to properly dispose of plastic products to minimize environmental impact?

Answer: Start by checking your local recycling guidelines because recycling rules can vary from one community to another. Put accepted recyclable plastics in the recycling bin, dispose of non-recyclable items according to your local waste system, and try to reduce unnecessary plastic use in the first place.

Question #5: Is compostable plastic better than regular plastic?

Answer: It depends on the product and what happens to it after use. Compostable plastic can be useful when the product is actually accepted by a composting system. However, many compostable plastics require commercial or industrial composting conditions and should not be placed in regular plastic recycling.