Know The Impact Of Plastic Waste On The Environment And Health

Illustration of plastic waste (ds_30/Pixabay).

YOGYAKARTA The impact of plastic waste on the environment and health must be considered by all parties, considering that plastic waste is not easily decomposed and the processing process causes toxicity and is carcinogenic (sics that cause cancer).

On the other hand, people still depend heavily on plastic packaging, because it is cheap, durable and practical.

Another reason is that plastic packaging has a very light weight with high durability. Therefore, it does not mean that many packaging manufacturers are very interested in choosing plastic ingredients to use as packaged staples.

However, with so many products using plastic packaging circulating in the market, the number of plastic waste polluting the environment will also increase.

The bad impact of plastic waste pollution on the environment is also exacerbated by at least public education about the importance of recycling or disposing and sorting out waste in its place.

The Impact Of Plastic Waste On The Environment

The impact of plastic waste on the environment is often taken lightly. Whereas the existence of plastic waste can threaten human life, flora, and fauna.

If not managed properly, plastic waste can damage the environment in the medium to long term.

Compiled by VOI from various sources, here are the impacts of plastic waste on the environment that you must know:

Plastic waste can accumulate in large quantities at the end of waste disposal because the components are difficult to decompose.

Not only that, it will take a long time for plastic waste to decay perfectly.

When it is decomposed, plastic waste still has the potential to damage the environment because it becomes a microplastic component. This means that the missing plastic waste does not actually decompose perfectly on the ground. However, it leaves a new form that can settle on several food sources such as fish or vegetables.

Many people process plastic waste by burning it directly. This waste processing process can be a new problem because the burning will leave smoke and pollute the air.

The burning of plastic waste is also very dangerous for health. The chemicals released from the plastic burning process include benzo(a)pyrene (BAP) and polyyomatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Both compounds can cause cancer.

Plastic waste that is not managed properly also has the potential to damage marine ecosystems. Water content can be damaged by the spread of plastic waste.

According to the United Nations, the presence of plastic waste in the oceans has killed 1 million seabirds, 100,000 marine mammals, marine turtles, and large numbers of fish every year.

The Impact Of Plastic Waste On Health

In addition to having a bad impact on the environment, plastic waste also causes various health problems, including:

As mentioned above, plastic waste has carcinogenic properties that can trigger cancer, such as lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and tester cancer.

Exposure to chemical compounds originating from plastic can enter the human body through air, food, and drinks contaminated with plastic waste.

Some toxic substances originating from plastic waste or plastic waste processing can cause skin damage and various disorders in the body such as nerve disorders, digestive problems, respiratory problems, to damage the function of the kidneys and liver.

Exposure to toxic paint from the process of filling plastic waste is also dangerous for pregnant women and fetuses, and children.

A number of studies show that exposure to waste and toxic substances can increase the risk of stunted growth and development disorders in the fetus and children.

That is the impact of plastic waste on the environment and health. Come on, reduce the use of plastic packaging.