Contribution of Plastic Pollution

The contribution of plastic pollution is major and has yet to be regulated and controlled. “Global plastic production has increased from 1.5 million tons in the 1950s to 335 million tons in 2016” (Li et al., 2021). And, unfortunately, the number of plastic production is going to continue increasing if there are no solutions on how to lessen it or slow it down for the sake of the environment and mankind. But, then that leaves the damage that has already been inflicted on Earth and the bodies of water that surround us. The biggest challenge will have to be the microplastics. They are the size of less than 5 mm and come from the land and travel to the rivers, eventually entering the ocean, along with many other forms of plastics (Ritchie, Roser, 2018). These plastics pose a threat to the environment, wildlife, and human health. They can be vectors for “persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals, microorganisms in the environment” (Li et al., 2021). There can also be “chemicals, including monomer, oligomer, and additives, were observed to be released into the environment from plastics” (Li et al., 2021). So, overall, plastics are detrimental to the health of nature, putting it at great risk of falling into irreparable conditions if left unhandled. Plastic pollution is not stationed in just one area/region in the world. Plastic pollution is an environmental issue that is universal as it can be found everywhere “from deserts to farms, from mountaintops to the deep ocean, in tropical landfills and in Arctic snow” (MacLeod et al., 2021). “Plastic debris in the marine environment dates back half a century with continuing accumulation on the ocean surface over the past 60 years” (MacLeod et al., 2021). It is a non-point pollutant, having the capability of being from anywhere due to the fact that it travels from land to water, scattering detrimental effects in its wake.

Due to the dangers plastics pose to the environment, wildlife, and human health, there are policies being employed to decrease the impact they inflict. “Various groups and campaigns are advocating the banning of microplastics, one of the more vocal being the ‘Beat the Microbead’ movement, which aims to ban plastic microbeads from personal care products” (Rhodes et. al, 2018). One step towards a healthier environment as there is even a movement to ensure that there is a change towards fewer plastics. Even major companies are moving towards bettering their products to assist in bettering the health of the environment and move towards a plastic-less future. LEGO has announced that they will make their plastic bricks out of “sustainable polyethylene, rather than from petroleum-based sources” (Rhodes et. al, 2018). Then there’s the expansion of the Basel convention, which will aid in decreasing the threat of plastic pollution by “only [allowing] export of plastic waste to countries with better recycling infrastructure than the exporting country, eliminating hazardous chemicals in plastic to increase recycling potential, and developing recycling/reuse targets nationally and globally” (MacLeod et al., 2021). With these steps exercised, once everyone follows through, then the amount of plastic emitted into the environment lessens along with the overall risk of plastic and the contaminations it leaves within the land and the water. Monitoring the amount of plastic that is generated by a given group or area is important for determining the best ways to mitigate this issue.