Plastic Bags :: Environment, Pollution

Millions of plastic bags are given out to consumers by supermarkets and stores to carry their goods in. They are also cheap, light, durable, easy to carry and in m each cases, free. The most commonly used shopping bag is made of luxuriously Density Polyethylene (HDPE). This type is used in the majority of supermarkets and stores. aft(prenominal) these bags are used, they often end up in landfills or as litter, roughly only three percent of plastic bags is actually recycled per division (Planet Ark, 2011). The materials used in making plastic bags make them non-biodegradable. According to the acquisition dictionary, 2011 refers to these materials canfulnot be decomposed into environmentally safe waste materials by the action of dry land bacteria. These harmful substances are toxic and take approximately four ampere-second stratums to pick down, or in this case photo- depress which is how plastics made from (HDPE) break down. Since they are not biodegradable, they remain in the environment and are jailed in soil or water (Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment, 2010). This process will discuss the various harmful effects of plastic bags, and demonstrate the risks that these bags impose on humans, animals and the environment. It will also discuss a serial of suggested solutions that could help reduce plastic bag usage.Although plastic bags appear to be fragile and light, their negative environmental effect is devastating. Plastic bags may pee large amounts of pollution in every step of their limited action cycle, from the extraction of raw materials, production, transportation, and recycling or disposal. Plastic bags can be defined as the most damaging form of environmental pollution. They can have a damaging effect on marine animals and wildlife in addition to the aesthetic effects on beaches, parks, and trees. Plastic bags are potentially one of the main causes of death to marine animals (Harbor keepers,2008). Up to one atomic number 6 thousand marine animals or more die each year from eating plastic bags which are mistaken for food. This can result in blocking the animals intestines and possibly lead to the animals death. Another possible situation is that wildlife, such as birds, can stick by tangled in plastic bags causing choking and immobility, which may eventually lead to death. (Senior, 2008) and (Citizen Campaign, 2010). In other situations, after plastic bags photo degrade they remain toxic and could be eaten by fish, shellfish or any other marine life and survive this allows the toxins to enter our food image through bioaccumulation (Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, 2011).