Plastic products are affordable, versatile and durable, but they are a threat to our environment. They pollute soil and water, endanger animals and act as a breeding ground for deadly insects. The authorities and can take numerous measures to curb the problem and its magnitude.
Plastics can severely harm our environment. The littering of plastics creates a rather unhygienic condition here and there. These unsanitary conditions then become the breeding ground for harmful insects and mosquitoes, causing diseases like malaria and dengue. According to the United Nations Environmental Programme, we produce nearly 400 million tons of plastic waste each year. Such a large volume of plastic waste can harm our environment to a large extent, when these plastic products take from decades to centuries to decompose. They seriously degrade soil fertility or quality, meaning plants or trees can not grow well on those soils. Moreover, plastic items can seriously pollute water bodies too, by changing their original chemical property, since they easily can find their way into the rivers and oceans. And when that happens, it poses a grave threat to fish and other . There have been instances where some large endangered species of tortoises were found to be suffocating because of mistakenly swallowing plastic bags that were attached to seaweed.
To limit these environmental damages, can take some effective initiatives. People can recycle some of the plastic products they use, and reduce their reliance on plastics. For instance, many people use glass-made bottles to carry water rather than using one-time-use plastic water bottles. But it definitely should be the governments that need to do the heavy lifting, in this case, to protect our environment from plastic waste by enacting different kinds of rules and regulations wherever appropriate and also continually running awareness programmes. For example, South Africa has restricted the manufacture and usage of plastic bags by enacting parliamentary legislation. Besides, governments can also offer tax incentives for those individuals or companies who do not use plastic products.
In conclusion, plastic is an threat to our world, and if we - both the government and individuals - work hand in hand, then the chances are one day, we would be able to see a world where plastic is not a problem anymore.