PLASTICA BOON OR A CURSE?

Due to the problem of scarce resources and the scientific revolution in the fields of Chemistry and Physics, plastics were developed in the year 1860. Providing an appropriate substitute, with certain additional properties, for various natural resources, plastics have certain advantages and disadvantages. . Today, a wide variety of plastic polymers, also called resins, are derived from natural gas, crude oil or other naturally occurring building blocks. Each polymer is a chain of carbon-based molecules, called monomers, bonded together through a chemical reaction. There are 4 main types of poly bags in widespread use: High density polyethylene Low density polyethylene Polypropylene Complex structures: Nylon

The main uses of plastic are: 1) 2) 3) 4) as containers/bags for shopping purposes as a packing material, wrappers in laboratory & medical applications water storage tanks, buckets

Plastic bags have advantages and disadvantages when compared to alternatives such as paper bags and cardboard boxes. They are of extremely lightweight, flexible, low cost, strength, water resistance. The plastic containers can be made airtight which help in preserving food and perishable. The plastic containers have virtually replaced the glass and paper containers, which had their usage decades ago. The plastic bags are reusable and can be recycled. Plastic tubes, bottles are used extensively in the laboratory and medical equipments like beakers, test tubes, syringes, bottles and so on. Plastic is used for making lightweight furniture, toys, boxes and many other household applications. However, the over usage of plastic has out-weighed its advantages and casting a shadow of a great environmental problem on the modern civilization. No doubt, plastic bags have less net environmental effect than paper bags, requiring less energy to produce, transport and recycle. However recycling rates for plastic are significantly lower than for paper. Plastic bags lying scattered on the residential areas pose serious environmental problem because of their highly inflammable nature. Polythene bags when eaten by the straying cattle can cause death due to suffocation. When the disposed bag goes into the gutters it does not allow the water to flow freely causing water stagnation and other health problems. The disposal of plastic is a challenge even to the modern society. It produces toxic gases when insinuated and if disposed in compost pits and land fills it does not dissociate easily which is dangerous to the plant as well as animal life. Repeated recycle of plastic can cause degradation of the quality and when used as a wrapper or a container for the food articles, it can cause skin allergies or even dreadful diseases like cancer. In view of this the Government of India is banning usage of plastic bags in tourist places, hill stations and coastal areas like Andaman & Nicobar. The scientists nowadays are developing biodegradable plastics to get over the environmental issues to continue its usage. Until such time that this is available for the common people it is the duty of we citizens to ensure safe disposal of used bags.