This form of ban could lead to a reduction in landfill across the country, going a long way to protect the nature and serenity of the area. The subtropical gyres of the North Pacific Ocean are also documented to contain the highest concentrations of plastic. Recently, however, plastic straws have been the subject of many plastic bans in an attempt to help the environment. You probably already saw the video, but if you didnt, you can watch it below (WARNING: Graphic Content): Supporters of plastic straw bans claim that the ban will help reduce our use of single-use plastics. The reason to worry is that scientists do not know how our metabolism and immunity will react to the increased concentration of plastic particles in our system. This is due to the fact that the plastic tubes are far too lightweight to be recycled in an efficient manner. . 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? Plastic bags are a convenient way to carry our purchased goods when we go shopping. Post date: 18 yesterday. Our goal is to inspire people to change their attitudes and behaviors toward a more sustainable life. 2. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. (Source: Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment), Stanford scientists are among a growing number of researchers harnessing artificial intelligence techniques to bring more realistic representations of ubiquitous atmospheric ripples into global climate models. Most drop-off collection points accept plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene (plastic number 2) and low-density polyethylene (plastic number 4). What Is Plastic Made Of And How Is It Manufactured? And will a plastic straw ban actually be effective when it comes to saving our oceans and environment? 12 Reasons for Banning Plastic Bags: Plastic Bags Are Made With Non-Renewable Energy Plastic Bags Use Up Lots Of Energy Plastic Bags End Up In The Ocean Beach Plastic Litter Is On The Rise Plastic Bags Kill Millions Of Animals Every Year Plastic Takes A Long Time To Disintegrate Plastic Is Harming The Ocean's Coral Plastic Bags Contain Toxins 15. 300 to 700 plastic bags pass through the hands of an average American in just one year [8] and a survey of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs concluded that the average household in the United Kingdom stores around 40 plastic shopping bags at home [2]. Plastic waste, mostly broken down into tiny particles, floats in huge blobs amid ocean current patterns called gyres that together cover as much as 40 percent of Earths ocean surface. This blog covers a variety of topics including plastic pollution, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and much more. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned Prior the ban, 70 percent of livestock losses were attributed to plastic bag ingestion. Plastic is more sanitary and safer to use than other alternatives. ), then its clean! Starbucks recently announced that it would phase out use of plastic straws by the year 2020. According to a 2017 study, more than half of non-fiber plastic, which excludes synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, comes from plastic packaging alone, much of which is for single-use items. And when it comes to waste that lasts forever, every ton counts. Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. Author: floridadep.gov. A last example of a true horror caused by plastic has been discovered just recently. There is only one requirement these plastic bags need to be dry and clean, otherwise they contaminate the entire batch and your effort will do more harm than good. We should just stick to plastic. Learn how your comment data is processed. 12 Compelling Reasons For Banning Plastic Bags [2023 Update] - MindsetEco Without proper education, few people would know the purpose of the ban, and they would continue using other single-use plastics which could be even worse for the environment. We should also try to give up plastic straws if we are capable of doing so. But beyond these impacts, the bans have cultural effects. On average, taxpayers end up paying about $88 per year just on plastic bag waste [15]. Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips? Recycling more plastic, more frequently, reduces its footprint. In this essay on should plastic be banned, it is very important to put forth the fact that there are many bodies of health and environmental governance around the world who argue that plastic ban can be problematic stating the following reasons-. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. In fact, it is estimated that up to 10 million plastic bags are used every minute around the world [1]. While these countries and municipalities have been making strides in their part of reducing circulation of plastic bags, in total there are 195 countries in the world [19] and the issue of plastic pollution is still getting out of our hands. Stanford Reportspoke withJim Leape, co-director of theStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, andCraig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, about the path to reducing ocean plastic pollution. Forty years after the launch of the first universal recycling symbol, only 14 percent of plastic packaging is recycled. We add another 8 million tons each year thats about five grocery bags full of plastic waste on every foot of shoreline around the world, according to a recent study. The truth is that we do not know yet the full scale of negative impacts plastic waste can have on marine and terrestrial environments because it hasnt been around long enough to allow us to assess possible scenarios of its influence on natural cycles. The first country to ban single-use plastic bags was Bangladesh in 2002 when plastic bag litter clogged drainage channels and contributed to destructive floods. The majority of this pollutiondominated by single-use plastic wastecomes from countries lacking infrastructure to properly manage waste, particularly in Asia. But should plastic straws really be banned? The trend has already started. It means that most bags can be recycled. Individual actions can lead to collective actions. As part of the Break Free From Plastic movement, Greenpeace volunteers conducted an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines, sifting through tens of thousands of individual pieces across 42 countries to identify the pollutions sources. Cause of environmental pollution 2. Ms. LISA PAI . There are numerous reasons why PLA straws are not the right substitute for plastic straws . Now, lets get into the negatives of a plastic straw ban: While banning plastic straws might help the environment in some aspects (well talk about this later), there are also many reasons against (or cons) of a plastic straw ban. Thoughtful laws are needed to control the problem and at the same time encourage innovation. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. Activists Say Straws Should Be Banned Because They Are a 'Gateway Plastic' Advocates hope a straw ban will be the first step toward broader plastic prohibitions. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. They suspect that it may add stress on the liver by introducing more pathogens into the body. It started with cardboard straws, but once plastic production in America increased, people realized it was quicker and cheaper to produce plastic straws. In my opinion, plastic straws should not be banned outright, because many disabled people require plastic straws to drink. Stanford experts discuss the limitations of these bans and the potential for meaningful change. It was first invented in 1907 by Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland. Theyre in about a quarter of the seafood in our markets, and even in table salt. According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. Simply, refuse them when offered and bring your own reusable bag when shopping. Dont re-wash something if you can wear it again. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye. Straws are said to be one of the top 10 objects recovered during beach clean-ups by the Ocean Conservancy. Oil and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources and through their extraction and production, they emit greenhouse gases, which contribute to global climate change. Tangled in trees and fences along roads, floating in water, lying on the ground in parks and forests, surrounding garbage bins, washed off on beaches. What Are Single-use Plastics and Should They Be Banned? Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health. Plastic is putting a strain on waste management systems, our oceans, and vulnerable communities the world over. They are also capable of being ingested by fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, which in turn causes the animals injury and, in the case of fish, allows them to enter the human food chain. They prevent millions of tons of plastic from entering the waste stream each year. Summary: Reduce your use of single-use plastics. Problematic degradation 4. Alarmingly, scientists estimate that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight in 2050. McDonalds swapped its plastic straws for paper at its United Kingdom and Ireland restaurants. We will According to the researchers, the turtle likely mistook the straw for food and swallowed it. All rights reserved. All you need to do is paste your ZIP code and then see the list of stores with bag drop-off in your nearest location. The very best alternative is a reusable bag. CRIDDLE:We need to think about what incentives will promote a culture of recycling and innovation with respect to waste streams. . As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How can you help to ban plastic bags in your area? Large producers of single-use plastics can make a big environmental impact. 5 Metals in your Home that can be Recycled for Cash, How exactly bidets offer a healthier, green option for your bathroom, A Closer Look at General Motors (GM) Sustainability Initiatives. The inaccuracy of this number calls into doubt the veracity of the overall case against using plastic straws as a drinking implement. If plastic straws are completely banned, local small businesses like boba tea shops will have to look for pricier alternatives. And recent studies found plastic in the guts of 90 percent of the seabirds tested and 100 percent of the turtles. Sea turtles are not the only species suffering from plastic bag pollution of the environment. For example, some disabled people may not be able to properly hold or pick up a cup, so they need to use straws to drink properly. When you sip beverages through a straw you end up inhaling more air into your belly than you would otherwise. So, retailers incorporate this cost hiddenly into prices of other items sold at stores. We produce 300 million tons of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. As plastic bags are not disposed properly . You cannot recycle them in the regular curbside collection of plastic, but you should be able to find many larger food stores and retailers (for example: Target, Walmart, Tesco, Morrisons, etc.) Start from yourself and slowly expand to your family and friends. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned | IUCN Water The ban also kept them from littering neighborhoods and the environment. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. Theyve even made their way up to the secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. While we may not pay for plastic bags directly when we go shopping, they are anything but free.. In this article, Ill go over both the pros and cons of a plastic straw ban. Straws are notorious for being readily blown away by the wind. How Plastic Bottles Become Death Traps for Hermit Crabs. Read more about us. NDLA National Disability Leadership Alliance: Nothing About Us Without Us. Most retailers will get your point, but it can also happen that they will not be willing to sell you some products without placing it in their plastic bags because of having to oblige with some hygiene and sanitary standards (for example when selling meat products). TOP 10 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned BEST and NEWEST Arguments Why Plastic Should Be Banned - Green Matters Why are Plastic Straws Bad and What are the Alernatives? The Natural Resources Defense Council works to safeguard the earth - its people, 1. plastic straws litter our environment Every day, about 3-6 billion plastic straws are produced. It is estimated that there are now 150 million metric tons of plastic in the ocean. Avoid individually packaged goods, like snack packs. Beyond the costs associated with the production and purchasing of plastic bags by retailers, there are many external costs that are often not considered. Similar fate has met dolphins, seals, cats, dogs, deer and many other animals which got severely cut on their bodies due to plastic bag entanglement. Here's a quick list of the ways plastic straws may be harming your health: 1. Not only does banning single-use plastic reduce pollution, but it also reduces demand for plastic production thats contributing to global climate change. And Starbucks, which uses an estimated one billion plastic straws per year, is phasing them out in favor of paper ones. The people of Macon, Georgia, saw through it. A Ban Could Harm Local Businesses If The crucial challenge is to ensure that these bans are just a first step, offering a natural place to start with low-hanging fruit so long as its part of a much more fundamental shift away from single-use plastics across the value chains of these companies and our economy. Made from fossil fuels 3. Once a paper product has been contaminated with food or drink, it must be disposed of in a landfill. Why Plastic Straws Are Being Banned - Square According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, microplastics are so small that they move straight through water filtration, Read More What Are Microplastics and Why Are They a Concern? For most, straws are not a necessity, but a convenience. The crisis is so serious that many people are saying that plastic straws should be outlawed. Criddle isdirector of StanfordsCodiga Resource Recovery Center,a member ofStanford Bio-Xand an affiliate of thePrecourt Institute for Energy. On their long journey, they will encounter many difficulties and only a small portion of them will survive. But the sheer amount of plastic waste inundates communities until they are drowning under thousands of tons of plastic trash. Harmful to human health 6. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned | Greentumble All Rights Reserved. 1. Nows the Time. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? 2. Plastic, in general, is one of the biggest pollutants in the world. What can I do for you? Also, giving a speech in . However, I do believe that we should limit our use of plastic straws by asking businesses to only give out straws on request. A complete ban on plastic straws would harm disabled people, which definitely isnt the goal of such a ban. What does occur in most instances is that when out in the environment, the plastic breaks up into tiny microscopic pieces that get deposited in soils (where we grow food) or contaminate waterways. The single biggest reason why people want to ban plastic straws is because of their negative effects on the environment. New and sustainable business models are needed to address the current plastic deluge and also to enable a new generation of sustainable materials and technologies. Pack it alongside reusable cutlery (like wood, bamboo, or metal chopsticks) for sustainable eating on the go. Plastic straws are not the first iteration of straws. The Pasig River is the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution in the world. Additionally, plastics in our digestive tract may affect absorption of some important trace elements (like iron) which we need for maintaining proper health [13]. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. If you are a kid reading this, and you want to get green and help the Earth, you are at the right place. Gas, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. Fortunately, microorganisms can also use cheap, renewable substrates, such as food wastes, biogas methane, carbon dioxide and renewable hydrogen. In many instances, it may seem too awkward for you to refuse the bag, so you accept it this one time, but you should know that it is fine to say no politely even at this stage if you dont want that bag. You are free to have your own personal opinion on whether or not we should ban plastic straws. Polypropylene is a form of plastic that is frequently used in the production of straws. Then, the straw got stuck in the turtles nose after she/he tried to cough the straw back out. Reusable shopping bags are very durable and can be reused many times over the course of their useful life. Straws have been found stuck in a sea turtle's nose and wedged in the stomachs of dead birds and dolphins. Skip the Straw - Florida Department of Environmental Protection Plastic items are more sanitary than other alternatives. China 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned Manufacturers, Supply 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with High Quality, Wholesale 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with Low Price, High Quality. Rating: 5 (913 reviews) Highest rating: 5. So, for example, companies need to not only make products that are recyclable, but actually make them out of recycled or truly biodegradable material. As a result, they are thrown away and frequently wind up in the ocean, where they pollute the water and eventually kill marine birds, animals, and fish. Plastic bags floating in the ocean resemble jellyfish, one of the main sources of food for some species of sea turtles, especially the critically-endangered Leatherback turtles. Help raise awareness of fellow consumers that means everyone when you think about it (unless they dont shopever). Oene Moedt-Foto Natura/Minden via National Geographic Images, Major Corporations and Single-Use Plastics, secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, and research has suggested that human exposure, 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic, one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector, could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030, an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines. The crucial challenge is to ensure that these bans are just a first step. Companies are forced to innovate, rethinking their designs and sourcing sustainable materials. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes. Ban of Plastic Can be Problematic. Using these non-renewable resources to make plastic bags is very short-sighted, considering that the typical useful life of each plastic bag is about 12 minutes and that the worlds oil reserves contain enough oil to cover our needs through 2050, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. Reasons why smoking should be banned articlestrabajos According to a study carried out in 2013, up to 35 percent of turtle deaths were caused by plastic ingestion and the probability that sea turtles will consume even more plastic increases every year [9]. NRDCs Eric Goldstein gives the scoop on the latest environmental villain and explains why plastic straws really are a big menace to our oceans. You can share this article on social media by using the share buttons below. For example, millions of discarded plastic bags clog water drainage channels and sewers in urban areas of Bangladesh. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned - manufacturer, factory Plastic straws only account for roughly one percent of the total amount of waste plastic found in the ocean. Better alternatives are available 10. 10 Reasons You Should Give Up Plastic Straws - sustainablemotown A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. We've all become too hooked on the availability and comfort of the stuff. Polyethylene terephthalate, one of the most commonly recycled plastics and the material that makes up most water and soda bottles, can be turned into everything from polyester fabric to automotive parts. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. Thanks for signing up. Lizzie Carr is shining a light on what is floating through the worlds waterways, and breaking athletic records along the way. An Oregon community is making spectacular statues out of ocean plastic to raise awareness about a crisis at sea. Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. InCalifornia, a bill to ban straws unless requested at dine-in restaurants is awaiting a signature from the governor. High costs for cleanup 8. Five Reasons Banning Plastics May Harm the Environment and Consumers Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. 1 producer of plastic waste in the world. Though plastica chain of synthetic polymers, essentiallywas invented in the mid-19th century, it wasnt until the 1970s that its popularity skyrocketed. Some opposers of the plastic straw ban say that a ban is unlikely to actually help the environment, as plastic straws do not make up a large percentage of plastic in the ocean.