My URL ProMy URL Pro

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    How to Choose Bathroom Cabinets with Mirrors 

    November 27, 2023

    The Role of a Holistic Medicine Specialist in Mental Health

    November 27, 2023

    Nikki Sapp Age: The Timeless Elegance Of A Basketball Maven, Age, Height, Career, And Other Info

    November 26, 2023
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Technology
    • Home Improvement
    • Business
    • Gaming
    • Lifestyle
    • Home Improvement
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    My URL ProMy URL Pro
    • Home
    • Business

      Transforming Jupiter, FL with Expert Christmas Light Installers

      November 23, 2023

      Southern Charm Roofing, Your Premier Contractor in Evans GA

      November 23, 2023

      Employee Monitoring Software: Navigating the Future of Work

      November 21, 2023

      What’s New in the Oracle 23D Release? Leveraging Opkey for Oracle Cloud Testing

      November 8, 2023

      E-commerce Evolution: Trends Shaping Website Development in 2023

      October 28, 2023
    • Technology
    • Home Improvement
    • Lifestyle
      • Health
      • Fashion
      • Travel
      • Food
      • Pets
    • More
      • Sports
      • World
      • Gaming
      • Real Estate
      • Digital Marketing
      • Finance
      • Automobile
      • Law
      • Education
    My URL ProMy URL Pro
    Home » Technology » More On How To Solve The Problem Of Plastic Waste
    Technology

    More On How To Solve The Problem Of Plastic Waste

    mujtabaBy mujtabaJune 1, 2020Updated:August 13, 2023No Comments5 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    photo-of-plastic-bottles-2547565
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Pinterest Email

    Last Updated on August 13, 2023 by asifa

    Look around you. Your glasses? In plastic. Your computer keyboard? Likewise, just like kitchen utensils, packaging, cosmetics, and even clothing. Worse, we eat plastic: A 2018 study by the Austrian environmental agency discovered that the stools of people living in Europe, Japan, and Russia all contained particles of microplastics!

    Table of Contents

    • What is the impact on our health?
      • How to replace plastic?
    • Can plastic be recycled efficiently?

    What is the impact on our health?

    Still tricky to say. Plastic is part of our society. The history of plastics goes back to Antiquity – they were then made with natural polymers, like plant cellulose, milk casein. Their synthetic version, produced from petroleum or natural gas, took off in the 1950s.

    Since then, humanity has produced 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic! According to American researchers, 6.3 billion tonnes have already become waste, and 79% of that has accumulated in landfills. However, over time and under the effect of UV, rain, or oxygen, this plastic degrades and breaks into smaller pieces, later found in air, soil, water, and even food.

    The real problem with plastic is not that it comes from petroleum, or that it impacts climate change via the CO2 emissions it generates; the problem is that it subsists in the environment!

    It takes a hundred to two hundred years to transform plastic into persistent fine particles. The oceans, into which rivers flow, are the first victims. The equivalent of a truckload of plastics would be dumped there every minute. Faced with this time bomb, is there still time to inflect our taste for this resistant, practical, and inexpensive material?

    Read More: Lenovo IdeaCentre A340 All in One Desktop PC Intel Dual Core – A Powerful AIO PC Review

    How to replace plastic?

    There are specific innovations to replace plastic by the equivalents, including bio-based equivalents, i.e., materials from plant origin, such as corn, wheat, sugar cane, etc. Since 2015, Coca-Cola has distributed 35 billion so-called PlantBottles, made up of 30% polyethylene terephthalate coming from plants. As for polylactic acid, it comes from the degradation of dextrose, a vegetable sugar originating from corn, beet, rice, or even cassava, thanks to bacteria capable of synthesizing lactic acid.

    A miracle solution? Not really.

    PLA costs about two dollars per kilo against half as much for PE (polyethylene) from petrochemicals. This type of bioplastic has no economic interest for now. It mobilizes land and food resources that could be used to feed the planet! You can’t starve some countries to produce plastic for other countries.

    For industrialists, replacing plastic can sometimes be a headache. Plastic worked as a miracle material for fifty years, from construction to space exploration, communications, and food. There are a thousand reasons to explain its success because light, durable, transparent, waterproof, limiting contamination, etc.

    how to solve the problem of plastic waste

    For some products, the alternatives are lacking. This is the case of the Bag-in-Box packaging system, these bags filled with wine or fruit juice and placed in cardboard boxes: we do not know how to replace them. 

    Ditto for household products. Replacing them with large glass cans, which can be stored but are very heavy, does not make much sense: because of this overweight, their transport would emit more CO2, and the results would not be favorable. For each product, you have to look at the environmental impact, from manufacturing to recycling.

    Can plastic be recycled efficiently?

    Is the reluctance of companies to initiate change still justified? Or should consumers develop new habits creating less plastic waste?

    All industrial activity is based on the mass production of short-lived products. Advances that would prevent this are inevitably unwelcome. The idea that we should now focus on the creation of high value-added plastic has not yet taken hold in the sector.

    This super-plastic, more resistant and more technical, is that of medical products, such as syringes or blood bags, which we can hardly do without using them. Ditto in construction with electric cables sheathed in plastic is more insulating and safer, and in the automotive industry, the material has made it possible to lighten cars.

    Fortunately, the packaging sector is where the alternatives seem easier to develop, which wastes the most plastic, with almost 40% of total consumption. Next came building and construction (20%), automotive (8%), followed by electricity and electronics (5%).

    For plastic, recycling is not automatic. In Europe, two-thirds of the plastic waste produced is recovered (incinerated with energy recovery) and one third recycled. It is often presented as a solution. In reality, plastics can be recycled once or twice, but rarely more.

    For security (risk of contamination) and technological reasons, very few (5%) are recycled in a closed circuit, that is to say, converted into a material indistinguishable from new plastic. That still doesn’t solve the problem of plastic waste at all.

    Beyond packaging, electrical and electronic devices that contain plastic (15%, for example, for a refrigerator) also go through the recycling box. Many contain bromine, an element that makes them less flammable but highly polluting. This is also the case in tools and toys.

    However, the sorting of these brominated products should be improved so that this substance is not found in recycled raw materials. Worse, some equipment containing a high content of bromine, such as large household appliances, escape the sorting lines! Besides, recycled plastics often cost more than their new equivalent! 

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    mujtaba

    Related Posts

    Corporate Entertainment Trends: A Look at the Evolving Landscape

    November 22, 2023

    5 Amazing Reasons for Carrying Out Cross Browser Testing

    November 14, 2023

    Guide To Cross-platform Mobile App Development

    November 13, 2023

    What are the Advantages of Europe Sim Cards for Travellers?

    November 7, 2023

    Innovations in Amsterdam’s Taxi Industry: Technology and Sustainability

    November 1, 2023

    Industrial FPGA: Paving the Way for Modern Industrial Solutions

    October 26, 2023
    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.

    Recent Posts
    • How to Choose Bathroom Cabinets with Mirrors 
    • The Role of a Holistic Medicine Specialist in Mental Health
    • Nikki Sapp Age: The Timeless Elegance Of A Basketball Maven, Age, Height, Career, And Other Info
    Don't Miss

    How to Choose Bathroom Cabinets with Mirrors 

    By asifaNovember 27, 2023

    Are you looking for the perfect recessed bathroom medicine cabinet with a mirror? If so,…

    The Role of a Holistic Medicine Specialist in Mental Health

    November 27, 2023

    Nikki Sapp Age: The Timeless Elegance Of A Basketball Maven, Age, Height, Career, And Other Info

    November 26, 2023

    Usain Bolt Net Worth: A Sprint Through Success, Age, Height, Career, And Other Info

    November 26, 2023
    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Vimeo
    Our Picks

    How to Choose Bathroom Cabinets with Mirrors 

    November 27, 2023

    The Role of a Holistic Medicine Specialist in Mental Health

    November 27, 2023

    Nikki Sapp Age: The Timeless Elegance Of A Basketball Maven, Age, Height, Career, And Other Info

    November 26, 2023

    Usain Bolt Net Worth: A Sprint Through Success, Age, Height, Career, And Other Info

    November 26, 2023

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from SmartMag about art & design.

    Top Picks
    • Technology
    • Home Improvement
    • Business
    • Gaming
    • Lifestyle
    • Home Improvement

    How to Choose Bathroom Cabinets with Mirrors 

    November 27, 2023

    The Role of a Holistic Medicine Specialist in Mental Health

    November 27, 2023
    About Us

    Hi, Welcome to My URL Pro. My URL Pro is a news and updates website which uploads only official and authentic content. My URL Pro was founded in 2019 by Abdul Waheed.
    Contact us: [email protected]

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
    • Home
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    © 2023 All rights reserved by My URL Pro.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    Go to mobile version