Toothpaste
The damage done to earth in the form of climate change has also brought the pollution we are creating to front and center of our attention and awareness. The hero of this pollution story is plastic, which is a synthetic material made of organic polymer which can be molded into any shape. It derives its name from Greek word ”plastikos” which means fit to be molded. This material has penetrated every part of our life and in the 21st century it is impossible to think of a life without plastic being an influential player. Plastics initially were made with naturally available materials which was then improved by modifying natural substances like nitrocellulose. The first major breakthrough came in 1907 when chemist Leo Baekeland created Bakelite, a completely synthetic material. However, it took a world war (II, in this case) to accelerate the production of plastics. The motivation to preserve the natural resources gave way to mass production of plastic materials such as nylon (synthetic silk) which was used for making parachutes, helmet liners, ropes etc and in turn also created a positive image for the material. By the 1970s and 80s, people soon began to see the negative effects of plastics and a growing concern over its threat to natural habitats began to emerge. It was soon discovered that plastic materials take on an average 1000 years to decompose while the plastic bags that we use take about 10-20 years to decompose. As this is a completely artificial material, there are no naturally found organisms which can effectively decompose it, hence plastics can stay around us for 100s of years. However, this doesn’t mean that the plastic bottle or plastic bag that we throw away remains in the same shape and form, but with time it gets degraded into smaller and smaller pieces termed as ‘microplastics’. These are tiny plastic materials (can be made of different polymers) which are less than 5mm long and we are yet to completely understand its effect on life.
Plastic pollution
Not all microplastics are created due to the natural degradation process. There are some termed ‘microbeads’ which are specifically and intentionally made to be added to several daily products such as toothpaste, cleansers, wash-off cosmetics. These tiny particles have been a part of our lives for the last 50 years. As these beads are tiny they are not cleared via the water waste system, hence they easily enter our rivers and oceans affecting marine life apart from ours and this effect is termed ‘ecotoxicity’. Research indicates that the type of microplastics which disintegrate as fibres or nanosticks seem to be more toxic to marine organisms as compared to beaded particles, apart from these chemicals which are associated with these particles when leaked into the water systems has a negative effect as well. It is discoveries such as these which has created a cause for concern not only for the environment but also for human health.
Plastic pieces
Almost all of the plastic objects we use today such as straws, spoons, forks, and plates are designed for single use after which either needs to be thrown away or recycled. My research into what is the best method to avoid plastic pollution did not give me a definitive single answer, but the most effective methodology seems to be reuse, recycle and reduce usage. In my personal experience, it is really very hard to get rid of plastics altogether, so my approach would be to ask the question: ‘Am I using this plastic for convenience and can I use an alternative instead?’ In spite of all your best efforts if you have completely run out of ideas on how to replace plastic from your lives, ask your grandmum for tips as she most likely grew up in a time when plastic was nowhere on anyone’s radar.
