Plastic Pollution

 

Plastic pollution is presently becoming an increasingly dangerous problem to the environment especially on land and water ecosystems. It’s even worse in countries with suburbs which do not yet have recycling as part of their environmental management culture. Also, in  coastal areas or regions with beaches and rivers, plastic wastes is seen to litter the environment with these plastic wastes floating in nearby rivers, streams and drainage canals. This isn’t proper if we are going to gain back our natural ecosystems.

The use of public trash cans or dust bins should be strictly adhered to at all times to keep the environment and beaches clean. Owing to the fact that these plastic or synthetic wastes are non biodegradable. They are not like organic wastes which are biodegradable and decompose into the soil and help provide the necessary nutrients for plants. Most times these plastics made out of synthetic fiber or polyvinyl chloride can remain in the environment just the way they are for hundreds of years to come without decomposing or disintegration. 

Recycling, like I have mentioned in a previous post and the January edition of my e-newsletter, is one of the authorized ways to effectively manage plastic wastes. Plastics bottles, cans, wraps and bags can be recycled and subsequently reused. This wholesome activity helps in more ways than one to cut down pollution and also helps to reduce the amount of these wastes going to the landfills. Dumping plastic wastes in these landfills or open dumps only compounds the problem of decomposition and biodegradation because as we have already seen they aren’t organic in nature.

Countries especially in Africa, should seriously take into consideration the establishment of recycling as part of their economic and environmental sustainability goals. Apart from the environmental benefits, they also stand to gain economic  benefits because most times, production costs are cut if constant recycling is done and these recycled products are used at subsequent production levels. This, will however lower prices of products and subsequently ensure higher quantities of products, and the ultimate effect is a drastic turn in the inflation trend. 

As the United Nations Decade On Natural Ecosystems Restoration has begun earnestly from this year 2021-2030, we all must ensure that we support by our positive actions to help restore our environment from the degradation and pollution it has been in recent times. And one way is to adequately dispose of our plastic wastes in the proper manner. Better still, we can also cut down on plastic purchases. Instead of buying a plastic bottle of coke or soda, you can take a refill glass bottle and save the environment another plastic waste.  This  goes for other kinds of plastics as well. We can engage the use of other alternatives other than the use of plastics in our everyday living.