Every day you come across different types of plastic in your lives, be it a lunch box or more commonly a plastic bag. But, do you know how a plastic bag is made and what happens to it once you discard it in waste. Both these aspects are extremely important as they are one of the major environmental concerns for the entire world.
- List of Essays on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned in English
- Short Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned – Essay 1 (100 Words)
- Short Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned – Essay 2 (250 Words)
- Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should Not Be Banned – Essay 3 (250 Words)
- Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned: Pros and Cons – Essay 4 (300 Words)
- Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned: Harmful Effects of Plastic – Essay 5 (300 Words)
- Essay on Why Should Plastic Bags Be Banned? – Essay 6 (400 Words)
- Short Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned – Essay 7 (500 Words)
- Essay on Plastic Bags – A Boon or a Curse – Essay 8 (750 Words)
- Long Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned – Essay 9 (1000 Words)
The students should, therefore, learn how they are made and why is it necessary to ban them? It is very important keeping in mind the ever-increasing global warming and environmental pollution. These short essays for students shall motivate them to discard the use of plastic bags altogether and they shall, in fact, be able to guide others as well.
Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned: Read 5 Selected Essays on Plastic Bags: Pros, Cons, Harmful Effects and Impact of Plastic Bags on Environment.
List of Essays on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned in English
Short Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned – Essay 1 (100 Words)
The ban on plastic bags does not necessarily mean that its use will cease. The ban is only to control individual use of plastic bags because people are irresponsible when it comes to disposal thus causing environmental pollution. As plastic bags are not disposed properly, they degrade the quality of the soil, thus causing soil pollution. This makes the soil infertile and hence affects agriculture. So plastic bags needs to be banned to save soil and ultimately the environment. The ban will regulate the distribution of plastic bags only to heavy duty use and at a fee.
Short Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned – Essay 2 (250 Words)
Ban on plastic bags
A lot of people do not know but there are several states that have imposed ban on plastic bags. Different states came up with different laws at varying point of time. However, what is pitiable is the fact that ever since ban on plastic bags were introduced; most shopping stores ended up making these bags chargeable. Their use didn’t decline just that, companies were now making money out of it.
What is to be done?
This brings us to the question as to what is to be done as far as ban on plastic bags is concerned. Keeping in mind the sad state of the environment and the kind of risk we have imposed, the right measures need to be taken at the earliest.
The basic information
First of all, people need to be educated about why they should steer away from the use of plastic. It is only when people truly understand as to how the use of plastic ends up creating damage to the environment which may jeopardize their life or those of the future generation, they may be inclined to do their bit and follow the ban on plastic bags seriously.
Offer alternatives
Further, when the states impose ban on plastic bags, it is important to offer other recycled products and paper bags. It is also important not to have them chargeable because no one likes to pay unnecessarily. So, this is a grave situation and the right actions must be taken before we do more damage than what we can mitigate.
Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should Not Be Banned – Essay 3 (250 Words)
There are no visible reasons behind why plastic bags should not be banned as they are claimed to have poor decomposition property. However, there are certain groups and organizations that support the use of plastic bags. According to their claims, the plastic bag takes up lesser space as compared to its alternative paper bags. In addition the decomposition time and process of paper and plastic bags is the same.
These are some of the findings which clearly explain as why plastic bags should not be banned. The answer to the pollution caused by the plastic bags is bio degradable plastic. Paper bags have been touted to be the best alternative for the plastic bags. However, it is important to understand that the papers are made up of tree. Millions of trees are cut to produce paper. A shortage of tree has led to diminishing forests and disturbed environmental cycle. Shortage of trees has cause many natural calamities like draught and landslides. This is also one of the reasons for why plastic bags should not be banned.
As of now, plastic is irreplaceable. Paper bags can be used for carrying stuff from market to home. But the same cannot be used for storing products like shampoo, chips, candies, and more. Not many are aware of the importance of the plastic and why plastic bags should not be banned. Banning something is not a solution rather finding an alternative can be. Although the government of India is doing its bit in securing the environment, it should also evaluate the other side of the coin. The concerned parties should consider why plastic bags should not be banned if they are not able to find an alternative.
Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned: Pros and Cons – Essay 4 (300 Words)
Introduction
Plastic bags, though useful in many ways, have proved to be extremely harmful to the environment due to one single reason – they are non-bio degradable, which means they do not decompose easily making their disposal a huge challenge.
Our soil takes almost 500 years to decompose one plastic bag. Burning them also does not help as it releases poisonous gases into the atmosphere. Despite its extreme harmful effects, plastic bags are extensively used today because they are light weight, convenient, durable and economical.
Pros
Plastic bags are the hash one pollutants of land and ocean. Banning them would mean that we will forever be free from the extreme damages it causes on our environment. Our lands and oceans will have a lot less litter in them. The adverse health effects it causes on humans, animals and marine life is irrevocable. Banning them will tread us on a much healthier journey.
Plastic bags are manufactured using petroleum and produced in quantities of trillions per year. Such huge volumes of petroleum can instead be directed towards more important basic necessities like automobile fuel.
Cons
Banning plastic bags will mean that we will have to find a more organic material as an alternate. A well-known alternate for plastic bags are paper bags. The commodity paper is extensively used today and hence is already under mass production, causing a huge toll on our environment by the number of trees being cut down for this sake. Now introducing paper bags will only adverse this. In that case, introducing any other organic material as an alternate for such an extensively used product will only mean a greater depletion of the already minimized natural resources.
Conclusion
We can either look at the cons of banning plastic bags as a problem or opportunity. On realizing the need, the problem of having less natural resources can turn into an opportunity to create more natural resources by planting more trees.
Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned: Harmful Effects of Plastic – Essay 5 (300 Words)
Introduction.
Environmental conservation is a critical aspect that every nation should prioritize. Plastic bags are a great enemy to the environment because they are not biodegradable and contributes to environmental pollution among other hazards. Plastic bags are made of chemicals that are toxic to both humans and the environment.
The use of plastic bags has been an effective way of transporting items but due to the harmful effects and the inappropriate disposal, most countries have banned its use in order to opt for safer options. India has a plan to do away with the use of plastic bags by the year 2022 and I believe it is a realizable goal which will help in reducing the harmful effects.
Harmful effects of plastic bags.
Plastic bags have harmful effects that are related to ow they are used. Using plastic bags to heat food in a microwave cause the release of toxins to the food in it, which upon consumption by humans cause diseases like cancer, asthma and ulcers. Plastic bags that end up in water bodies cause deleterious effects to aquatic life. This is as a result of inappropriate disposal of these plastic bags. The policy of recycling plastic bags has terribly failed because people do not adhere to rules as they are ignorant regarding harmful effects of plastics.
Benefits of banning plastic bags.
Banning plastic bags will definitely reduce harmful effects. Although not immediately because an environmental clean-up will be required. The ban and will regulate disposal of plastic bags through policies of taxation and fines. The world would be a better place without environmental pollution because animals will not die due to consumption of plastic bags, humans would not contact illnesses and the physical and biological aspects of the environment would remain unchanged by plastic bags.
Essay on Why Should Plastic Bags Be Banned? – Essay 6 (400 Words)
Introduction:
The urbanization, technical revolution, and the ease of every process have led to the usage of plastic in such a way that plastics have become an inevitable component in our day to day life. Plastic bags have become a very common commodity that these are given for free during the purchases at the grocery shops or vegetable shops. But, the actual scenario is, instead of making our lives easy, these plastic bags are the root cause of various issues like environmental pollution, illness in humans and animals, etc.
Problems of using plastic bags:
These plastic bags that we rely on for our every purchase at every store are perilous for the environment. The problem of using plastic bags is much more serious than it actually appears. Various studies report that these plastic bags are the major cause of water pollution. Additionally, these plastic bags make our fertile agricultural land highly infertile by occupying the underground and avoiding the uptake of minerals by the plants.
The increased use of plastic bags makes the disposal of them a herculean task. As plastic is non-biodegradable, it takes almost 5000 years for the degradation to take place. The plastic bags can clog our waterways and is also a very harmful toxin for the aquatic life. Plastic bag wastes cannot be even disposed of through incineration as the process releases harmful gases that can deteriorate the atmosphere.
On a larger scale, plastic bags should be banned as they can be dreadful to wild and marine life as well. Many times, these bags are mistaken for eatables by birds and animals. The plastic, which is consumed by these species, will then congest their digestive tracts, often leading to health problems like infections. Sometimes, this could even lead to the death of these animals by suffocation.
Above all, there are some external costs linked to these plastic bags. In addition to the costs linked to the production and buying of these plastic bags, there are other costs, such as:
- Environmental costs
- Resource extraction
- Resource depletion
- Loss of quality of life
- Economic loss
- Wildlife loss
Conclusion:
Plastic bags are banned in most of the countries globally. However, we must understand that mere ban can never help to sort the hazardous effects of the plastic bags. It is high time that we realize the importance of our precious environment and avoid things that can degrade our environment. It is proved that plastics and plastic made materials like bags and toys are making the lifecycle of plants, animals and of course, the users of the plastic bags, the humans tougher. So, let’s go green and avoid plastics for a safer environment and a healthier life.
Short Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned – Essay 7 (500 Words)
Plastics have become part and parcel of our daily life. From a tiny pen to huge containers, plastic possess the lion’s share. If we merely take a look around us, we can find umpteen items which have plastic content it. Being cheap and easy to carry, it has managed to creep into every household.
Despite being aware of the health hazards caused by plastics, people continue to use it on a regular basis. The plastic bag is a major villain that poses a threat to the ecology in general and living things in particular. So it is high time that we eradicate this deathly item from our environment, if we are unable to put a conscious effort to recycle it.
Why say no to plastic bags?
Plastics do not undergo the natural process of decomposition due to its non-bio degradable properties; hence, it paves the way to severe environmental pollution, spoils the soil and its fertility.
Studies suggest that over one trillion plastics bags are being used worldwide every year. The issue is regarding its disposal. These wastes accumulate in heaps and become a great menace to the ecosystem. If we look forward to burning plastic bags, they emit toxic gases into the atmosphere, which when inhaled causes severe health problems.
Another issue occurs when the plastic bags interact with soil and diminish the fertility. It has a significant impact on the agricultural produce and yielding. During rain, these flow into water bodies causing water pollution. In spite of this, it wreaks havoc to aquatic species and marine wildlife. Marine species have found consuming plastic pieces by mistake as natural food and finally succumb to death.
Plastic bags littered carelessly are fed upon by dogs, cats, monkeys, cows, etc. This, in turn, can block their digestive system and ultimately render them a slow death. So the use of plastic bags is quite dangerous to animals. Moreover, children, if exposed to plastic items are at high risks of suffocation. They seem to be quite attracted to the plastic bags of different colors and shape, which is very hazardous.
Plastic bags mounted in heaps raises much public health issues. The dumping yards become the breeding grounds of microorganisms that are sources of different life-threatening diseases. These can also lead to the multiplication of mosquitoes, rats, etc., which are the carriers of many epidemics. Plastic bags have proven to cause a visible depletion of natural resources. It is also found to enter into drainage system resulting in severe blocks.
The use of plastic bags, in the long run, seeks to contribute to climate change and global warming. The process of manufacturing plastics involves the emission of greenhouse gases. Hence plastic bags are proven to cause the ecological imbalance which threatens the environment, which is our basic life supporting system.
What can be the solution?
Make it a practice to use jute bags, cloth bags or paper bags instead of plastic bags. Encourage others to do the same and let them follow your example. Spread awareness on the ill effects of plastic bags and be enthusiastic to go green. Switch over to an eco-friendly lifestyle and embrace the 3 R’s, namely Reduce, Re-use and Re-cycle. Remember, change begins from you, and so keep plastic bags at bay.
Essay on Plastic Bags – A Boon or a Curse – Essay 8 (750 Words)
We come across the use of plastic bags almost every day. There would hardly be a person would not have come across plastic bags. Most the plastic bags we use are discarded after some uses and then these plastic bags find themselves lying in a heap of garbage.
Do you know what happens to them after that? We assume that like the vegetable waste from our kitchens, these bags shall be put to some good use. However, this is not true. They may be recycled, but apart from that, there is hardly anything which can be done from them.
In fact, they are a non-biodegradable waste and shall remain in their present form in the soil or water even after a thousand years. So, do we all realise how harmful these plastic bags are for the environment?
History of Plastic Bags
The plastics we utilize today have made some amazing progress since Alexander Parkes originally acquainted them with the world at London’s Great International Exhibition in 1862. Parkes’ material was a natural subsidiary of cellulose that could be formed when warmed and after that kept up its shape after cooling.
The Coining of the word “Plastic”
Yet, it wasn’t until 1909 that “plastic” was instituted. Leo H. Baekeland utilized the term to depict another class of materials that included “Bakelite,” a substance he made from coal tar. Bakelite was utilized to deliver numerous things, including phones, cameras, and even ashtrays. In spite of the fact that a key segment in these things, plastics did not turn out to be extremely well known until after World War I, when oil, a more effortlessly handled substance than coal, turned out to be promptly accessible.
Plastic Bags – A Boon or a Curse?
Plastic bags are lightweight and be carried anywhere without much effort. This may sound a boon to us but wait; there is another side of the coin as well. Being lightweight makes them getting carried away by the wind as well as water. Hence they land up in seas and oceans and pollute them. Moreover, while getting carried away with the wind, at times, they get stuck up in fences and litter our landscapes.
Polypropylene is the material used to make plastic bags which makes them so durable to use. However, this polypropylene is prepared from natural gas and petroleum and they are no-biodegradable as well. Moreover, during the production of various plastic products, including the plastic bags, green-house gases are released which is a major cause of global warming in the world today.
There is a misconception that recycling is an alternative to the misuse of plastic bags. However, it is not widely known that an average of only 5% of the plastic bags can be recycled with the remaining 95% finding their way in soil, water and landscapes.
Although they are considered as one of the most convenient bags to carry loads of products, plastic bags are harmful to human health. There are a few synthetic substances from the plastic bags which can disturb the typical working of hormones in the body.
Most plastic pieces in the seas like plastic bags have a few contaminations, for example, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl) together with PAHs (Polycyclic fragrant hydrocarbons) which are hormone disturbing. When the marine creatures devour these synthetic concoctions, they travel through the food web then later into the people who consume sea animals especially the fishes. They could create malignant growths or different genuine conditions.
How can we minimise their use?
Plastic bags have been restricted in a number of nations all over the world. The government of India has additionally restricted the utilization of plastic bags in many states. It is important for the government to take strict measures to guarantee that the use of these bags is stopped. In fact, there must be curbs on the production of plastic bags altogether.
Similarly, the retailers must be fined for selling plastic bags. Those seen carrying plastic bags should likewise be fined. Another strategy which can be used is that good quality plastic bags which are made available in the market must be made chargeable.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that plastic bags have made our lives simpler from multiple points of view. We see them blowing around on the roads and they regularly wind up in streams and the seas. These bags can be unsafe to creatures, for example, turtles, that ingest them or are choked by them, particularly in marine conditions where plastic bags look like jellyfish and other eatable things.
Long Essay on Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned – Essay 9 (1000 Words)
Introduction
The one stop bag which comes as a solution to carrying liquids, commodities to garments, plastic bags have been a rage since the beginning of time ( At least for the Millennials & Techno Kids). In 1933, when the world’s super powers were busy fighting each other, one of the powerful monarchs of the time, British Empire had time to create a Polyethylene in a plant in Northwest England solely for Industrial purposes.
After nearly 30 years of research the Swedish Company Celloplast patented the Polyethylene Bag which was designed by Sten Gustaf Thulin. Thus, putting an end to the organic counterpart’s cloth, paper and glass bottles for liquid storages. In this essay we will discuss briefly the aftermath of this unique discovery.
Popularity of Plastic Bags
The popularity of the plastic bags is majorly because of the super markets across Europe and US which quickly adopted the bags in the early 1980’s. Safeway and Kroger were the two supermarket giants of US who became the pioneers in spreading the then boon of carrying of state of matter. From the mid of 80’s plastic bags were in the nook and corner of the earth making it an indispensable product in the world.
Bane of Plastic Bags
Most of the plastics which are in existence are made of long chains of Ethylene monomer molecules which in turn is derived from natural gas and petroleum. Also, the outlook of the plastic is enhanced by adding coloured dyes and other additives. These make the plastic durable and at the same time non-degradable. In one of the articles by “The Outlook”, it has been mentioned that one plastic bag takes around 500 to 1000 years to decompose.
In another article written by Darrin Qualman it has come to light that humans produce around 400 million tonnes of plastic a year. Hence it was no wonder when in 1997 Charles Moore, a sailor researcher discovered the Giant Pacific Garbage patch which had immense amount of plastic waste.
Impact of Plastic Bags on Environmental Pollution
Plastic bags have huge impact on land and water. The pollution of ocean water by the plastics has a drastic impact on the food web. All the aquatic animals and plants take into their systems plastic fragments which is in the ocean. (To be precise, 46,000-1,000,000 plastic fragments is present in every square mile of our world’s oceans). Humans then consume the sea foods and take it to themselves in a harmful way. Sharks and Whales are washed to the shores dead as they gobble these plastic bags considering it as Zoo planktons. Also, the deposition of plastic waste hinders the free flow of rainwater thereby reducing the ground water.
Humans and Animals Suffer
It is no wonder that plastics would affect the living things in this planet. Every plastic bag which looks enticing, emulates different toxic elements, making the food product harmful. Sometimes these turn out to be carcinogenic as well.
Researchers have discovered that the plastic minuscules entering the food packets are true. Used plastic bags that are thrown up on the roads are consumed by many animals such as cows, goats since they think it as eatables. This can result in the animals choking up and prove to be fatal. In other cases, it gets accumulated in the animal’s body inducing illness and death eventually.
Poor Waste Management
Plastics live forever. All of the plastics bags and plastics which was ever produced from the beginning of time (i.e. approximately from 1960’s) still live in some form in this planet. Out of the total plastic waste only 18% is recycled. The rest are found clogging the drains, polluting the soil, land and water. Plastic is invincible, it doesn’t allow decay and it doesn’t decay. Every time a person throws away a straw or disposes a water bottle after drinking a billion kilograms of it just gets accumulated. Plastics when burnt give out very harmful gases such as hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide, dioxins, furans and heavy metals, as well as particulates. There is no such thing as you can destroy plastic bags but to prevent it from usage would be one of the best options.
Clogging and Bangladesh
Dhaka, the Capital of Bangladesh is one of the populated cities in the world. Monsoon hits Bangladesh between May to July, the city gets waterlogged and the sewers are all plastic clogged and is nothing short of a crisis. They had a disastrous flooding because of the plastic waste clogging the drains. In the year 2002, Bangladesh stepped up becoming the first country to ban plastic bags. According to a Waste Concern Study, it was found that Bangladesh produced around six million tonnes of plastic waste annually. Out of this a whopping 51% (323,000 tonnes) is recycled. The country passed a law in 2010 making Jute packaging a mandate replacing the plastic packaging even though it was expensive. In the year 2017, Kenya followed suit and banned plastic bags and products and levies a high fine if the ban is overruled.
Alternatives for Plastics
Man should return to basics. Usage of cloth, paper and jute bags was how the baby boomers lived in this world. We are also aware that when man returns to making paper bags, forests may be cut down. Efficient choices such as beneficial lifestyle choices like a reusable bag, carrying your water bottles, drinking the juice from your cups rather than using a straw etc. can help the society be sustainable. Bangladesh ensured a new industry (Jute Industry) rises when they banned plastic bags. Wiser choices make a healthier environment.
Conclusion
Plastic bag usage has become an imminent catastrophe which needs immediate attention. Every government and its citizens should make conscious efforts to mitigate the usage of plastic bags and the impact of it. #BeatPlasticPollution has been chosen as the theme of World Environment Day this year 2018. Every company and government around the world are announcing initiatives and awareness campaigns to curb plastic bad usage. We need to create a viable environment for the upcoming generation and banning plastic bags is one of the ways forward.
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