Letter 10067

Plastic Pollution 

What are the causes of plastic pollution? How does it affect our environment and human beings? What are the chemicals used in plastic?

Praveena N
- Chennai, Tamilnadu, India

C'mon, Praveena -- have you no theory at all on even one of these three questions?! Frankly, this sounds like an essay requirement you cut and pasted from your homework assignment without changing a word or spending even 10 seconds thinking about, and you are simply asking us to write your essay for you so you can turn it in and claim the credit.

I'm usually happy to help when someone is stuck, but to help you at this point would be to do a disservice to your education.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, NJ

Heck, Pravena, you sure did get a good reply from Ted ... and probably deserved his answer, too.

It's thanks to Plastics that many industrial areas are not polluting so much as they have replaced many metals ... the advantages far, far exceed any disadvantages. They have, to answer your question, benefitted mankind.

The chemicals used? Mainly oil derived, (eg PVC's), some from natural gases (Pe and PP), others from compounding or synthesizing various gases/solvents but virtually ALL relate to carbon and, like a parrot, all are Poly this or Poly that meaning that they have been polymerized by chemists for a certain function and end use.

Freeman Newton - White Rock, B.C. Canada

I really think that you should look around you at the lakes and rivers Pravena. You could see garbage in them. The causes of plastic pollution is that careless self absorbed people don't care about any pollution as long as it doesn't effect them. But wait and see what happens when it gets to be too much!

Cecilia Probst
- Redding, Connecticuit

There is certainly truth to that Ms. Probst--but it's an oversimplification of a complex problem. Your answer implies that the solution to the problem doesn't require engineers -- only police officers to write citations. We all know what happened the last time the king ordered everyone to be a fireman.

Ted Mooney, P.E. 
finishing.com
Brick, NJ

I am pleased to find a site concerned with plastic. Or at least lapping at the edge of the pool. Plastic pollution (just in its manufacture) is far greater than other very wasteful processes, aluminium included. Plastic has changed man-kind but we need to address how it will continue to do so.

Atilla
- Melbourne, Australia

Respected sir,
sir please answer my question I,am student ,next month I submit a project for plastics pollution but no clear idea in this topic so please clear my doubt
my question are folling
1.introtuction to plastics?
2.who first discover the plastics?
3.what are the plastic pollution?
4.what are the plastic pollution control and recycling method?
5.what is plastic rood?
6.what are the plastic rood method?
please give my answer

K.Vijayalakshmi
i am a student - Kovilpatti

YOUR INFORMATIONS IS VERY NICE. I WANT TO MAKE A PROJECT ON PLASTIC POLLUTION.SO PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR INFORMATION ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION

R SHAH
- MUMBAI,MAHARASHTRA,INDIA

Shah, we explained the problem with Praveena's posting, but Vijay and yourself are ignoring what was said. If you have some specific stumbling points, we will help; but to expect someone to simply do your assignment for you is another matter.

Ted Mooney, P.E. 
finishing.com
Brick, NJ

Hello my name is Caleb. I am writing an essay on the effects of waste plastic on the environment and I have searched through many news papers, books, and hundreds of web pages trying to find out if plastic, when it decomposes, leaves chemicals that effect the ground or water were it decomposes. The closest answer I have found to my question was from a high school teacher, he said that there was a possibility that when plastic breaks down it might leave chemicals that could pollute the ground or water around it. If you have any knowledge on this matter it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Caleb

Caleb v
student - Guelph, ON, Canada

I think part of your problem is that there are thousands of different plastics, Caleb. What may be true of one isn't true of the other. But if you google "when plastic decomposes", you will see some great topics.

The basic issue is that many plastics are long chain molecules which no living organisms can "digest", that is, they are not biodegradable. Thus, they may persist for a very long time. As long as the plastic has deteriorated into small enough pieces that it is not in troublesome shapes that living things choke on or swallow, and it is non-toxic, it may not be a really major concern. But it can't be a good idea for this stuff to accumulate.

We now have several biodegradable plastics based on plant fibers instead of oil, and current thinking is that it would be best to use them whenever their properties suit the application.

Ted Mooney, P.E. 
finishing.com
Brick, NJ

Does plastic pollution have a good side?

Martha R.
student - Palmdale, CA, USA

There are two sides to everything, so yes. But I think the "advantages" are probably quite few and quite small. An implied part of your assignment is for you to think about the proposition, so what say you, Martha?

Ted Mooney, P.E. 
finishing.com
Brick, NJ

I want to post a question or inquiry of my own.

 

I want to answer or follow-up on this question publicly (in non-commercial fashion).