Plastic is an important and well used resource in our lives, but even though it has benefits. it also has its problems. The question is – should the use of disposable plastics be continued?
Plastic is a commonly seen and used resource we see every day. It’s absolutely everywhere, from our pots to tools, clothing, and even food covers. But the main problem when we hear about plastic is that it is disposable, meaning “to be thrown away after use.” This issue already has solutions like recycling or reusing, but we’re going deeper. Today, we’re going to talk about its pros and cons.
Advantages of Plastics
There are many important uses for disposable plastics, like in shops and stores, but one of the most common and important uses is in hospitals and clinics. They use it everywhere, from cups, to needles, gloves, tweezers, and even more. They use disposable plastics to keep everyone safe by preventing cross-contamination between patients and staff. For example, imagine if a doctor uses a glove on a patient to remove a bone or organ, and then the doctor reuses that exact same glove on you, during your surgery! Now, that’s disgusting and would cause bacterial infection and, most likely, death.
Another reason why disposable plastics are important is due to the economy. This is because, without disposable plastics, there would be a fall in jobs and many businesses, like cleaners, people who work in dumpsters, and those who help recycle plastic waste.
A good and reasonable reason why people benefit from disposable plastics is due to its price. Disposable plastics are very cheap and reasonable, for venues, parties, cafes, businesses, shops, and more. They can be bought in massive amounts for a very affordable price, which saves a lot of money.
Disadvantages of Plastics
A main con of having disposable plastics is pollution. These plastics are the main cause of dumping and waste, and they affect the oceans, rivers, and land. Many are harmed by plastics every year, from land to marine life.
Even though plastics can be recycled, which is one of their pros, not all of them can. This leads to dumping or burning as the only option, disposable plastics such as soft plastics, small plastics like bottle caps, or even dirty plastics will not be accepted and cannot be recycled due to their texture and size, leading to burning and causing small plastic particles to be flown into the air, polluting the skies.
Plastics take between 500 and 1000 years to deteriorate. This means that stopping the use of disposable plastic production is the only way to reduce this plastic problem. I think the production of disposable plastics should be stopped due to their harmful effects on the environment. Instead of making more plastics, we can recycle and repurpose them.
About the Author
Nathaniel Dinopol is from Melbourne. He’s a 13-year-old Year 8 student. His hobbies are gaming and soccer. When he grows up, he wants to start a business.