Assessing the Environmental Impact of Plastic Waste: A Detailed Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the environmental impact of plastic waste, a critical issue of recent times. It details the adverse effects of plastic pollution on the environment, including its impact on human and aquatic life, with a focus on how plastics, derived from organic substances, contribute to pollution in oceans and waterways. The report explores the conversion of plastics into microplastics, the disruption of ocean food chains, and the detrimental effects on marine ecosystems, such as the Great Barrier Reef. It highlights the importance of recycling as a key procedure for environmental maintenance, citing examples from Australia's recycling efforts. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for actions to reduce plastic pollution and protect the environment.

IMPACT OF PLASTIC ON THE
ENVIRONMENT

Table of Contents
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5
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Main Body
Plastic waste is one of the critical issues in the recent times that has posed threats to the
environment, especially human life and has become a menace (Jahnke and et.al., 2017). It has
not only impacted the surroundings in adverse manner but also has influenced the aquatic life
system. Its disposal system has made it as major public health problem.
Plastics are the derivatives of organic substances such as coal, natural gas, cellulose etc.
These are made up from crude oils and sometimes, it also produces from paraffins, high
petroleum gases and are mostly refereed as polymers.
The plastic pollution in oceans takes place due to collection of debris or wastes that are
produced after several manufacturing products. Primarily, the plastic materials or products get
carried out by agents like air or water via rains and has impacted the drainage or river tributaries
and affect the seas. There are several forms of it and it gets converted into small pieces called
micro plastics.
Its impact on the ocean food chain is disturbing and affecting the entire climatic changes
in all around the world (Koelmans, Besseling and Foekema, 2014). The phytoplankton level do
not get sunlight and also in absence of oxygen, the fishes and other sea mammals are getting died
and putting a stop on the life cycle of oceanic life. Additionally, the disposal of wastes and
dumping of wastes nearby beaches led to impure the water supplies and putting the food chain
into danger.
One of the astonishing examples is the Great Barrier Reefs of Australia that has been
adversely impacted by the plastic pollution and has harmed the aquatic system. The
zooxanthellae have been dying and getting accumulated on the sideways as large walls.
Moreover, these are more susceptible to imparting infection and also inhibiting the growth of
corals.
Recycling is one of the most essential procedure that helps to maintain environment and
keep it healthy and safe from harm full things such as air pollution (Wilcox, Van Sebille and
Hardesty, 2015). In Australia more than 619,000 tonnes of the 67 million tonnes of plastic waste
generated in nation per year was expected to be affected. Within country recycling companies
recycled 60 percent of total waste per year to reduce the impact of pollution such as air and water
pollution.

They gather wastage materials and get information about where organizations placed it,
they collect from particular place and try to recycle it. After collecting wastage things such as
plastic, they sent it to recycling department who help to recycle it and give different style or
structure (Hardesty and et.al., 2017). Many societies in Australia dumped recyclable materials in
land fill that is not much appropriate for environment. In recycling areas collected materials must
be crushed and destroy via heavy machines.
From above, it has been concluded that wastage materials is harmful for people health as
it dumped into landfill and areas around population. Australian recycling committee take actions
against pollution and try to recycle it by following appropriate procedure that support to save
environment and reduce risk of polluted air and water.

REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Hardesty, B.D. and et.al., 2017. Using numerical model simulations to improve the
understanding of micro-plastic distribution and pathways in the marine
environment. Frontiers in Marine Science. 4. p.30.
Jahnke, A. and et.al., 2017. Reducing uncertainty and confronting ignorance about the possible
impacts of weathering plastic in the marine environment. Environmental Science &
Technology Letters. 4(3). pp.85-90.
Koelmans, A.A., Besseling, E. and Foekema, E.M., 2014. Leaching of plastic additives to
marine organisms. Environmental Pollution. 187. pp.49-54.
Law, K.L., 2017. Plastics in the marine environment. Annual review of marine science. 9.
pp.205-229.
Wilcox, C., Van Sebille, E. and Hardesty, B.D., 2015. Threat of plastic pollution to seabirds is
global, pervasive, and increasing. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences. 112(38). pp.11899-11904.