Mission to make Perambalur District Plastic Free
Plastic is widely used in our day to day life. Starting from a pen to a polythene bag in which we carry fruits and books are forms of plastic. Though convenient in our day to day use, it has posed an alarming threat to the environment.
The toxic chemical released during the production of plastic is a cause of global warming and pollution in our surrounding.
Some of the negative effects of plastics are:
Plastic pollutes soil:
Plastic buried in soil can release a toxic chemical which mixes into the ground making it harmful for agriculture and human use, it can also seep into the ground and mix with groundwater. This makes the water unhealthy for human consumption and agricultural use. Sometimes plastic such as polythene bags, get buried under the soil, this makes the soil toxic.
Plastic pollutes ocean:
Plastic objects are left over into the ocean for biodegrading it. Plastics degrades faster in the sea, but it also leaves the harmful chemical into it, making it even more dangerous to the life on the earth. It increases the chance of Global Warming. The garbage thrown into the sea such as plastic utensils, polythene, etc. keeps floating into the sea. This prevents the sunlight from reaching the ground level of the sea. As a result, the life in the ocean doesn’t get enough sunlight. This prevents them from developing and stops their growth.
Plastic releases toxic when burned:
In many rural and even urban areas, people set old plastic objects on fire in hope to get rid of it. Plastic contains a lot of chemicals which gets released into the atmosphere and mixes with the natural air. This makes the air we breath toxic and harmful. As a result, the air we breath is not pure and contains many types of hazardous chemical. When we breath contaminated air, it hurts our lungs and overall health in the long run.
Plastic kills animals:
About 100,000 animals, such as dolphins, turtles, whales, penguins are killed every year due to these bags. Many animals ingest plastic bags, mistaking them for food, and therefore, die. And worse, the ingested plastic bag remains intact even after the death and decomposition of the animal. Thus, it lies around in the landscape where another victim may ingest it.
Plastic damages Sanitary Systems:
The wastes of plastic block pipes and sanitary lines so that dirty water came out on roads which causes malaria, cholera and other diseases.
Some ways to stop pollution due to plastic are:-
Use jute bag instead of polythene
Polythene bags contribute a significant percentage to the usage of plastic. We use polythene bags most of the time from buying vegetables from market to carrying goods. Polythene bags are very hazardous to the environment. They are non-biodegradable, and it is hard to get rid of this material. It can also cause harm to water life, human beings, and the environment. So, try to use jute bags when you go shopping.
Use reusable plastic bottle
Nowadays, reusable plastic is used, which means you can refill these bottles with water and use them again. However, make sure that bottle is reusable otherwise toxic from the bottle may mix with the water.
Avoid the use of CDs
Mostly CDs are made of poly-carbonate plastic. Every year, millions of CDs are sold. We can use pen drives or portable hard disks for carrying data as they can carry a large amount of data compared to CDs and are reusable too.
Do not throw used plastic here and there
Avoid throwing plastics at all places and dispose them properly.
Tamil Nadu Govt. G.O.s regarding Plastic Pollution