Implications Of Plastic Elimination For The Human - Essay Example

Implications Of Plastic Elimination For The HumanThe world today is marred by many problems, ranging from emergent diseases, global warming, wars, and environmental pollution. This is further complicated by the surging increase in the production and usage of plastics. This paper seeks to elaborate the impacts of plastics, including economic, environmental and health impacts on humans. Plastics once used can be recycled and reused. However, not all consider this fact. It is known that plastics are non-biodegradable, and cannot decompose.

As such, current disposal techniques like landfills and compost pits do not help much. As such various environmental issues like pollution due to accumulation of such waste in natural habitats occur. In addition, wild and domestic animals sometimes ingest these plastics or entangle in them causing a menace. Furthermore, the leaching of chemicals present in these plastics into the soil pollutes the terrestrial, marine, and freshwater habitats, which subsequently affects plants and animals.In the economic front, many losses have been incurred because of ghost fishing, which results from discarded fishing nets in water bodies(SEPDP, 2011).

Plastics can be hazardous to human health as well, especially when its chemical constituents accumulate in human bodies. This process is referred to as bioaccumulation, and causes a myriad of health problems in human bodies.A good example is the component phthalate that has been shown to affect the male reproductive system after exposure (Hu et. al., 2009). This is due to the effect of phthalates on hormones. Studies have shown that phthalates either mimic or interfere with actions of natural hormones likeestrogen and androgens.

In males, this plasticizer is associated with testicular dysgenesis syndrome, TDS (Hu et. al., 2009). This term refers to a number of disorders and abnormalities in the male reproductive system. Exposure to phthalates causes a condition referred to as cryptorchidism, which is characterized by undescended testes. Another condition, hypospadias, indicating abnormal urethral meatus is also caused by phthalate exposure in young males. In addition to these effects, phthalate exposure also affects adult males, causing reduced fertility and cancer cases.

This could affect the future population in terms of birth defects that could lead to abnormal or malformed reproductive organs. This coupled with reduced fertility and increased cancer threatens the existence and survival of future generations. As solution to this plastic menace, immediate reduction in the production and usage of plastics should be emphasized. This can be achieved through recycling or reusing of the same plastic materials. In addition, fundamental in curbing the plastic menace is proper disposal techniques of these materials (Thompson et. al., 2009).

This will avoid unaesthetic effect caused by damping the plastics in landfills and natural habitat.Increasing the public awareness on the dangers of plastics to humans and environment can also be targeted if curbing this problem is to be achieved.Another alternative that can reduce the plastic menace is the production of biopolymers, as well as other polymers that are degradable and biodegradable.These have their feedstock made from renewable biomass, as opposed to current plastics that have oil based feedstock biomasses (SEPDP, 2011).

Introduction and implementation of policies that are environmentally friendly concerning plastics should also be considered. ReferencesHu, G., Lian Q., Ge R., Hardy D., and Li X. (2009) Phthalate-induced testicular dysgenesis syndrome: Leydig cell influence NIH Public Access. Retrieved January 27, 2014 from www.ncib.nml.nih.govThompson R., Moore C., Saal F., and Swan S. (2009) Plastics, the environment, and human health: current consensus and future trends the royal Society Biological sciences Retrieved January 27, 2014 from rstb.

royalsocietypublishing.org Science for Environment Policy in Depth Report, SEPDP (2011) Plastic Waste Ecological and Human Health Impacts dg Environment News Alert Service Retrieved January 27, 2014 from ec.europa.eu