Plastic Pollution: Accumulation of Plastic Objects and Particles - Research Proposal Example

Research Proposal Being a non-biodegradable substance and composed of toxic chemicals, plastic pollutes earth, air, and water. The risk can even extend to poison human beings and animals. Thus, any attempt to get rid of plastic through landfills is dangerous, since landfills are also prone to leakage. Eventually, the water we use will get poisoned as well, as plastic causes serious damage to environment during its both production and disposal. Researches continue to investigate means on how to reduce the danger of plastic pollution. In this regard, many assert that people must use, reuse, and recycle plastic products, and when the life of the product ends, it may exist as a harmless substance in the globe. In other words, banning plastic is not the solution, and one must put efforts to focus more on recycling of plastic products that seems a better alternative solution to the problem. In addition, we need to look at how we can make plastic safer, and how we can encourage manufacturers to take responsibility for the products and packaging them. Therefore, the only way to reduce the hazards of plastic is to reduce the use of plastic and thereby, forcing a reduction in its production. However, various experts believe that burning plastic eliminates hazards of the plastic product that is a myth. When burned, plastic releases a host of poisonous chemicals into the air, including dioxin, the most toxic substance known to science. To address the problem of plastic debris in the oceans is a difficult task, and a variety of approaches is urgently required. Some of the ways to mitigate the problem will be the part of this research. Aims and Objectives It is essential for research to involve in recognition of specific aims and objectives of the study project that provide productive results. It is an observation that absence of objectives often creates vacuum in the understanding of results that has been the case of researches in the past that caused failure in the endeavors related to plastic pollution. For this reason, the foremost objective of this research is the identification of various issues related to plastic pollution that has now turned into a global concern due to its deadly chemical, physical, and social effects on the society. More specifically, researcher anticipates that outcomes of the proposed research will ensure thoughtful understanding of the initiatives that relates with preventing and eliminating the causes and risk factors associated with plastic pollution. Additionally, the proposed research will endeavor for the recognition of various factors that causes plastic pollution, such as unsustainable business practices in different parts of the world that will add a critical perspective to the issue of plastic pollution. Finally, the most significant aim of the proposed study is to identify and utilize examples of ground realities to understand the phenomenon of plastic pollution that will be very constructive during the research. Research Statement For such purpose, the researcher will utilize the following research statement as the fundamental basis for the proposed research: “To identify the factors related to the plastic pollution and analyze their causes and effects that will enable identify potential ways to deal with it on global scale” Research Questions The researcher will carry out the research process based on the following critical questions: What is plastic pollution? What are the effects of plastic pollution? What is the impact of toxicity of plastic products on human health? What are the risk factors and causes of plastic pollution? What is the contribution of governmental and NGOs in reducing it? What initiatives can help in reduction of this issue? What role can business community play in the elimination of this problem? Do profits of billions of dollars can outweigh the huge environmental, physical, and social impact of plastic pollution on the human society? Why there has been lacking of far-sighted vision in the issue of plastic pollution, or what are the factors that incline governments and authorities away from acquiring effective solutions? Literature Review Brief analysis of the available resources (Chiras, pp. 19-24) has indicated that since few years, plastic has become a major concern of environmentalists globally. Some of the major chemicals used in the production of plastic are polyethylene and polystyrene that have made it possible for plastic products to be durable for multiple usages. However, besides its advantages, plastic has become an environmental hazard in the global society as it leaks toxic chemicals in the environment that is hazardous for humans (Blokland, pp. 23-25). Unfortunately, even after understanding of hazardous effects of plastic products, the plastic industry is developing and advancing tremendously, and in the United States alone, it has become a forty billion dollar industry (Dorion, pp. 71-78). On of the flaws of plastic products is its chemical formation that does not allow decomposition, and due to this reason, the volume of plastic products is increasing every day in the oceans and landfills. Few recent studies (McKinney, pp. 20-27) have indicated that plastic products release poisonous chemicals in the environment such as dioxin and bisphenol, specifically in oceans that are causing adverse effects on the marine animals, as well as cattle on the land that is affecting the cycle adversely. Moreover, in the past, researchers (Rae, pp. 53-57) had an understanding that plastic starts leakage after hundred years of its usage, as well as higher temperatures were essential for breaking down chemical formation of the plastic products. However, recently, few experts have indicated that plastic products release abovementioned toxic chemicals within one year, and temperature is not an influential factor. In this regard, brief review of literature (Hill, pp. 46-49) has shown that various governments are now putting efforts along with collaboration of private organizations to prevent increment in the plastic pollution. Various regions are now depending on landfills rather than oceans; however, few experts disagree with the effectiveness of landfills, and argue that landfills do not eliminate the risk of chemical leakage. In this regard, environmentalists are now endeavoring to collect samples from different landfills globally to analyze the efficacy of landfills in the prevention of chemical pollution through plastic. Methodology In addition to the purpose statement and aims, it is very important that a research should focus specifically on methodology part that becomes very decisive in the effectiveness of failure of any research project. From this understanding (Bernard, pp. 20-21), the researcher has put efforts to identify and plan appropriate methodologies for the proposed research, in order to avoid any chances of creating unconstructive results. Thus, the proposed research will focus on the secondary research methodology including critical examination and scrutiny of books, articles, websites, and journals related to different theories, examples, initiatives related to the plastic pollution, such as causes, effects, initiatives for prevention, statistics, etc. It is an observation that many experts and researchers have endeavored and organized studies related to the purpose statement of the proposed research that will be very effective in acquiring critical information related to plastic pollution. Additionally, internet is an effective platform that ensures attainment of information, and it is now possible to scrutinize journals’ articles and books that have resulted in an easier and efficient research process. On the other hand, the major limitation of secondary research is that outcomes of secondary methodology although are easy to acquire; however, they are not custom-made according to the specific purpose statement (Babbie, pp. 44-46). Thus, the proposed study will include researcher’s efforts to include primary research methodology as well. In this regard, the proposed research will involve case studies that will be focusing on precise region or sector for the examination and analysis of plastic pollution critically. From this aspect, the researcher will put efforts for the identification of efforts of different governments, non-governmental organizations, and international agencies in preventing and eliminating plastic pollution that will allow acquisition of diverse understanding based on the ground realistic results. Moreover, the proposed research will select students of the academic institution to participate in questionnaires that will provide a theoretical perspective of students to findings of the proposed research. Lastly, the proposed research will take a balanced perspective by utilizing primary, as well as secondary research methodology to acquire the information in an efficient manner. Briefly, secondary research will be a simpler process as it will be easier to acquire and scrutinize books and articles from journals in the library or on the internet. On contrary, primary research will expect researcher to put enormous efforts during case studies and questionnaires (Bryman, pp. 41-46). In brief, results of combination of both methodologies will be very effective and beneficial in arranging a very critical analysis, valuable for experts and students in the future as well. Conclusion In conclusion, the research proposal has indicated various aspects of plastic pollution in a brief manner that will be a major part of the proposed research in comprehensive manner. In this regard, the researcher will endeavor for the identification and examination of available resources based on abovementioned research questions critically. Moreover, the proposed study will depend on both primary and secondary methodologies to acquire realistic information related to various risk factors related to plastic pollution. Lastly, the proposed research will include recognition of contribution of different governments and NGOs in the area of plastic pollution. Researcher anticipates that findings and analysis of the study will be effective and valuable for students, teachers, and professionals in better understanding of the phenomenon. Works Cited Blokland, Tessa. Material World 2. Birkhauser, 2006. Chiras, Daniel D. Environmental Science. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2006. Dorion, Christiane. Pollution. Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2009. Hill, Marquita Kaya. Understanding Environmental Pollution. Cambridge University Press, 2004. McKinney, Michael L. Environmental Science. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2007. Rae, Alison. Oil, Plastics, and Power. Evans Brothers, 2009. Read More