EXAMPLE ESSAY : ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

 TITLE : 

The Impact of Plastic use on the Environment: why should it be curbed?

It is used widely in industrial applications, consumer goods, packaging, medical, construction and electrical applications as it is cheap, hard wearing or durable and easily formed. It’s in packaging, from food containers, disposable cutleries, utensils, kitchen wares and utensils and even in household products. However, while making such purchases are relatively convenient, the impact that they have on the environment is diabolical. Plastic pollution has turned into an environmental disaster affecting all corners of the world, and threatening the welfare of people. The effect is so far-reaching that it becomes apparent with each passing day, that recourse to the use of plastics has to be greatly minimized. Minimizing the consumption of plastics has become crucial to the prevention of environmental pollution and the mortality of different species of animals, as well as to the control of the role that the production of plastics plays in global warming.

The use of plastics has had visible and adverse impact on the environment especially on the world’s oceans. Another report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimated that up to 8 million tons of plastic wastes find their way into the seas annually. This waste does not disappear into thin air, but rather it stays around and177 breaks down into very small particles called microplastics which are consumed by marine life forms. A study carried out showed that if the current rate of input of plastic and the population continues to rise, then could be by subject to the year 2050 the volume of plastic will be more than the quantity of fish. Such microplastics are not only toxic to water- dwelling animals but also to humans since it forms part of diet through food organisms taken from water bodies. This indicates that the strategies that have been applied to enable improvements in the disposal of wastes continue to release plastics into ecosystems, hence the need to reduce the use of this material.

In addition to pollution, plastics are a direct danger to wildlife and bio-diversity. Many animals, but especially sea animals, mistake plastic for some kind of a food product, resulting in its ingestion which may lead to blockage, malnutrition or death. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) 90% of seabirds contain plastic in their stomach and that is how big it has become. Moreover, the wastes especially the plastics may trap the animals with resultant effects of injury or even death. Plastic pollution stress the already vulnerable species and undermines the prospects of organisms, confined to vulnerable ecosystems. Despite people wanting biodegradable plastics, these materials are not destroyed fast enough within natural ecosystems to protect animals.

Apart from influencing ecosystems and bioduversity on the environment, plastic production fuels climate change. Plastics are mostly produced from fossil fuels, and the depolymerisation, further refining and production of plastics similarly consumes energy. CIEL estimated that plastic production and disposal through burning put more than 850 million metric tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in 2019. This figure is expected to escalate further if production of plastics increased at the same rate. They also pointed out that while the carbon footprint of plastics is high during their manufacture, it remains high even after disposal; if he is buried and then incinerated, toxic gases are released. This would help to alleviate this pressure on the climate by curtailing the need for fossil fuels for production of plastics.

Opponents of the actions towards the minimization of the utilization of plastics claim that recycling would take care of it. But unfortunately, most of the plastics are not taken back for recycling. National Geographic also notes that only 9 % of all plastic produced has been recycled such a statisticion is worrying. The remaining 91% is chucked into landfills, oceans or is burnt, and thus becomes a source of pollution to the environment. Even though recycling certainly helps, it does not stand on its own as a solution. The annual plastic waste generation is far greater than the recycling capabilities of recycling centers and; many plastics are not recyclable as, due to contamination or inherent material characteristics. Therefore, there is needed a restriction of plastic output and utilization at its roots.

Of course, reducing the use of plastics is not just to do with the environment and ecological systems, but also a health concern as well. Microplastics are detected in drinking water, food and indeed in the air, thus posing long-term health impacts. Further, the economic impairment of tackled polluted, and managing with the environmental effects of plastics are colossal. That is why governments, industries, and individuals should implement sustainable options to work toward common change. This will therefore entail a tightening of the laws currently governing the manufacturing of this product, advancing the use of natural degradable materials in the market, and a creation of awareness on the need to recycle products instead of the current trend of use and dispose.

In conclusion, there many reasons why this study supports the argument that there are far too many adverse effects of plastic on the environment and to the health of people. From the destruction of seas, impacts on animals and the effect on global warming, the use of plastic is a problem. However, as we all know, there are couple of advantages attached to the use of plastic, and the disadvantages overshadow the advantages. Immediate actions are called for, making regulation, innovation, and behaviour change strategies regarding plastic use. It is not only incumbent upon society to decrease their consumption of plastic as a product and as waste, but for the survival of the future inhabitants of this Earth as well.