The Use of Plastic Bags and Pollution: Increasing Threats in Victoria

Regardless of various uses and applications of plastic in today’s industries, it has become the major concern that is harming the creatures and the environment of this planet. Humans have become reliant on plastic items to meet most of the needs and this dependency has resulted in a rapid increase of this hazardous material. Plastic pollution has become one of the major concern, it is estimated that more than thousands of tonnes of plastic arrives into the parks, water streams and ocean bodies in Victoria. Due to its properties like strong, cheap or low cost, light in weight, plastic has been used widely for product packaging, healthcare and other industries. Plastic bags are also one of the largest using items that can easily move away with wind or water. These plastic bags have caused potent harm and danger to the aquatic plants and animals. Being non-biodegradable, plastic tends to remain as such for several years and further blocks the sewage, water channels, causing land and water pollution. Its influences are long term and are becoming more and more challenging with time. The use of plastic bags have become an ubiquitous part of modern life. However, this essay delves into the multifaceted topic of plastic bag usage, exploring its impact on the environment, economy, and society. 

The Case of Plastic Bags Pollution in Victoria

Enhanced rate of plastic use has resulted in land and water contamination. It is affecting habitats of many organisms and made ecosystem unbalanced that has reduced its capability to support the living beings. One of the major concerns is non-biodegradability. Being non-biodegradable, plastic tends to remain as such over many years and it blocks the roads, water channels and most of this rubbish enters into water bodies. Many research studies also indicate that large number of organisms dies due to consumption of traces of plastic. Most of the people globally consume the sea food, or other animals. This has resulted in entering of plastic in the food chain which is very dangerous for the human health. Wide use of the plastic in agronomy has also resulted in soil degradation, has also reduced the soil fertility. Although many Government and Non-Government bodies are working but objectives are still not achieved. Recycling is one but not the complete solution. Enhanced focus on increasing the alternatives seems to be better solution but their costs should also be adjustable and affordable. Ban on certain plastic items is effective but it requires more efforts. Education and awareness among common people could help in solving these challenges. A lot of struggles and actions are required to reduce the land and coastline plastic pollution. Events should be organised to involve the common people of Victoria in cleaning macro and micro plastics from land and water bodies. It is suggested that work done by people with the cooperation of higher authorities will make remarkable changes and could make Victoria plastic free state.

Determining Factors of Plastic Pollution

There are two major forms of plastic called macroplastic and microplastic. Most of the macroplastic enters into the water sources or remains accumulated over land in its synthesised size. On the other hand, microplastics refer to small size plastics. It can further be divided into Primary and Secondary microplastics.

Primary micro plastics: These are small particles of about 5mm size which are released directly into the environment. These include no. of products used in cosmetics, textiles and other manufacturing industries. For example microbeads, microfibers, scrubbers used in industries are the major contributor to plastic pollution.

Secondary microplastics: These types of plastics are created with the degradation of macroplastic and their conversion into microplastics. This occurs in the presence of sunlight through the process called photodegradation. It includes dumping of plastic bottles, bags and other items.

In several years, population growth in Victoria found to be increasing at a high rate. According to one of the reports by the Victoria Government, it is estimated to grow at a rate of 1.5% yearly and may reach around 11.5 million. Increase in population growth leads to increase in demand of plastic products and more the people surround the coastline areas, there are high possibilities of discarding these plastic wastes in the water bodies that not only contaminated the land and water but also affecting the humans and other living beings.

Mismanaged plastics are referred to the improper methods or ways to handle the plastics that may outflow into the habitat of marine organisms and cause contamination and pollution that makes their survivability difficult. These wastes include plastics entering from discharging bodies of industries, factories, dumpsites. According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), in 1990 plastic pollution in aquatic is recognised as a major issue. In 2015, one of the published research papers suggested that about 5 to 13 million metric tonnes of plastic has entered the ocean in 2010 from various sources of land.

Another important concern in marine pollution is discarded fishing equipment such as plastic nettings, plastic lines and many more. Every year more than 640,000 tonnes of fishing equipment are discarded globally. Many times consumption of the fragments of these plastic bodies has resulted in the death of the organisms. As many people around the world consume seafood and flesh of animals, therefore, this can cause direct or indirect harm to human beings by entering in the food chain.

These are the plastic articles or items that may move from overflowing bins of urban areas into the habitats of terrestrial and aquatic organisms that cause blockage of water channels, cause soil degradation and have many other impacts. Wind and stormwater carries all this rubbish waste into the water bodies or keep accumulating on land. Light Plastic bags are commonly used to carry food and other grocery items as well as thick plastic bags are also available at many stores. The reports generated by the Government of Victoria indicate that every year more than 1.5 billion lightweight plastic bags and around 133 million thick plastic bags are used by Victorians. Less than 70% of these bags are reused for several other purposes and the remaining quantity continues to persist in land or water bodies. According to the reports of the National Litter Index, plastic bags govern fewer than 1 per cent of the total litter produced in Victoria.

Controversies Regarding Plastic Pollution

Many conflicts are undergoing as it was suggested that most of the plastic pollution in aquatic system enters through the land (more than 80%) but some of the studies claim that this number needs to be validated and it does not provide information regarding the total mass of debris that has entered or entering in the aquatic system via land. In 2009, the Australian Government investigated that around 4 billion single-time use plastic bags are used every year, out of which more than 2% of these bags become litter. According to the reports generated by the Total Environment Centre of Australia (TECA) indicates that these figures are not correct and needs to be rechecked. It also suggested that in reality, the use of plastic bags is more than 5 million per annum and every year the quantity of plastic bags becoming the litter is at least 100 million.

The Tangaroa Blue Foundation is a non-profit organisation (NGO) claimed about the enormous quantity of concealed plastic debris that is presently covered with sand and vegetation in various regions of Australia. This debris might arise later on due to tides, storm and other natural events. The plastic debris which is confined under the flora in estuaries and other water channels may have hazardous influences on the environment. The Tangaroa Blue Foundation insisted that presently there is no proper assessment regarding the hidden debris. Most of the reports generated by authorities are based on observations and estimations. There are controversies on the issues related to burning of plastic wastes. Some of the researchers support the burning of plastics along with its recycling whereas there are opponents who argue that burning of plastic produces many other problems which tend to hinder the recycling of the plastic. There are controversies related to the dumping of plastic waste. There are many questions which need to be answered such as more recycling of plastic may have negative impacts on Environment? What and how alternatives to plastic can be made to fulfil the demands of such a high population.

Consequences or Major Impacts of Plastics

Some facts and confirmations suggests that present use and problems related to its disposal remains a major challenge that is continuously affecting both land and water ecosystems. Many researchers are already considered plastic pollution as a new threat that is destroying this planet. The extensive use of plastic in agriculture has resulted in degradation of soil; reducing the fertility of the soil as well as many microplastics tend to remain as such in soil over decades. It can cause great destruction to coral reefs, photo and zooplanktons. Accumulation of these plastic bodies may interfere with the water absorption of plants and may affect many other processes. Many research experiments determine plastic as man-made material that is responsible for climate change in Australia because, on exposure to sunlight, most of the plastics tend to produce greenhouse gases that overall leads to global warming. The human health is also facing many risks by using plastic items in daily life; exposure to plastic and plastic products involves exposure to harmful and toxic chemicals. One of the studies published by University of Queensland indicated results of the autopsies performed in turtles which showed about 30 per cent of them containing plastic products in their gut. Only 20 to 25 per cent of the plastic is recycled and reused whereas other 70 to 80 per cent remain in lands, may enter water sources or remain as a litter. Furthermore, particles of plastic may behave as insistent contaminants. This increases the dangers associated with human health many folds that can arise by ingestion of edible products that contain microplastic.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Many Government and Non-Government Organisations are working to solve these challenges of plastic pollution. Plastic-free Victoria Alliance (PVA) is a cooperation under which more than 135 groups are working together reduces the plastic waste in Victoria. Several actions have been taken to lessen the usage of plastic items which plays a crucial role in sustainable growth and development. Although some of the progress is achieved by the Victorians but there are numerous other concerns which need to be checked. Earlier it was thought that recycling may solve the problems of plastic pollution in land and water ways but in reality the recycling rate is very low. The poor quality plastic is being used at the commercial level which is causing more problems rather than its benefits. Reduce, Recycle and Reuse (RRR) of plastic is effective but not to a greater extent. Alternatives of plastic such as paper bags, cloth bags (such as cotton or jute) have been more effective but in some cases such as using more paper bags are directly related to deforestation that can enhance the global warming, even the recycling of paper bags is expensive that does not completely fix these problems. Other major concerns are single-time use plastic. Many States and Countries have banned the single-time use plastic products. Container deposit scheme (CDS) launched by the Government of Australia is insisting bans on single-time use plastic and working to avail and enhance the use of their alternatives. CDS is also working towards improving the quality of recycling by separating the collected materials. Governments of many nations has made several laws regarding recycling of 70-80% of the single-time use plastic. Victorian Government should also adopt these laws to enhance the recycling and to reduce the litter. These actions will also make the beverage companies to use recycled plastic, reduce the ultimate land waste entering in marine and in turn will have less impacts on climate change. It is difficult to achieve plastic-free Victoria without the support of the community. There is an urgent need to create awareness among the local people to encourage them about their responsibilities. Providing information regarding waste management through trainings and workshop will enhance the understanding of the common people.

References

• Billard, J. B. (2019). The challenges of measuring plastic pollution. Journal of fields actions.
• Chibuisi Gideon Alimba, C. F. (2019). Microplastics in the marine environment: Current trends in environmental pollution and mechanisms of toxicological profile. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology.
• Hayden K. Webb, J. A. (2013). Plastic Degradation and Its Environmental Implications with Special Reference to Poly(ethylene terephthalate) . Polymers.
• Johan Rockstrom, W. S. (2009). Planetary Boundaries: Exploring the Safe Operating Space for Humanity. Ecology and Society, 33.
• Lea Marie Heidbreder, I. B. (2019). Tackling the plastic problem: A review on perceptions, behaviors, and interventions. Science of the Total Environment.
• Frederieke Kroon, C. M. (2018). A workflow for improving estimates of microplastic contamination in marine waters: A case study from North-Western Australia. Environmental Pollution, 26-38.
• Seon M.E.Cannon, J. L. (2016). Plastic ingestion by fish in the Southern Hemisphere: A baseline study and review of methods. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 286-291.
• Matthew Cole, P. K. (2016). Microplastics Alter the Properties and Sinking Rates of Zooplankton Faecal Pellets. Environmental Science & Technology.
• Pudlowski, B. M. (2009). Plastic bags – a hazard for the environment and a challenge for contemporary. World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education, 4.
• Qurratu A’yunin Rohmana, A. M. (2019). Perceptions and information disclosure of water quality issues in Australia. Marine Biodiversity.
• Tobias D. Nielsen Jacob Hasselbalch, K. H. (2019). Politics and the plastic crisis: A review throughout the plastic life cycle. WIREs energy and environment.
• Victoria, G. o. (2017). Reducing the impacts of plastics on the Victorian environment. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
• Victoria, G. o. (2018). Reducing the impacts of plastic on the Victorian Environment.
• William Ekere, J. M. (2009). Factors influencing waste separation and utilization among households in the Lake Victoria Crescent, Uganda. Waste Management, 3.