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August 31, 2021

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We are all responsible for plastic pollution

By Kevin Hu | 00:05 UTC+8 August 31, 2021 | Print Edition

NOWADAYS, we are in an “age of plastic” as people produce a massive number of plastic trash every day. According to OECD, it has exceeded 300 million metric tons a year, However, we failed to deal properly with nearly 80 percent of the trash and dumped them into nature. What we lost isn’t only the plastic themselves which can actually be recycled, but also our environmental responsibilities.

Self dissolving of plastic is much harder than most people think. For normal plastic bags, complete degradation would take up to 1,000 years. If landfilled, it would take up that part of earth resources for all these years. If burnt, it would cause severe air pollution. Even though both of the above ways cause great pollution, they are at least better than dumping plastic trash into the nature, especially the ocean. It causes not only pollution but also harm to the natural ecosystem and lives, since plastic can strangle wild creatures or choke them if swallowed. We often heard news on whales found dying with plastic bags blocking their stomachs.

I actually have observed an example of how long it would be for plastic to dissolve. On the branch of a tree out of my bedroom, there tangled a plastic belt. It was brought there by wind five years ago, and it’s still there with nearly no change, like a ghost that haunts the tree forever.

Recently, Japan announced its decision of dumping all their radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean. This is actually again a severe example of unwillingness to deal with wastes responsibly. From throwing a single plastic bag onto the public lawn to this “giant range atomic attack to the whole world,” they are all typical acts of people trying to avoid their responsibilities of dealing with trash properly. With that mindset, it would only take time before we totally destroy the natural environment.

Therefore, what exactly should we do to address the crisis of plastic pollution? Actually the solution starts with all individuals — we need to follow the rules of plastic waste disposal in our daily life. For business and institutions, they must manage all those plastic wastes in the responsible way no matter the cost, taking this as a mission. They should also invest in technologies and solutions to recycle plastic and make the industry sustainable. We’re all responsible for plastic pollution.

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