Plastics with "White Pollution"

Colorful, peculiar shapes, light and beautiful appearance, and various performances of various plastic products bring more convenience to modern life and are increasingly used to decorate our world. However, while multi-colored plastics provide us with a variety of conveniences, these plastics products that bring us convenience have formed a large amount of waste plastics when they complete their mission. These plastic wastes cause waste of resources and environmental pollution.

At present, plastics have penetrated into all sectors of the national economy and people’s lives. Plastics and steel, timber, and cement have become the four basic materials of modern society. It is understood that in 2003 the world's plastic raw material (synthetic resin) production has reached 200 million tons, in 2003 China's apparent consumption of plastic about 30 million tons, becoming the world's second largest consumer of plastic. At the same time, the hazards of plastics are also expanding. For example, the term "white pollution" which is often echoed in our ears is the image of people's image of disposable foaming food containers and plastic packaging wastes. The term "white pollution" is more and more frequent in our ears. As we echoed, plastics beautified our lives, but it also brought us grief.

According to statistics, the global amount of plastic packaging alone reached more than 30 million tons. Each year, China consumes about 6 billion disposable snack boxes and 5 billion instant noodle bowls, and 70% of plastic packaging is also discarded after being used once. These wastes destroy the ecological balance and become environmental hazards. According to statistics, the degradation cycle of polyethylene in nature is about 200 years. Once these non-degradable plastic agricultural films and convenient bags are mixed into the fields, they will affect soil permeability, hinder water flow and crop root development, and affect the growth of crops. According to statistics, if 4 kg of waste plastics are left on each acre of land, corn can be used to reduce production by 20%, wheat by 14%, and vegetables by 30%. If they are eaten by livestock, light causes indigestion and severe cases cause death. If it floats in lakes and rivers, it will damage the water quality and affect the growth of aquatic organisms.

In the face of environmental pollution caused by waste plastics, some people have a biased view of plastic products and believe that the development and application of plastics has damaged the environment. Has plastic, a new type of material that has made enormous contributions to modern life and industrial civilization, really become a factor that affects people's lives? From a scientific point of view, plastic is a kind of green and environmental protection material. First, the production of plastic is lower than that of steel. Secondly, plastic can partially replace materials such as wood, steel, and glass, and plastic can be recycled many times. The use of plastic products as packaging materials can reduce pollution problems such as sewage and exhaust gas caused by the paper industry, and can also reduce forest damage caused by cutting trees for papermaking materials; it can be used to replace metal parts applied to automobiles. Reduce body weight, save energy...

Now that researchers are developing new products, they are also considering how to eliminate the environmental impact of scrapped plastic products. Degradable plastic film has entered the commercial production stage. The recycling of used plastics requires the concerted efforts of the entire society. This requires the support of national policies and the guidance of professionals. The key is that the government must continuously improve the quality of the entire nation through public education and train the public. Environmental awareness. The Institute of Light Industry Plastics Processing and Applied Research has specially produced the “plastic recycling mark” for the effective use of recycled plastics. Some communities in major cities throughout the country are also promoting waste sorting and delivery. It is believed that through the concerted efforts of the entire society and through the efforts of the plastics industry, plastic will decorate our world more beautifully, and people will no longer feel sorry for plastic.