Plastics

Plastic bags are a scourge on the environment. They do enormous damage to the land and oceans and urgent action is required to reduce their use.  
Plastic bags is no trifle matter
They may look harmless and feel small and light but consider the numbers. According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), plastic bags are the second most common type of litter – with cigarette butts being the first.
Plastics can take years to break down – if they break down at all. CNN reported that 90 per cent of plastic bags in the US are NOT RECYCLED! That is utterly shocking.

Plastic bags can wreak havoc on the environment. In the oceans, plastics kill marine life and devastate reefs. 100,000 turtles and marine mammals are killed each year by plastics.

Action on plastic bags is urgent
A significant reduction or phasing out of plastic bags is in order. Sometimes, it takes a dramatic wake-up call to put the issue into the spotlight. Large quantities of plastics in the waterways contributed to severe flooding in Bangladesh in the late 1990s and as a result, a total ban was imposed on plastic bags.

Mexico City is the second major metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere to ban plastic bags. In 2007, San Francisco passed an ordinance that gave supermarkets six months to phase out plastic bags.

Voluntary efforts not working?
Eco-friendly individuals and...

Packaging represents the largest single sector of plastics use in the world today.

Benefits of plastics-Boon
The considerable growth in plastic use is due to the beneficial properties of plastics. These include:

1. Extreme versatility and ability to be tailored to meet very specific technical needs.
2. Lighter weight than competing materials, reducing fuel consumption during transportation.
3.Extreme durability.
4.Resistance to chemicals, water and impact.
5.Good safety and hygiene properties for food packaging.
6.Excellent thermal and electrical insulation properties.
7.Relatively...