News Osmosis: Environment Awareness – Plastic Bags
This is a special article regarding plastic bags. High density plastic bag was introduced in 1977. Until today, 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags were produced every year in the world!! Plastic bag is made of either HDPE or PP and it is not bio-degradable which means no matter how thin is it, it would not ‘melt’ into soil naturally even after 1000 years!! Moreover, it would not be burnt off just like other rubbish, because it will produce poisonous gas whenever it is burnt and could harm human health. So, just imagine after 100 years later, our soil would be full of plastics buried underneath and grasses no longer grow on top. And because it is made from petrochemicals (for every tonne of plastic produced, 11 drums of petroleum would be needed), the process of manufacturing actually is totally not environment friendly at all and the industrial waste such as Carbon Dioxide produced during the manufacturing process is hazardous to our ozone layer. And the greenhouse gas evolved from the buried plastic bags also endangering the ozone layer of our planet.
The disadvantage of plastic bags is more than these; stuck and clog the drainage system and cause flooding; dispose into sea and endanger the sea life along seaside. There are at least 100 thousand fish and birds died because of these plastic bags.
Most of the people in most countries still using plastic bags, fortunately, some of them have started the campaign to reduce or restrict the use of plastic bags, like the unexpected country, Bangladesh, they have banned the use of plastic bags due to severe flood caused by them. Other countries like U.S. Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, some African countries, China, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore, are controlling the excessive use of plastic bags by either imposing tax or fees for the usage or recycling the disposed bags or replacing it with paper bags.
What have we done in Malaysia? I saw little. All supermarkets are giving away plastic bags for free on your purchase for even a bottle of mineral water. Plastic bags are thrown everyday by a Malaysian. What is our Government planning to do?
As a slogan says:’ I SEE THE EARTH AS A BETTER PLACE… DO YOU?’
The disadvantage of plastic bags is more than these; stuck and clog the drainage system and cause flooding; dispose into sea and endanger the sea life along seaside. There are at least 100 thousand fish and birds died because of these plastic bags.
Most of the people in most countries still using plastic bags, fortunately, some of them have started the campaign to reduce or restrict the use of plastic bags, like the unexpected country, Bangladesh, they have banned the use of plastic bags due to severe flood caused by them. Other countries like U.S. Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, some African countries, China, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore, are controlling the excessive use of plastic bags by either imposing tax or fees for the usage or recycling the disposed bags or replacing it with paper bags.
What have we done in Malaysia? I saw little. All supermarkets are giving away plastic bags for free on your purchase for even a bottle of mineral water. Plastic bags are thrown everyday by a Malaysian. What is our Government planning to do?
As a slogan says:’ I SEE THE EARTH AS A BETTER PLACE… DO YOU?’
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1 comments:
I see your point.
I eye-witnessed the introduction
of these bags here in our country
and also been seeing the worsening
trend.
Before my retirement I tried to
educate my own employees to help
reduce the consumption of these bags
---I failed miserably and the called
me a "petty boss" !
Those days I lived in a landed house
with one neighbour. I could remember the day I lost a friendly
neighbor was when I politely made
a statement about the amount of
plastic trash the dumped outside
their own house ! And that was the
# 1 reason for me to move into
condo living.
I don't bother about such problem
no more. I personally want my
family to refrain from using plastic bag but I won't bother
about what others may do.
They always say "Malaysia boleh !"
Nah ! Then what ???
Chee
P.S.
Nice photos from Gold Coast.
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