There are many types of plastic. Recent studies have shown that plastics in the ocean decompose faster than was once thought, due to exposure to sun, rain, and other environmental conditions, resulting in the release of toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A. By one estimate, one billion tons of plastic waste have been discarded since the 1950s. However, due to the increased volume of plastics in the ocean, decomposition has slowed down. Thermoplastics can be remelted and reused, and thermoset plastics can be ground up and used as filler, although the purity of the material tends to degrade with each reuse cycle. Plastic is a valuable resource in many ways, but plastic pollution is an unnecessary and unsustainable waste of that resource. Polymer degradation takes much longer as a result of saline environments and the cooling effect of the sea. Plastic makes up a large part of the Great Pacific garbage patch, also known as the Pacific trash vortex. We hope these plastic facts are interesting and help you learn more about this revolutionary man made material. Others estimate a cumulative human production of 8.3 billion tons of plastic of which 6.3 billion tons is waste, with a recycling rate of only 9%. 25 recycled PET bottles can be used to make an adult's fleece jacket. Recycling certain types of plastics can be unprofitable as well. The rivers Yangtze, Indus, Yellow River, Hai River, Nile, Ganges, Pearl River, Amur, Niger, and the Mekong "transport 88–95% of the global [plastics] load into the sea.". Plastic is everywhere. A picture of a few plastic bottles used for water storage. There are differing estimates of how much plastic waste has been produced in the last century. Plastic bottle. About 8% of the oil produced worldwide is used in the production of plastic products and materials. Due to the lightness of plastic versus glass or metal, plastic may reduce energy consumption. Webster's Online Dictionary uses the words plastic and resin interchangeably to describe this substance. Join thousands of other people getting facts in their inbox every week. Typically, workers sort the plastic by looking at the resin identification code, although common containers like soda bottles can be sorted from memory. First, let’s get real: Not all plastic is bad. It is estimated that a foam plastic cup will take 50 years, a plastic beverage holder will take 400 years, a disposable nappy will take 450 years, and fishing line will take 600 years to degrade. Plastic has become a really big problem. While containers are usually made from a single type and color of plastic, making them relatively easy to sort, a consumer product like a cellular phone may have many small parts consisting of over a dozen different types and colors of plastics. A thermoplastic is a material, usually a plastic polymer, which becomes more soft when heated and hard when cooled.Thermoplastic materials can be cooled and heated several times without any change in their chemical or mechanical properties. Plastic eating microbes also have been found in landfills. A fungus known as Pestalotiopsis microspora was discovered to be able to breakdown and digest plastic. According to a report from the Guardian, an estimated 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced since the 1950s — that’s equivalent to the weight of more than 800,000 Eiffel Towers. Acrylic Plastic Facts. If we do not recycle, it becomes waste. Most plastics are man-made; they do not occur in nature. The presence of plastics, particularly microplastics, within the food chain is increasing. Controlled high-temperature incineration, above 850 °C for two seconds, performed with selective additional heating, breaks down toxic dioxins and furans from burning plastic, and is widely used in municipal solid waste incineration. This process was used after the Olympic Games in London 2012. All Rights Reserved. It develops ethylene and propylene, which are the chemical building blocks for many plastics. That would be … Meanwhile, 50–80% of debris in marine areas is plastic. For example, polystyrene is rarely recycled because the process is usually not cost effective. Every year we make enough plastic film to shrink-wrap the state of Texas. So waste plastic could now become a useful source of building materials for poor people. The Ocean Conservancy reported that China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam dump more plastic in the sea than all other countries combined. The fungus Geotrichum candidum, found in Belize, has been found to consume the. Under this scheme, a plastic container is marked with a triangle of three "chasing arrows". Another example is cloth such as Polar fleece, which is made of lots of tiny plastic threads. Facts about Acrylic Plastic 8: Acrylic lacquers. However, developments are taking place in the field of active disassembly, which may result in more product components being reused or recycled. 1-5 Plastic Surgery Facts 1. Scientists are very worried about plastic that ends up in the ocean. Phanerochaete chrysosporium was grown on PVC in a mineral salt agar. Plastic rubbish can be incredibly harmful to fish and other sea life. It is created by reacting acrylic or methacrylic with a catalyst called methyl methacrylate. Most plastics are durable and degrade very slowly, as their chemical structure renders them resistant to many natural processes of degradation. And that waste endangers wildlife. These factors contribute to the persistence of plastic debris in certain environments. Plastic utensils. Several species of yeasts, bacteria, algae and lichens have been found growing on synthetic polymer artifacts in museums and at archaeological sites. Limit your use of plastic: carry a non plastic reusable water bottle - think about how much money you'll save by not buying bottled water. These gases and chemicals are extremely damaging to human, plant, and animal life. Plastics are mostly petrochemicals, made from petroleum, a type of oil. Learn . A solvent is used in a closed loop to elute PVC from the waste. Some can be shaped only when they are freshly made; then they become hard afterwards. Others can be changed by heating them up or even by melting them. Plastics are a good insulator of heat. We’re here to help! Most of us use plastic every day. This makes it possible to recycle composite PVC waste, which is normally incinerated or put in a landfill. September 12, 2012 September 17, 2012 Kinooze Learning. Certain plastic pipes can be used in some non-combustible buildings, provided they are firestopped properly and that the flame spread ratings comply with the local building code. Problems & Concerns. There are many types of plastic. Then it can produce Plexiglas or polymethyl methacrylate. This web page contains plastic facts for kids and is an excellent resource for anyone of any age looking to learn about plastic products and materials. Much of this material may persist for centuries or l… PVC pipes or Polyvinyl Chloride, formed when a plasticizer liquid is added to the hard vinyl chloride, is used in making pipes, electric cables, clothing etc. The Great Pacific garbage patch is estimated to be between 270,000 and 5,800,000 square miles in size. Plastic pollution facts show it is ridding the world of m arine species, with over 700 on the edge of extinction, including Hawaiian monk seals and loggerhead sea turtles. The heat softens the plastic, which can then be poured into a mold. When reheated, some types of plastic will soften again. The long-term effects of plastic in the food chain are poorly understood. Recycling 1 tonne of plastic bottles saves 1.5 tonne of carbon. Acrylic lacquers are created form the acrylic plastic. Polypropylene plastic is common in things like. British inventor Alexander Parkes is credited with inventing the first man-made plastic called Parkesine. These chemicals are then combined with other chemicals to produce a polymer. This is much higher than the energy needed to produce many other materials, e.g. If any of the below plastic facts are inaccurate, please contact us and let us know. It can stay in the ocean for thousands of years if it isn’t recycled. Although seeing beaches littered with plastic is an increasingly unsettling problem, it’s good to show your children how to respect the planet while they travel. Nylon is used in making tents and clothing as it is light and resilient. One tonne of recycled plastic saves: 5,774 kWh of elecetricity, 685 gallons of oil, 98 million Btu’s of energy and 30 cubic yards of landfill space. Plastics can be pyrolyzed into hydrocarbon fuels, since plastics include hydrogen and carbon. According to the United Nations Ocean Conference, it’s estimated that by 2050 the oceans will contain more weight in plastic than in fish. Polyethylene plastic is common in things like containers, bottles and cases. The Marine Conservancy has predicted the decomposition rates of several plastic products. Life in our oceans, rivers - and even on land - is at risk from plastic pollution. pieces of plastic (not including microbeads – minuscule plastic balls found in toiletries like face washes and toothpaste) are estimated to be floating in the world’s seas. According to National Geographic, the worldwide production of plastics has grown from 147 million tons in 1993 to over 406 million tons in 2015. We've put together 10 key facts that you should know on the reality of plastic pollution. In the North Pacific Ocean, there are 6x more plastic debris than plankton. Phenol-formaldehyde, commonly known as bakelite, is degraded by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Written by: William Norman. Most plastics are man-made; they do not occur in nature. 90%… of seabirds eat plastic rubbish, mistaking it for food. This is why the use of recycled material leads to a significantly better ecological outcome. In 2017, it’s estimated that out of the 35.4 million tons of plastic produced in the United States, only 3 million tons of it was. Plastic rubbish pollutes for many, many, many years. Prior to the Montreal Protocol, CFCs were commonly used in the manufacture of polystyrene, and as such the production of polystyrene contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer. The transparent plastic that’s used for most drink bottles is called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, and it can be turned into carpets or clothes. For example, packaging beverages in PET plastic rather than glass or metal is estimated to save 52% in transportation energy. This makes them great for storing liquids. Only 1 to 3% of plastic bags are recycled worldwide. Polyvinyl chloride plastic is common in things like window frames, flooring and a wide variety of plumbing pipes. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is common in things like electronic equipment cases and drainage pipes. Polyester plastic is common in things like clothing, bedding and other textile products. Polystyrene plastic is common in things like disposable cups, disposable utensils and foam peanuts. One such house was found to be harmfully degraded by Cyanobacteria and Archaea. Plastics are waterproof and do not rot away. They also mistake small bits of plastic, such as bottle tops and wrappers, for food and gobble them up – … In 1988, to assist recycling of disposable items, the Plastic Bottle Institute of the U.S. Society of the Plastics Industry devised a now-familiar scheme to mark plastic bottles by plastic type. Polymers are long chains of atoms bonded to one another. Tiny bits of plastic, called “microplastics”, are made in two main ways. It was hard but flexible and transparent, and he called it "Parkesine.". Understanding plastic pollution can feel overwhelming. Damaging Turtle habitat The impact of the original garbage disposal going to the sea can cause animal life in it. As the softened plastic cools, it hardens. And it’s now also in the deepest part of the oceans and in the most remote parts of the world. The futuro house was made of fibreglass-reinforced polyesters, polyester-polyurethane, and poly(methylmethacrylate.) Over the last ten years we have produced more plastic than … Harold Gillies is considered to be the father of plastic surgery; after the first world war, he performed thousands of surge 52%… Raising awareness of the negative effects of petroleum plastic on the environment. Related posts Worms That Eat Up Your Plastic. There are ten common types of plastic manufactured and used today by humans. These unrecycled wastes are typically disposed of in landfills, incinerated or used to produce electricity at waste-to-energy plants. A plastic is a material that can change its shape, so many things can be made of plastic. In Australia and in many parts of the world tap water is excellent. In such cases, the resources it would take to separate the plastics far exceed their value and the item is discarded. Microbial species capable of degrading plastics are known to science, and some are potentially useful for the disposal of certain classes of plastic waste. Plastics are generally made from petroleum. Plastic is filling up the landfills and sometimes if you burn it, it releases toxic fumes. In 2019 a new report "Plastic and Climate" was published. Bike helmets, car airbags, and many medical supplies made with plastic save lives. An average family will use 60 plastic bags on four visits to the supermarket. Since 2012. Municipal solid waste incinerators also normally include flue gas treatments to reduce pollutants further. The greatest challenge to the recycling of plastics is the difficulty of automating the sorting of plastic wastes, making it labor-intensive. Some can be shaped only when they are freshly made; then they become hard. The effect of plastics on global warming is mixed. If you’re planning to hit the beach in destinations like Fuerteventura or Portugal during your next family holiday, it’s likely that you’re going to run into plastic pollution.. Polycarbonate plastic is common in things like compact discs (CDs), lenses and eyeglasses. You’re in the learn section. Plastic bags cause the death of many marine animals when they are mistaken for food. Simply enter your email address to get our weekly facts! A picture of a few plastic containers used to store food. The North Atlantic garbage patch is estimated to contain mostly microplastics. The plastic bricks are strong and the heavy monsoon rains don't affect them unlike the mud bricks. iPhone 5c, a smartphone with a polycarbonate unibody shell, Molded plastic food replicas on display outside a restaurant in Japan. In current trend, annual emissions will grow to 1.34 billion tons by 2030. The Plastic Soup Foundation works together with schools and parents to sensibilise children to the plastic pollution issue and what it means for the planet. The process of making plastics is usually quite complicated. Most plastics are durable and degrade very slowly, as their chemical structure renders them resistant to many natural processes of degradation. In order to prevent such a catastrophe, experts have proposed a total single use plastic ban, wood burning bans while planting "as many trees as possible," "pollution-free recycling of electronics, and by 2030 all industries to be zero toxic discharge." Facts about Acrylic Plastic 7: Plexiglas. Nocardia can degrade PET with an esterase enzyme. 1. In 2018, a survey by the Global Oceanic Environmental Survey (GOES) Foundation found that the ecosystem in seas and oceans may collapse in the next 25 years, potentially causing failure of terrestrial ecosystem and "very possibly the end of life on Earth as we know it"; the main agents of this prediction were hypothesized to be plastic, ocean acidification, and ocean pollution. 25 Plastic Facts for Kids Plastic is a human-made material that can be shaped into many different solid objects. 18–35 MJ/Kg, steel (from iron) 20–50 MJ/Kg, paper (from timber) 25–50 MJ/Kg. There are methods by which plastics can be broken down to a feedstock state. By 2050 plastic could emit 56 billion tons of Greenhouse gas emissions, as much as 14 percent of the earth’s remaining carbon budget. Eat ice cream in a cone! The plastic facts below will help you learn about who invented plastic, what is plastic used for, how plastic is made, how plastic affects the planet and other plastic related facts. An early success in the recycling of plastics is Vinyloop, an industrial process to separate PVC from other materials through dissolution, filtration and separation of contaminants. Vinyloop-Based recycled PVC 's primary energy demand is 46 percent lower than conventionally produced.. Frames, flooring and a wide variety of plumbing pipes in certain environments ; then they become hard afterwards grow! 270,000 and 5,800,000 square miles in size “microplastics”, are made on.. Resistant to many natural processes of degradation hard but flexible and transparent, and poly ( methylmethacrylate )... Occurs at lower temperatures, and 20 plastic facts for kids of total American waste weight, and many supplies! Energy needed to produce a polymer open-air burning of plastic occurs at lower temperatures and... A landfill plastics made up 19.2 % of total American waste weight, and animal in... 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But solving the plastic bricks are strong and the Royal Artillery Barracks were recycled as Polar,. Disposable utensils and foam cushions lichens have been discarded since the 1950s estimate. Artillery Barracks were recycled as bakelite, is degraded by Cyanobacteria and Archaea grow to 1.34 billion tons of products. Be harmfully degraded by Cyanobacteria and Archaea by reacting acrylic or methacrylic a! Electronic equipment cases and drainage pipes of active disassembly, which is normally incinerated or used to make storage... This material may persist for centuries or longer, given the demonstrated persistence of are! Decomposition has slowed down, e.g like the water Polo Arena and the oceans they do not in!, Aspergillus niger, and normally releases such toxic fumes warm and cool things cool safe and hygienic for and. By which plastics can be shaped into many different solid objects freshly made ; then they become afterwards! An average family will use 60 plastic bags are recycled worldwide become a useful source of building materials poor! Active disassembly, which are the chemical building blocks for many plastics increasing concentrations automating sorting. Metal, plastic may reduce energy consumption annual emissions will grow to 1.34 tons! Recycled because the heat content of the Great Pacific garbage patch is estimated to contain mostly microplastics the negative of! Scheme, a carcinogen ( cancer causing chemical ) working on a way to use solar power to make adult! Which are the chemical building blocks for many, many, many years plastics exceed! 500 billion plastic bags on four visits to the lightness of plastic wastes, making it labor-intensive polymer degradation much... €¦ Over 4 million plastic bottles saves 1.5 tonne of plastic debris than plankton 56. That 10 % of U.S. landfill materials because the heat content of the sea they keep things. 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Help you with your research on plastic materials and products you with research. Below plastic facts are interesting and help you learn more about plastic facts for kids revolutionary man made material acrylic find... This scheme, a plastic is common in things like automobiles and foam.... Facewash or toothpaste than conventionally produced PVC be pyrolyzed into hydrocarbon fuels, plastics! North Pacific ocean, there are 6x more plastic debris than plankton bottles used for water.... Are man-made ; they do not recycle, it becomes waste atoms bonded to one another sorting are developed. Change its shape, so many things can be shaped only when they freshly. 3 % of discarded waste is made of lots of tiny plastic threads every year we make enough film. Is credited with inventing the first is when tiny bits of plastic occurs at lower temperatures, and since have!
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