PLASTIC POLLUTION 2
Plastic Pollution
Plastic pollution refers to the buildup of plastic waste in the environment as a result of
poor waste disposal, which has adverse effects on living organisms, and the environment
(Eriksen, et al., 2016). Plastic pollution is currently rampant due to the high production and poor
disposal methods of plastic products. Hence, this contributes to environmental pollution and the
associated adverse effects. At that breath, this speech informs on the causes, effects and solutions
to plastic pollution.
The following are the causes of plastic pollution. Foremost, the dumping of plastics into
trash and landfills leads to the leaching of toxic pollutants into the soil (Li et al., 2015). Burning
of plastics also releases toxic chemicals that pollute the environment. Secondly, humans are
overusing plastic products because of overproducing in companies (Li et al., 2015). Plastics are
also widely available and overused because they are cheap. Consequently, the widespread
availability of plastics in the environment leads to plastic pollution due to poor disposal (Li et al.,
2015).
Plastic pollution has the following adverse effects. Firstly, plastics are the leading causes
of underground water pollution because of toxic substances, which leach through the soil into
underground water (Ahluwalia & Energy and Resources, 2015). Secondly, plastics also pollute
the soil when toxic substances in plastics mix with water in soil leading to acidification. Thirdly,
the burning of plastics releases toxic chemicals that pollute the air, thereby increasing the risk of
respiratory diseases in humans and animals (Ahluwalia & Energy and Resources, 2015). Lastly,
plastic pollution is poisonous to other living organisms in the environment, thus, affecting the
biodiversity of the ecosystem (Halden, 2016).
