Plastic is ubiquitous in the modern world, with an estimated eight million tonnes of plastic waste entering the oceans every year alone. The growing reliance on plastic has numerous benefits for day-to-day life and industry, with convenience and practicality playing an important role in its design and production. Unfortunately, it also has some concerning environmental impacts, with its contribution to global warming greatly concerning.
It is statistically noted that greenhouse gas emissions (from production and combustion of materials) have increased by 11% in industrial countries, while global plastic production has increased exponentially over the last few decades, causing a correlation to be established between the two phenomena. The convergence of these two trends help to highlight the expansive role that plastic plays in the production of global warming.
Plastic is produced using chemical processes that result in non-renewable energy sources being expended. Fossil fuels are the main inputs for such processes, with studies suggesting that the extraction, transport, and processing of raw materials for use in plastic production accounts for 40% of total energy usage. This continued reliance on fossil fuels not only heavily impacts the environment, but also results in the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and is thus linked towards climate change and global warming.
The effects of plastic on global warming go beyond the initial production itself. This man-made material has a highly durable, long lasting nature, which has strong implications for its impact on the environment. Unless plastic is recycled, it will most likely end up either incinerated or landfilled. The incineration of plastic, while held up as a viable solution to the plastic waste problem, contributes to the release of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane amongst other dangerous pollutants. The relevance of such pollutants in relation to global warming is hard to overstate, with nitrous oxide having 300 times the impact of carbon dioxide molecules, and methane having 25 times that of nitrous oxide molecules.
On the other hand, plastic waste in landfills also has catastrophic environmental consequences, with the materials not biodegrading, but instead breaking down into smaller, toxic materials and releasing methane gas, again with significant implications. Our world is facing a crisis, with the amount of plastic waste being produced continuing to climb, and the long-term implications for global warming being almost impossible to calculate.
The effects of plastic on global warming are undeniable, with even the current state of affairs having long lasting ramifications for our planet. Therefore, reducing plastic consumption, properly managing waste and promoting recycling has been identified as the immediate actions to take. The introduction of alternative, biodegradable and sustainable materials offers the potential for better outcomes, and these will certainly become the go-to products in the future. However, there is no single solution to the problem, and concerted efforts needs to be taken to promote environmental consciousness and reduce the impact of plastics on our climate.
