Some Waste Does Not Go Away 389
Some Waste Does Not Go Away
Waste is a problem almost everywhere because we make so much of it. And, as we
see all around us, waste made from plastics, glass, and metal does not go away.
Food and other goods were once wrapped in natural or reusable materials,
such as banana leaves or newspaper. Containers and other useful things were
made from clay, wood, or other materials taken directly from the earth. When
they were discarded, these materials did not become trash, because they
quickly decayed and returned to the earth.
Now, with industry using materials such as plastics, metals, and
chemicals, most manufactured products become trash when we are done
using them. Everything from bottles, buckets, and bags, to cars and
computers is made of materials that are strong and light, but that take a
long time to decay. Packaging things in cans, bottles, and plastic bags makes
them easy to transport and sell, but it also creates much more waste.
The life cycle of a plastic bag
People used to use baskets and cloth bags to
carry things. Now we use plastic bags, making
them one of the most commonly used plastic
products. Millions of them are made and thrown
away every year.
Crude oil is drilled from the
earth or ocean floor.
Crude oil is refined and mixed
with other chemicals to make
plastic. Raw plastic is then
made into many products,
including plastic bags.
Plastic bags end up in roads, fields, and waste dumps.
They clog waterways and drains, and choke animals to
death. Burning them releases toxic gases. Buried, no one
knows how long they take to break down completely.
Because oil was
cheap and plastic is
convenient, plastic
bags are used all over
the world. Often they
are used for just a few
minutes before they
are thrown out.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012