The main reasons for the pollution of plastic products can be summarized as follows:
1. Widespread Use
Plastic products are widely used in daily life because of their low cost, durability, lightweight, waterproof and other characteristics. From shopping bags, food packaging, beverage bottles to electronic product shells, building materials, etc., plastic products are almost everywhere. This extensive use of plastic waste has led to a sharp increase in the amount of production, bringing great pressure on the environment.
2. Difficult to Degrade
Plastic is a kind of synthetic polymer compound, its molecular structure is stable, difficult to be decomposed by microorganisms in the natural environment. According to research, it may take decades or even centuries for plastic waste to completely degrade in its natural state. This long-lasting characteristic makes plastic waste accumulate in the environment, causing lasting pollution to the environment.
3. Difficulty in Recycling and Disposal
There are many difficulties in the recycling process of some plastic products. On the one hand, there are differences in material, shape, size and other aspects of different types of plastic products, making recycling classification complex and costly. On the other hand, some plastic products may be contaminated or damaged during the recycling process, reducing their reuse value. In addition, the lack of recycling facilities and the limitations of recycling technology also constrain the development of plastic recycling treatment.
4. Improper Handling
The use of improper methods in the treatment of plastic waste, such as random disposal, landfill or incineration, can cause serious pollution to the environment. Landfill treatment may lead to soil pollution and groundwater pollution; incineration treatment can reduce the volume and weight of garbage, but it will produce a large number of harmful gases and particles, which will pollute the atmospheric environment.
