Municipal educational institution secondary
Secondary school №4 Ak-Dovurak
Research work on the topic:
"Plastic Waste"
Teacher: Saryglar Alexander Aiyzhyevich
Student: Seremel Alimaa Rodikovna
I Introduction
II. The benefits and harms of plastic
1. Production of plastic products
2. Environmental issue
3. Plastic recycling
4. "Second" life of plastic
III. Conclusion
IV. List of used literature
I Introduction
Plastic (plastic)- This is a material obtained by artificial means. Plastic is made by joining together long chains of molecules called polymers. Depending on how these chains of polymers are connected, the properties of the plastic depend. Hard plastics very often replace metal in car manufacturing.
Nowadays it is impossible to imagine a world without plastic and plastic products. But, despite the everyday occurrence and prevalence of such products, plastic appeared recently - about 150 years ago.
The scientist and inventor Alexander Parks from Birmingham was the first to receive plastic. Using nitrocellulose, alcohol and camphor in his experiments, he obtained a substance that he called parkesin and showed it for the first time at an international exhibition in London in 1862.
But despite their properties, plastic products cause great harm to our nature. They pollute it.
Relevance: about 50 years ago, mankind invented a plastic bottle. Today, millions of bottles are produced and discarded each year. And every year the waste from plastic bottles is growing, due to the fact that there is an increasing number of products that are packaged in plastic bottles. A huge amount of garbage on the streets of the city makes you think about the question: what to do with a plastic bottle?
Research problem lies in the contradiction between the positive properties of plastic and those environmental problems that arise as a result of environmental pollution with waste that has not decomposed for centuries.
Target: to encourage others to think about the important environmental problem of our planet on the example of people polluting the environment with plastic waste.
Tasks:
1. Find out what plastic is and when plastic products appeared.
2.Learn about the possibilities of recycling a plastic bottle.
3. To be interested in the possibilities of creating many interesting and useful things from plastic.
4. Create an exhibition.
Object of study: waste plastic bottles and packaging
Subject of study: recyclable bottles
Research methods: studying literature and information on the Internet, creating with the help of classmates an exhibition of crafts from plastic bottles and packaging.
Hypothesis: If plastic waste is polluting the environment, then by approaching this problem creatively and economically, we can find many ways to use plastic that will save our money and preserve nature.
II. Chapter
The benefits and harms of plastic.
About 50 years ago, mankind invented the plastic bottle. The first samples weighed 135 g, now it weighs 69 g. The production of plastic products is increasing from year to year. These are bottles, cans, bags, film, adhesive tape, folders, packaging and many other products. The amount of plastic waste is also increasing, which not only litter the environment, but also pollute it.
Every year on the planet in the ocean, entire islands are formed from plastic waste. There is a giant floating debris pile in the Pacific Ocean. It poses a huge threat to the inhabitants of the sea and birds, as well as human health. Fish with plastics in the blood may end up on our table tomorrow.
Scientists say that the stomachs of dolphins and whales are 50% full of plastic waste. Many birds die because fish eat this plastic. The landfill in the ocean is so huge that it can even be seen from space.
Plastic does not decompose over time. For example: paper decomposes in the ground - 1 month, and a plastic bottle - 450 - 500 years The question arises: where to put the plastic waste that we throw away?
Burn plastic waste it is forbidden ! When plastic is burned, phosgene gas is released, which has been known since the First World War as a chemical warfare agent (the last known case of poisoning by plastic combustion products is the tragedy at the Lame Horse club). When burning, acrid smoke does not dissipate, but settles on beds, trees and shrubs, but that's not all! During combustion, the most toxic substances are formed - dioxins, which cause a serious risk of developing cancer, asthma, and allergies. These substances must not be allowed to settle on plants and get into food.
Plastic products must be recycled. At present, the problem of processing such waste is relevant not only in connection with environmental protection, but also in connection with the shortage of polymer raw materials. From 1 kg of waste, 0.8 kg of secondary raw materials are obtained
Plastic recycling consists of several stages:
collection, sorting, pressing, processing (cutting, washing, drying, production of regranulate), production of new products.
Tons of garbage can be collected, pressed and handed over to special factories, they will process it, and thus make waste-free production. We have a container for collecting plastic waste near the house.
About a third of recycled plastic is used to make fibers for carpets, synthetic fabrics, and clothing. Large size fibers are used as insulation in sportswear, sleeping bags, as a filler for soft toys.
Recycled plastic is used to make the fibers used to make man-made wool used for knitted shirts, sweaters and scarves. For example, it takes approximately 25 recycled bottles to make a warm faux wool sweater.
Recycled fabric is cheap and environmentally friendly. Plastic is painted in one color or another, so it does not need to be painted. During the World Cup in South Africa, football jerseys were made from this fabric.
Plastic bottles can be found in every home. They are not only different in size, but also in color. Empty plastic bottles are a material that can be used for crafts of both the simplest and more complex works, which will become a worthy decoration for the interior of the house and yard. This material for creativity comes to us completely free of charge. Everything can be made from plastic.
In Africa, they built a house out of plastic bottles, while others created a boat. Wonderful sculptures adorn yards, flower beds, garden plots.
150,000 kilometers across the Pacific Ocean, such a journey was made by a ship built from plastic bottles that arrived in Australia. The action was held to support the protest against the pollution of the oceans with plastic waste. Within 128 days, the ship, consisting of 12,500 plastic bottles, crossed the Pacific Ocean and landed in the port of the city of Sydney.
III.Conclusion
In doing this work, I learned that due to such properties as lightness, elasticity, strength, plastic takes up more and more space in a person's life, but it cannot be destroyed after use. Plastic packaging does not decompose, and when burned, toxic substances are released.
Thus, I concluded that plastic should be collected and recycled so as not to pollute the environment.
What's happened plastic and plastic what types exist, what are their dangers and how can they be avoided.
Plastic and plastic surround us in everyday life everywhere. Starting from disposable tableware and ending with diapers. But have you ever wondered what they are done s and how they can affect our body and health in general?
Even in school, I knew that plastic and plastic have a destructive effect on the environment.
A simple plastic water bottle will take about 600!!! years to only partially decompose! And how many of these bottles do people buy every day around the world?
Unfortunately, Russia has not yet begun to recycle plastic. And even if only because of this, it is possible and necessary to limit its use.
No one has mentioned before what impact plastic and plastic can have directly on our body.
You will probably ask how it can influence us at all, we don’t eat it?!?
I want to upset you, but the chemicals present in plastic dishes and other plastic things enter our body not only through the food and drinks in which they were stored, but can also enter the lungs or penetrate the skin, and then to the circulatory system and spread throughout the body.
Plastic and its danger
The danger is that along with non-natural chemicals, plastics and plastics also contain toxins. And these toxins get into the food that they store and which we then consume.
Research is even more frightening, saying that these substances can penetrate the skin barrier and the respiratory system. Even a tiny amount of these substances is enough to disrupt the delicate balance of our body.
The most common plastic toxins are Bisphenol-A and Phthalate. These substances give the plastic elasticity and strength.
Unfortunately, they affect our body in a completely different way. They completely knock down our hormonal balance, as they are pseudo-hormones, which leads to serious consequences.
Bisphenol-A (Bispehol-A) A synthetic substance used in the manufacture of plastics and rubber. According to the latest data, more than 95% of people will have Bisphenol-A detected when they give urine for analysis. Once in the body, BPA behaves like the female hormone estrogen. Read more .
Phthalate is an industrial chemical added to plastic to make it flexible and strong. In our body, it mimics the male hormone testosterone, with all the ensuing consequences.
The effect of pseudotoxins on our body:
- Reduce the protective function of the immune system.
- Lead to irreversible changes in brain cells.
- Damage liver cells.
- Contribute to the development of diseases of the heart and circulatory system.
- Increase the risk of developing diabetes.
- Accelerate puberty.
- They have carcinogenic activity, that is, they provoke the development of cancer cells.
Even if plastic and plastic are labeled "BPA free", "BPA free" - this does not mean that they are safe. Often manufacturers simply start using Bisphenol-C, which can be even more toxic.
Types of plastic and plastic
Take any plastic or plastic thing and look at its back surface. It is there that numbers are usually stamped, giving us, consumers, a rough idea of what we are purchasing.
This is my latest discovery. I think a lot of people still don't have a clue. Enlighten:
- #1 PET(Polyethylene Terephtalate / Polyethylene Terephthalate) is recognized as safe, but the possibility of migration of metal elements has been proven.
- #2 HDPE(High Density Polyethylene / High Density Polyethylene) is considered a low-hazard plastic, but scientists do not deny the possibility of washing out hormone-altering substances in it.
- #3 PVC(Polyvinyl Chloride/Polyvinylchloride) is considered hazardous to health, contains a type of Phthalate, which has increased toxicity.
- #4 LDPE(Low Density Polyethylene) is equated to low hazard plastic.
- #5PP(Polypropylene / Polypropylene) of all plastics is considered the safest.
- #6 PS(Polystyrene / Polystyrene or Styrofoam) is very toxic, since the Sterol contained in it provokes the development of cancer cells.
- #7 (All others or<кот в мешке>) is the most dangerous and unpredictable, as it may contain a mixture of 6 of the above or other chemicals. According to recent data, it is this type that contains the highest amount of Bisphenol-A.
I want to note that even plastic and plastic , named in this list as safe, is not. Bisphenol-A and Phthalates can also migrate from #5 Polypropylene.
So the safest bet is to avoid all plastic and plastic and go for glass, wood, metal and paper.
How to avoid using plastic and plastic
- Do not buy water in plastic bottles. Buy yourself a stainless steel bottle.
- Do not buy or use plastic bags. Get a couple of reusable bags made from more natural materials.
- Replace plastic utensils and food storage containers with glass ones. And if you still use the microwave (you can read microwave oven is dangerous) never use plastic utensils, even those specially designed for them.
- Do not heat plastic utensils. When the temperature rises, the rate of flow of chemicals into food increases. Drinking hot tea or coffee from a plastic mug ingests up to 50% more Bisphenol-A into your body.
- If you can't refuse plastic utensils, then at least get rid of scratched and damaged ones, as this increases the risk of seeping toxins.
- Avoid iron cans. Bisphenol-A and Phthalate are frequent guests there.
- These hormonal destroyers are especially dangerous for a child's, still undeveloped organism. Avoid children's rubber toys, especially those of poor quality. Most baby plastic bottles contain Bisphenol-A and Phthalates. Please buy glass or metal utensils for your baby. Try to avoid using diapers as they also contain these chemicals.
I will not hide it, but I have been a fan of plastic and plastic products for many years. They conquered me with durability, convenience and, of course, price.
Plastic or Plastic Organic material based on natural or synthetic high molecular weight compounds. The most popular in the use of plastic, made on the basis of synthetic polymers.The most common polymeric materials (types of plastic):
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
- Polypropylene
- Polyethylene
- Polystyrene
- Polycarbonate
They produce both technical and food plastics.
Plastics used for the production of products that come into contact with food and children's assortment are subject to mandatory examination for compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards and are certified. The manufacturer is required to label his products. Food plastic has a generally accepted label - "glass and fork." It may say that it is intended for cold, bulk or hot products, for use in a microwave oven or for freezing, sometimes a temperature range is indicated.
For example, “Snowflakes” means that the container is suitable for freezing food, “wave oven” means that food can be heated in the microwave in the dishes, and “shower plates” indicate that the containers can be washed in the dishwasher. This marking is also used by some Russian manufacturers.
Harm
Harm of plastic
Plastic in its pure form is rather fragile, brittle material - it cracks in the light, melts from heat. For strength, stabilizers are added to it. This makes the plastic stronger, but also more toxic. Because of this, it appears damage to plastic utensils.
The polymers themselves are inert, non-toxic and do not "migrate" into food. But here are the intermediate substances, technological additives, solvents, as well as chemical decomposition products that can penetrate into food and have a toxic effect on humans. Under certain conditions, plastic releases toxic compounds that, when ingested, adversely affect human health.
This process can occur during storage of products or when they are heated. In addition, polymeric materials are subject to change (aging), as a result of which degradation products are released from them. Moreover, different types of plastic become toxic under different conditions - some cannot be heated, others cannot be washed, etc. Improper operation becomes the main reason harm to plastic utensils.
American scientists claim that up to 80% of the "plastic" substances found in the human body get there from building and finishing materials, in particular, from such popular plastic windows, furniture, but most of all from dishes: all kinds of compounds pass from food plastic into products. nutrition. Domestic manufacturers assure that certified plastic utensils are absolutely safe - if used for their intended purpose.
Benefit
Pros of plastic utensils
Compactness, lightness, hygiene, low cost, ease of use allow you to use plastic utensils outside the home - on the road, in nature, etc. It does not require washing or cleaning. Therefore, the need for the use of plastic tableware is growing. Plastic utensils are also used by fast food restaurants, summer cafes and eateries.
Plastic food utensils: how to use
To plastic utensils did no harm health, it must be used strictly for its intended purpose. Food plastic of different brands has different properties. One brand of this polymer raw material is intended for the production of water bottles, the other is for bottles with carbonated drinks. Yogurt cups are made of plastic of a grade that makes it possible to produce a light and cheap container by casting, while being neutral with respect to milk fat, and pudding cups must resist sugar.
Experts insist: in no case should plastic packaging be used as food storage containers, and disposable tableware should not be used repeatedly. Disposable packaging should only be used once.
How plastic will react to contact with ingredients for which it was not intended, what compounds can be formed in this case, no one has investigated. Especially insidious are fats and acids, which can draw free toxic compounds out of plastic.
Foods high in sugar and fat should not be cooked in plastic containers. They are heated to the melting point and deformation of the plastic. It is necessary to cook them in special dishes that can withstand heating up to 140, 180 or more C.
When reusing disposable plastic utensils, its outer protective layer is damaged, and carcinogenic substances - formaldehydes, phenol, cadmium, lead - begin to be released.
Do not drink alcohol from disposable plastic cups. Any plastic contains toxic substances that do not dissolve in ordinary cold drinks, but do not withstand the chemical attack of alcohol.
The release of all kinds of compounds from plastic is greatly enhanced by heating. Therefore, only special containers designed for this purpose may be used in the microwave oven.
At home, immediately remove the packaging film from the products. Cut off the top layer from food stored in plastic packaging.
Do not use disposable packaging for food storage. Store food in glass and ceramic containers. Try to avoid plastic-packed products whenever possible, preferring loose ones.
Buy baby food only in glass or cardboard. Do not use plastic utensils for baby food. Do not microwave food in plastic containers.
Do not keep water in pitcher filters for a long time. In the morning and evening, replace the remaining water with fresh water. A cloudy plastic water jug should be thrown away.
Also, the disposable packaging was not intended for washing, so the result can be unpredictable.
Any polymeric material ages under the influence of light, heat, heating and contact with various substances. Then it becomes cloudy, absorbs odors and ingredients from the contents and releases toxic substances.
Food manufacturers indicate that the shelf life applies not only to the product itself, but also to the packaging. This is especially true for canned goods. For example, they can detect a toxic substance - biphenol.
Plastic film containing biphenol is lined on the inside of cans to keep the metal from coming into contact with food. From here, biphenol can pass into the contents.
It is advisable to replace canned food with fresh or frozen foods.
Transfer food from opened cans to glass containers, even if we are talking about short-term storage (under the influence of oxygen, the corrosion of cans increases sharply and the content of lead and tin in food begins to increase rapidly).
Toxins can accumulate in the body for years, undermining health. Even small amounts are poisonous if exposed for a long time.
Buy food, plastic utensils and cling film only from reputable manufacturers and only in reliable stores.
To date, there are disposable tableware made from environmentally friendly materials - cane, bamboo, eggshell-based, as well as paper tableware made of cardboard.
ADDITIONALLY
Labeling of plastic utensils
To simplify the sorting of plastic, a special international marking has been developed - triangles formed by arrows with a number inside. The number indicating the type of plastic is located inside the triangle. Below the triangle is an alphabetic abbreviation indicating the type of plastic.
PET Polyethylene terphthalate: bottles for carbonated drinks, water, juices, dairy products, vegetable oils, cosmetics, etc.
Frozen ready meals in trays that can be reheated in the microwave or oven are made from crystallized polyethylene terphthalate. Its properties remain unchanged in the range from -40º to +250ºС. True, some brands may lose the necessary heat resistance after they have undergone deep cooling.
Buy drinks only in PET bottles and do not reuse them.
PP Polypropylene: medical products, bottle caps, hot dishes, food packaging film
Polypropylene utensils (PP marking) are safer. The polypropylene glass maintains temperature to +100 °C. From polypropylene glasses you can drink hot tea or coffee, in plates from it you can heat food in the microwave. But upon contact with strong drinks and alcohol, it releases formaldehyde or phenol. If you drink vodka from such a glass, not only the kidneys suffer, but also the eyesight. Formaldehyde is also considered a carcinogen.
PS Polystyrene: disposable tableware, cups for dairy products, yogurt, electrical insulation film
Polystyrene is indifferent to cold liquids. But when polystyrene dishes come into contact with hot water or alcohol, it begins to release a toxic compound (monomers) - styrenes. Hot foods are not recommended to be placed in polystyrene plates. Plates made of polystyrene are often used in summer cafes for barbecue. And along with hot meat and ketchup, the client also receives a dose of toxins - styrenes, which accumulate in the liver and kidneys.
Disposable cups can only be used for water. It is better not to drink acidic juices, soda, hot and strong drinks from them. Some coffee machines use polystyrene cups. That is, hot coffee or tea cannot be drunk from them.
When purchasing instant products (those that only need to be poured with boiling water), pay attention to the packaging (cup, bag, plate). Although Rospotrebnadzor and certification bodies monitor the safety of materials, nevertheless, manufacturers often use polystyrene packaging. Therefore, it is better to transfer products to ceramic or enameled dishes and then pour boiling water over them.
Refrigerate food before placing it in the container. For hot food and microwave use only special utensils.
If there is no marking on the plastic, you can distinguish PS from PP by touch - polystyrene crunches and breaks, and polypropylene crumples. Also, the main distinguishing feature of polystyrene bottles is the bluish color of the container. And when pressing with a fingernail on PS plastic, a whitish scar (stripe) always remains, on PP plastic, the container will remain smooth.
HDP High density polyethylene: packaging bags, garbage bags
PVC Polyvinyl chloride: building and finishing materials, furniture, shoes, medical products, water bottles, food packaging film
Synthetic poison dioxin can be released from PVC dishes in cases of heating food in microwave ovens, freezing water in freezers. Dioxins accumulate in human adipose tissue and are not excreted from the body for a very long time (up to 30 years). The released dioxin causes cancer (especially breast cancer).
LDP Low density polyethylene (low pressure): bottles for detergents and edible vegetable oils, toys, pipes, plastic bags.
Other types of plastic are multi-layer packaging or composite plastic.
Mayonnaise, ketchup and other sauces, seasonings, juices, jams, ready-made soups and cereals that require heating, sold in bags. Such bags are made from multilayer combined films. The choice of film depends on the properties of the product, the period and conditions of its storage. Soups, cereals, main courses are packed in bags of films with a high melting point. Dishes in such packaging can be heated in the microwave or boiled directly in the bag. Such dishes withstand temperatures from -40 to +230 ° C and more. But physiologists still advise eating them less often.
Dishes made of melamine (polymerized formaldehyde) - it is white, shiny (reminiscent of porcelain), weighs lighter, does not break. When tapped, melamine dishes emit not a sonorous, but a deaf echo.
It is extremely dangerous to use such dishes. For the durability of dishes, asbestos can be added to it, which is prohibited even in construction (such dishes come to Russia from Turkey, Jordan and China). It cannot be used for hot food. When hot water is poured into a melamine dish, the formaldehyde begins to dissolve in the water. Formaldehyde and asbestos can cause cancer. To keep the drawing on such a plate for a long time, paints containing heavy metals, primarily lead, are used.
- 47759Canada declares plastic bottles toxic
Canada is the first country in the world to recognize the toxic substance bisphenol A, widely used in the production of plastic bottles and food packaging. Accordingly, baby bottles containing this chemical will be banned.
The decision to recognize bisphenol A as toxic is connected with reports of the potential danger of this substance to the environment and human health, which had a wide public outcry. It is suspected that the chemical may adversely affect the formation of the reproductive system and disrupt the exchange of certain hormones. Of particular concern was the fact that bisphenol A is often added to the plastic of baby bottles to make it hard and impact resistant.
Other countries do not yet share the opinion of Canadian authorities on the toxicity of bisphenol A. In the US and the European Union, this substance is considered quite safe, since the amounts ingested from plastic bottles and food packaging are too small to pose a health hazard.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in the manufacture of plastic bottles. In high concentrations, the effect of this compound is comparable to the female sex hormones estrogen. Initial studies by English scientists showed that the presence of BPA in the human body can lead to the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Subsequent experiments led to more restrained conclusions. For example, the content of BPA in the manufacture of plastic bottles turned out to be significantly below the dangerous value. It is not able to accumulate in the body, as it is excreted during the day. It has been proven that in liver diseases and obesity, the content of BPA in the body is also increased and this phenomenon cannot be associated with the use of plastic containers. The connection with the occurrence of oncological diseases, strokes, arthritis could not be proved at all.
In Germany, a number of studies were also conducted on the topic of the harm of plastic bottles. A substance resembling the female sex hormone, namely 17 beta-estradiol, was found in mineral water, which was both in plastic and glass containers. Yes, the percentage turned out to be different, but at the same time it never exceeded the level at which it would be worth talking about serious harm. The harm of plastic bottles is significant only in one case - if you decide to burn them and inhale this smoke. In this smoke there will be bezvreda dioxins that can accumulate in the body, causing mutations, contributing to cancer, cause deformities in babies in the womb, and can even kill them. Another substance - benzopyrene can also have a carcinogenic effect. But all these horrors cannot happen to you if you only drink mineral water or juices or milk from plastic containers. In order for the negative effect to make itself felt, inhalation of smoke from burned plastic containers is necessary. I can’t say that this article completely reassured me about the dangers of plastic bottles, but it allowed me to take a slightly different look at this situation.
On our own, we add that, nevertheless, not everything is so fabulous with plastic containers, as it might seem after reading. There are nuances that need to be taken into account. Plastic bottles and other containers are created according to the given parameters and for certain situations when used. For example, in a bottle of milk, it is better not to pour juices or, especially, alcoholic beverages. Also an important factor is the decency of the manufacturer, which can sometimes save on quality and environmental friendliness. Temperature conditions also need to be taken into account.
Did you know that when heated and in contact with water, plastic releases various harmful toxic compounds that, when they enter the human body, undermine its health, accumulate and cause various diseases.
Scientists say that up to 80% of the poisonous "plastic" substances found in the human body come from:
building and finishing materials - from heaters, waterproofing, wallpaper
household items - from plastic windows, furniture, household appliances
but most of all - from plastic dishes.
From food plastic, various toxic compounds pass directly into products.
The use of plastic utensils is very harmful. Especially harmful is the use of plastic containers that have become fashionable now, as they often go to store and heat food in microwave ovens. It is with this use - heating and contact with water and food, that there is the release and formation of toxic substances and poisons that enter the body. It turns out that we do not directly use poisons, and there are, as it were, no poisons around us, but everything that we touch, under certain conditions, releases poisons.
Technical and food plastics are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene and polycarbonate.
The polymers themselves are inert and non-toxic, but technological additives, solvents, chemical decomposition products, when ingested, have a toxic effect. This can happen when food is stored or heated. In addition, these materials, subjected to change (aging), emit destruction products.
Polyvinyl chloride is a chlorine-based polymer. It is distributed throughout the world, tk. extremely cheap. It is used to make bottles for drinks, boxes for cosmetics, containers for household chemicals, disposable tableware. Over time, PVC begins to release a harmful carcinogen - vinyl chloride. From the bottle it gets into the drink, from the plate into food, and with food into our body. The harmful substance from PVC begins to be released a week after the contents have been poured into it. A month later, several milligrams of vinyl chloride accumulate in mineral water (oncologists believe that this is a lot). Often, plastic bottles are reused: tea or other drinks are poured into them, even alcoholic ones. They sell milk and sunflower oil in the markets. Large bottles are used as buckets and even store "living" and "holy" water in it (the healing properties of water can only be preserved in glass containers).
BOTTLED WATER IS DEADLY
We are used to drinking from plastic bottles so much that we don’t even think about the dangers of such containers. The water itself, which eggplants are filled with, may not contain any harmful impurities. Although there is evidence that some manufacturers "enrich" it not with minerals, but with pharmaceutical preservatives.
Australian scientists conducted an experiment and found bisphenol-A in 95% of the volunteers studied. Moreover, the number of subjects included children and pregnant women. This substance got into the urine, most likely from bottled water. Under normal storage conditions, plastic does not exchange chemical elements with water. When heated even slightly above room temperature, the active movement of toxic molecules from a plastic bottle into the liquid with which it is filled begins. It is clear that in the heat of more than 30 degrees, such water becomes poisoned, including bisphenol-A. This component negatively affects the thyroid gland, the central nervous system, provokes the inability to have children, hypertension, obesity and diabetes.
In our country, there is another significant danger - the reuse of eggplants. Some even pour hot water into them, others use them repeatedly. This certainly increases the risk of chronic intoxication. Experts also note the significant cost of such water, which is hundreds of times higher than tap water. They advise it is better to spend this money on a quality water filter.
Water bottles should not be refilled with anything other than water. Only PET bottles can be reused. PVC bottles release toxic vinyl chloride. Experts believe that bottle plastic remains neutral only in the absence of oxygen, as long as the water retains its original chemical composition. As soon as the bottle is opened, water and plastic quickly change their properties.
Conscientious manufacturers put an icon at the bottom of dangerous bottles - a three in a triangle, or PVC, i.e. PVC. Harmful capacity can also be recognized by the influx on the bottom. It comes in the form of a line or a spear at both ends. If you press the bottle with your fingernail, a whitish scar forms on the dangerous one. A "correct" (relatively correct) bottle remains smooth.
MELAMINE WARE
Using dishes made of melamine (formaldehyde) is extremely dangerous. For the strength of dishes - asbestos is added to it. And asbestos is banned even in construction, let alone in dishes. Formaldehyde and asbestos are very harmful and can cause cancer. The drawing on such a plate is also harmful. A harmless dye cannot be applied to melamine - it will not hold. Therefore, paints containing heavy metals, primarily lead, are used.
Food in such dishes becomes poisonous (when heated, harmful substances-carcinogens are formed). Just a few times warming up soup in such a dish, you can earn a cancerous tumor.
Animal studies were conducted: some were fed for 2 months from porcelain dishes, and others from bright plastic. In the latter, a change in the composition of the blood was observed, which often leads to neoplasms.
Together with food, formaldehyde enters the body - a poison that adversely affects many vital organs, up to their failure. This even affects offspring (future children are born with various abnormalities, they will lag behind in development).
The dishes come from Turkey, Jordan and China - for the Russian market they paint them with scenes from “our life”. At home, manufacturers do not risk selling such dishes.
And in Europe, melamine is not favored, some countries write on the label: in the EEC, it is impossible, for export - please. This is how foreign manufacturers and sellers take care of the health of their citizens.
BEFORE YOU BUY SUCH WARE, THINK - IS IT WORTH RISKING YOUR HEALTH!?
Disposable cups can only be used for water. It is better not to drink sour juices, sodas, hot and strong drinks from them! It is not recommended to put hot food in polystyrene plates. Polystyrene (indicated by the letters PS) is indifferent to cold liquids. But when heated, the glass begins to release a toxic compound (styrene).
Fast food manufacturers also often use polystyrene packaging (cup, bag, bowl). And when it comes into contact with hot water, it begins to release harmful styrenes. Plates made of polystyrene are also used in summer cafes and canteens. In addition to the already not very healthy hot lunch, you can also get a dose of toxins.
Foods high in sugar and fat should not be cooked in plastic containers. They are heated to the melting point and deformation of the plastic. It is better to cook them in glassware that can withstand heating up to 140, 180 or more C.
Frozen ready-to-eat meals in reheatable trays may lose proper heat resistance when deep chilled (some brands).
Plastic utensils - used mainly for storing food (cheese, butter) or ready meals. You can't cook in it. Do not store sour foods, cabbage, pickled cucumbers and other vegetables in plastic containers. Wash with hot water too.
Canada has already listed bisphenol-A, which is used in plastic bottles, dental fillings, CDs and other everyday items, as a toxic substance. “Our science has proven that BPA can harm both human health and the environment, and we are the first country (in the world) to take strong action for Canadians,” Canadian Health Minister Leona Aglukkak said in a statement. Concerns about the harm of BPA were raised as early as 2008. Then Canadian scientists announced a possible connection between the presence of a substance in plastic dishes with a change in behavior, the risks of prostate and breast cancer, and changes in the brain.
According to Russian standards, bisphenol-A belongs to the class of moderately hazardous substances.
Some argue that if you do not exceed the permissible level of chemicals, there will be no harm. You need to eat more than 2 kg of canned food per day to get closer to the maximum allowable dose. Others insist: the more chemicals a person consumes, the more it destroys the body ... Plastic entered our lives 30 years ago. Now the first truly “plastic” generation is growing, and to draw conclusions about the effect of plastic on the body, you need to observe at least five generations ...
Stop poisoning yourself!
MOSCOW, November 10 - RIA Novosti. Valery Spiridonov, the first candidate for a head transplant, talks about how the land and oceans of the Earth are rapidly "overgrown" with plastic debris, how it affects the functioning of ecosystems and how it can be combated.
The era of plastic
Often, the modern benefits of civilization create not only convenience for people, but also cause irreparable damage to nature. In the last 10 years alone, more plastic products have been produced worldwide than in the previous century.
Disposable tableware, bags, packaging, bottles and various containers are the most common types of plastic waste that we "produce" every day. Only five percent of its volume is ultimately recycled and reused in everyday life and life.
Plastic causes serious damage to the environment, from its production to disposal. Factories producing plastic products release up to 400 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per year, and approximately 800 species of animals are now under threat of extinction due to eating and poisoning with plastic.
Disposable bags clog city sewer systems and create flood threats, plastic debris litter beaches and recreational areas, hurting the tourism industry.
The soil
Scientists: Stomachs of 90% of seabirds were filled with plasticOceanologists conducted a large-scale study of the diet of seabirds, which unexpectedly showed that the stomachs of 90% of sea birds contain particles of plastic, which indicates a greater scale of plastic pollution in the sea than previously thought.It is known that plastic decomposes for about two hundred years. Once in the ground, plastics break down into small particles and begin to release chemicals added to them during production into the environment. It can be chlorine, various chemicals, such as toxic or carcinogenic flame retardants.
Microgranules of plastic and its chemicals seep through the groundwater to the nearest water sources, which often leads to the mass death of animals.
Ocean
According to UN environmentalists, about 13 million tons of plastic waste enters the ocean every year.
Attempts to stop the catastrophic trend have been going on since the middle of the 20th century. Even then, environmentalists sounded the alarm about the growing "Great Garbage Patch", which currently, according to various estimates, covers up to one percent of the Pacific Ocean.
According to forecasts by the British Ellen MacArthur Foundation, by 2025 for every three kilograms of fish in the world's oceans there will be a kilogram of garbage, and by 2050 the mass of waste will be higher than the combined weight of all fish on Earth.
Plastic makes up 80 percent of all debris in the world's oceans. Under the influence of sunlight, it breaks down into small particles. Plastic microgranules accumulate persistent toxic substances on their surface.
Undecomposed plastic bags end up in the stomachs of marine mammals and birds. Ecologists have calculated that tens of thousands of birds, whales, seals, and turtles die from this every year. Animals die of suffocation, or indigestible debris accumulates in their stomachs and interferes with their work.
The result is that the same waste that we throw away is returned to us back on the dining table along with food or water.
Salt is no longer
Recent studies by scientists confirm that these fears are well founded. For example, NYU professor Sherry Mason argues that plastic is already everywhere: "In the air, in the water, in the seafood, in the beer we drink, in the salt we use."
In his work, the scientist examined 12 different types of salt from grocery stores around the world. The found particles of plastic indicate that people constantly consume it in food. The calculation showed that Americans eat over 660 plastic particles a year, with an average recommended salt intake of 2.3 grams per day. The consequences of plastic consumption for human health are still little studied, but it is undoubted that it has a negative impact, as it does on any living organism.
Spanish ecologists have also found microplastics in two dozen samples of table salt. Most often, they found in them polyethylene terephthalate, a polymer used in the production of plastic bottles. Another international team of scientists has found other types of plastic in salt, such as polyethylene and polypropylene.
Sources of pollution
According to environmentalists today, China is the leader in pollution of the world's oceans. It is followed by other Asian countries - Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The inhabitants of the sea coast in these states do not always care about its cleanliness and all the garbage here, as a rule, ends up in the ocean.
The total number of daily discarded plastic products in the US, EU, Norway and China reaches 37 thousand tons, in Russia - no more than 10 thousand tons. Existing plastic recycling technologies can only partially solve the environmental problem.
Legislative regulation
Proposals are being put forward for a consolidated international action plan to address the problem of plastic waste.
Experts from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) acknowledge that the problem has been exacerbated by prolonged inaction. Under the auspices of UNEP, the World Campaign to Combat Marine Litter has been launched.
An illustrative example is the Italian city of Capannori with a population of 46,700 people. In 2007, a zero waste strategy was introduced here. In ten years, the volume of garbage has been reduced by 40 percent. At the same time, only 18 percent of waste ends up in landfills.
It is worth noting that such a strategy requires certain investments and should include mechanisms for financing the fight against garbage. Alternatively, there is the "polluter pays" principle. For an industry with $750 billion in annual revenue, it could be quite effective.
More than 40 countries have established legal restrictions and bans on the use of plastic bags in their territories.
© AP Photo / Eric Risberg
© AP Photo / Eric Risberg
There are no such laws in Russia yet. According to current estimates by environmentalists and economists, Russian industrial enterprises produce approximately 26.5 billion plastic bags. If all of them were collected, then it would be possible to cover an area three times the size of Moscow.
In this regard, Greenpeace Russia launched the campaign "Package? - Thank you, no!" The purpose of the campaign is to call on the largest supermarket chains to abandon plastic bags. Anyone can support the program by sending a letter of appeal to retailers on the organization's website.
Personal culture of consumption
Every day we have an alternative: buy mineral water in a glass or plastic bottle, take disposable paper utensils or plastic plates for a picnic, use reusable shopping bags or shopping bags. Environmental concern or personal convenience? The choice determines the level of a person's self-consciousness.
Of course, such a culture in society is instilled over the years. The less each of us begins to use plastic in everyday life, the faster manufacturers will reduce its production. Don't choose "disposable" plastic solely because of its low price - often many plastic items can be replaced with reusable products made from more environmentally friendly materials.
For example, calculations by British analysts show that the reuse of plastic packaging will save up to 120 billion dollars every year. Decreasing plastic production, it seems to me, can increase the demand for more environmentally friendly reusable products from other raw materials and make them cheaper by increasing their mass production.
It is quite likely that we will be able to turn the tide in a few years and stop or at least slow down the environmental catastrophe.
There are other futuristic views on pollution problems. According to some scientists, irreversible changes are already taking place on our planet, we are threatened by a shortage of drinking water, global warming and other things that will make the Earth unsuitable for human life.
Some of them suggest not to look for new ways to save the Earth, but to focus on finding new planets that are most suitable for the resettlement of mankind. Even leaving aside questions of ethics and morality, it seems to me that such a path is not reasonable from a strategic point of view. It’s easier to put your “beautiful and well-equipped house” in order by cleaning it than to build and settle in a new one.
