POLLUTION OF PLASTIC BOTTLES.
Pollution from plastic bottles is ubiquitous in our environment these days. At home, at the service, or in any other place, the plastic bottle has become a habit. However, the misuse of this organic material is not without consequences for the living environment and health. It is important to discover its origin, its manufacturing method and its protean impacts. That there are solutions to distribute water differently
The manufacturing process of plastic bottles
Plastic encompasses a set of synthetic organic elements. The raw material of plastic, and in particular PET (polyethylene terephthalate), is crude oil. This crude oil, after being extracted from the ground, goes through a refinement process.
Conveniently, crude oil is heated to 385 ° in a large oven. This process makes it possible to separate it from its different constituents. Once the correct temperature is reached, the crude oil is sent to the distillation tower. Inside the tower, the varieties of hydrocarbons, contained in the crude oil, separate from each other.
By the action of heat, the different molecules turn into gas and rise in the distillation tower. They will gradually condense like water vapor on a cold window. Molecules that condense between 180 ° C and 40 ° C generate a liquid called “naphtha”
The production of plastics involves the transformation of naphtha by mixing it with water vapor. Under the effect of heat, molecules break down and take carbon with them. Basic chemicals, these small molecules are called “monomers”.
Small molecules are reacted to form a “polymer”. This last step is called polymerization. The plastics are then in solid form, a semblance of resin. Finally, additives and adjuvants are added to improve the chemical and physical properties of these plastics.
Pollution, the impacts of plastic bottles
The use of plastic bottles has consequences for both the environment and human health.
Environmental impacts
Once in the living environment, plastic bottles become a source of aesthetic and marine pollution.
Aesthetic pollution of plastic bottles
After use, plastic bottles are often found by the thousands in nature. Most of the time, they are thrown on the ground or blown away by the wind. They litter the arteries, the beaches, thereby causing a deterioration of the landscapes.
Marine pollution
In marine space, bottles decompose and fragment into microplastics. Scattered in the ocean, they pose dangers to aquatic flora and fauna.
Floating plastics become marine litter that kills protected and endangered species. This is the case with the sea turtle. Even animals in remote areas are not spared.
This state of affairs was highlighted by a study published in 2011 by the San Diego Institute of Oceanography. This study found that in 2009, 1 in 10 fish in the North Pacific ingested pieces of plastic. Fish living at average depths ingested around 24,000 t / year.
In addition, in plants, these plastics suffocate the soil. They thus slow down plant growth, thereby creating desertification.
Impacts on human health
The consequences of the misuse of plastic bottles do not spare mankind. Indeed, it is recorded as consequences, reproductive problems, then cancer and malformation.
Reproductive issues
Many chemicals, present in plastic, are the cause of the drop in the quality of sperm. These substances cause diseases affecting the reproductive system through endocrine disruptors.
Indeed, the predominant compounds implicated are phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). These are two substances found in some plastics. In Canada, it was extirpated from the market, all bottles containing BPA as a precaution.
Cancer and malformation
Scientific studies have shown the existence of carcinogenic dioxins in the smoke produced by the incineration of plastics.
This poisonous gas attacks the lungs or hormones. This results in cancers and malformations in newborns.
In conclusion, it is necessary to reduce the use of plastics, to preserve the environment and health.
