Plastic pollution and recycling

Plastic pollution and recycling

BY

S.SRIVIDHYA

III BIOCHEMISTRY

Plastic pollution

Plastic pollution involves the accumulation of plastic products in the environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, or humans.[1] Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized into micro-, meso-, or macro debris, based on size.

Can cause other pollutions secondarily

Affects thyroid gland and reproductive system

Effects of Plastic Pollution

Upsets the Food Chain due to ingestion by planktons

Water Pollution: plastics dumped into the sea

Land Pollution: stuck on poles, traffic lights, trees, fences, tower etc

Air Pollution due to Burning of plastic in the open air

Kills Animals (ex:cows)

What is Plastic Recycling?

Plastic recycling is the process of recovering different types of plastic material in order to reprocess them into varied other products, unlike their original form.

A recycled plastic cant be recycled again usually

Sorting:

Washing

Shredding(cutting) To separate

based on weight.

• Different plastics are used to make different materials.

Extruding(melting):

Common Recycled Plastics

Polyethylene Terephthalate

High Density Polyethylene

Polyvinyl Chloride

Low Density Polyethylene

Biodegradation of plastics steps

Mechanism

Biodegradation: most common : genus Bacillus

Bioplastics

Plastics made from plant sources are said to be bioplastics

Composition: plant oil, cellulose, corn starch, potato starch, sugar cane, etc.,

Solutions for plastic pollution