The Problem
Clearly, plastics damage the ocean environment and a pollution prevention strategy should be put into place. One strategy often seen is the use of "biodegradable" or "compostable" plastics. Consumers use these products to reduce their footprint on the environment--but are these new plastics really more environmentally friendly?
The answer to this is no. While these plastics aren't as persistent, they still have a massive negative impact on marine life. The label on plastics claiming them to be biodegradable or compostable refers to the smaller amount of time it takes for these plastics to break down.
However, this can be even more problematic. When these plastics reach the ocean, they break down quickly when they are exposed to lots of sunlight. The millions of small particles of plastic then produced are easy for fish to ingest, and build up in the stomachs of marine organisms. In addition, plastics are difficult to recycle and only a very small percentage are recovered each year (Moore, 2014).
Alternatives
Fortunately, there are many green alternatives to plastics. While paper bags do not strangle sea life, they take a lot of resources to make and to recycle. The best option when grocery shopping is to BYOB, or bring your own bag. This saves resources and marine life, and helps to make fish safer for humans to eat.
New products are being
created by many concerned companies.
For example, a brewery in Florida has created beer rings from a material that is biodegradable and safe for marine life to ingest (see bottom of page 5). Supporting companies that make an effort to reduce plastic is a great way to encourage other businesses to begin to use prevention strategies to reduce plastic output.
There are many easy solutions you can use to reduce your plastic footprint. Biodegradable or not, plastic harms the marine ecosystem as well as human health and economy, so plastic output should be reduced as much as possible.
Why are Plastics Still Around?
Opinion: Consumerism Encourages Plastics
The United States is an economy based on stuff. Citizens are encouraged to buy more, whether they need it or not.
Unfortunately, this type of thinking encourages the use of plastics. Modern items often must be shipped from overseas, and these items are often packaged with plastic. In addition, plastic has uses in a many aspects of American life. It can be used to keep food fresh, to make toys, or for tape.
This wide usage of plastic makes it even more difficult to phase out the material. In order to do so, alternative products must be made to replace the plastic ones. Due to the wide scale of this projoct, it could take large amounts of time. A much easier solution to plastic in the United States is for the consumers to avoid plastic products and educate themselves and others on the effects plastics can have on marine ecosystems.
Plastics persistent in nature and in society
What About Biodegradable Platics?