Why are plastics a problem?

Question

Why are plastics a problem?

Answer 1

They are a problem because

(1) if you bury them, unlike other products, they will not decompose. They will remain the same or they will take million of years to decompose.

(2) If you burn them they will release harmful gases which usuallly affect our health.

Answer 2

plastics which can be recycle,reuseable and biodegradable

are not a problem.

but the plastic is a problem, if it can't be...

recycle,reuseable and biodegradable

Answer 3

b/c they are not biodegradable.  You know people just throw plastic things on the ground, in the water and they will stay there.  Most likely they will out live us!!  Animals eat them and die because they are obviously not able to digest plastics.  You dont realize it but everything is like the domino effect!!

Answer 4

it's non biodegradable n upon incineration,releases toxic fumes..

Answer 5

not  biodegradable

Answer 6

not bio-degradable

Answer 7

The main problem with plastics is that it isn't biodegradable. This means that plastics will sit in landfills for centuries and disintegrate very little. This is not environmentally friendly at all!

While some types of plastics can be recycled, many types still cannot. Remember to check your bottle or plastic for the recycling symbol before you throw it out!

Also, recently, for plastic water bottles specifically, concerns have been raised about the use of Bisephenol-A in it. While Bisephenol-A allows the plastic bottle to be microwaveable and everything, it also leaks into the water that it holds. This is a problem because the chemical Bisephenol-A mimics the hormone estrogen. The fact that it immitates estrogen is especially damaging for men because they naturally don't produce a lot of estrogen. Mainly men use testosterone. The presence of high levels of estrogen could trigger the development of female s*x characteristics. However, regardless of gender, Bisephenol-A often causes the reproductive system to fail causing infertility.

This is one of the new problem with plastics.

Answer 8

They are made from petroleum, so they help use up a natural resource some believe may be dwindling.

Also, they NEVER disappear. Plastics don't break down or dissolve. They may disintegrate into smaller and smaller pieces, but the chemical composition remains intact, although certain volatile and poisonous components may leach out and contaminate soil or water.

As a result, they lie around and take up space, and in some shapes can become hazardous to animals and sea life. For instance, the plastic rings that hold six-packs together have been known to strangle turtles who get their necks caught in the circles. Brightly colored plastic bags swirling in underwater currents have been mistaken for food, and once swallowed, plugged up digestive systems and caused death.