WHY IS PLASTIC POLLUTION DANGEROUS?
Fossil Fuels that we currently rely on are produced from the remnants of dinosaurs and plankton from millions of years ago.
The remnants from the process of making oil are used to make plastic and plastic never bio-degrades back into the soil.
As plastic breaks down into small particles it releases the toxic chemical additives that were used to define, harden and shape it, These chemicals and small particles of plastic can be ingested or absorbed by wildlife and even humans. Our bodies confuse these chemicals for Estrogen (the hormone that determines feminine characteristics). An over abundance of "environmental estrogen" disrupts our endocrine systems and is suspected to cause serious health disorders.
We need to raise awareness and create demand for sustainable alternatives to toxic petrochemical products. We have the technology available or we will develop it if the demand is there.
Remember you vote with every dollar that you spend.
Plastic is an ideal material for single-use disposable packaging and other products because they are cost-effective, lightweight and practical. But petroleum based plastics and the chemical compounds within them can damage human health.
Scientific studies have suggested that two chemicals often used in food packaging, Bisphenol A (BPA) and Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), can disrupt the human endocrine system and cause birth defects, autism and hyperactivity.
Plastic containers, bags and plastic coatings help keep food fresh, but they can also leave behind neurotoxins such as BPA in the human body. PVC is used for everything from pipes and flooring to furniture and clothes, but it contains compounds called phthalates that have been implicated in male reproductive disorders.
While the adverse effects of BPA have been studied, the contribution of total dietary food intake has not been fully investigated just yet, but it’s fair to assume, that current study will only prove what logic dictates, that plastic pollution is causing enumerable diseases among humans.
For more information read this excellent article entitled Plastics, Human Health, and Environmental Impacts: The Road Ahead.