Petrochemical Peril: From Plastic Dependence to a Circular Economy

Photo Source - Google

Exacerbating climate change, the production of new plastic, a process reliant on fossil fuels, emits copious amounts of greenhouse gases.

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Nearly 400 million tons of new plastic are created each year, much of which will take hundreds of years to decompose, if at all.

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Recycling old plastic not only reduces waste but also uses less energy compared to manufacturing new plastic.

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With microplastics now found from the heights of Mount Everest to the depths of the Mariana Trench, the accumulation of plastic in our environment is a sobering reality.

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A risk we can mitigate by halting new plastic production, as prolonged exposure to plastic waste poses significant health risks to humans & wildlife alike.

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Given the unequal burden of plastic waste on marginalized & impoverished communities, mass plastic production is not just an environmental issue, it is an ethical concern.

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We can imagine a future where we achieve a circular economy for plastic, wherein every piece is reused & nothing is wasted.

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Our reliance on plastic is a challenge to be met unitedly so that a new society free of plastic is formed or at least efforts are to be made to minimize the plastic menace.

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