Advantages and Disadvantages of Plastic

Plastic has recently become the most polarizing substance. It offers a number of advantages that help people daily, but the substance may also be one of the most hazardous materials in our world. The utility of plastics in the growth of urban lifestyles is immense. It was a word that made it easy to form and fold the goods. The name currently applies to a variety of polymers solely to modern definitions. The pros and downsides of plastics required a continuous assessment when new polymers began developing to prevent damage to the plastic environment.

Plastic is a synthetic or semi-synthetic polymer having unique properties. These materials are used in day-to-day life in a variety of applications. These plastics can be broadly categorized into 2 types, i.e., thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics. Polyethylene, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and PS (polystyrene) are some examples of plastics used for making plastic bottles, pipes, containers, etc. In this article, students will understand the various advantages and disadvantages of plastics.

Note: Plastic synonym is elastic.

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Advantages of plastics

There are many advantages of plastics. Some of them include

• Many plastics have a long, reusable lifespan
  Plastics must not be considered as throwaway or a product for single use. Many varieties of this substance have a longer life period than or the same as other materials. A well-maintained PVC pipe has a service capacity for up to a century. The average life expectancy of the plastics used in building is 35 years. This is one of the main advantages of plastic.
• The processes of plastic manufacture compare favorably with many others
  Although the plastics production process can be energy-intensive using fossil fuels, it is nevertheless an environmentally friendly resource in comparison with other materials. Methods of recycling can sometimes change the comparison. The advantage remains that when frequent reuse occurs, plastics can contribute. This is another advantage of plastic.
• Plastics are space-saving in facilities
  Although it takes a significant length of time for plastic materials to crumble into a site, the quantity of space plastics occupy in these areas of trash disposal is modest compared with other products. The volume of paper products is seven times higher. This includes another advantage of plastic.
• Due to decomposition, methane does not build-up
  Organic compounds release greenhouse gases when they are decomposed. This approach often focuses on carbon dioxide but is extremely hazardous to methane emitted. As a reflecting atmospheric component, methane is up to 20 times more effective than CO2. When the gas breaks down, plastics do not release it, therefore the entire life-path impact of the consequence is easier to calculate. This constitutes another main advantage of plastics.
• The safe mode of delivery of all required products is plastics
  Since plastic keeps the product safe, it is best to use plastic for water-containing bottles and other drinks. People use the material to get vulnerable people around the world swiftly and economically. This is the main merit of plastics.
• Plastics are an inexpensive material.
• The plastics industry plays a key role in the world economy
  The world's plastics business generates more than 1 trillion dollars every year.

Also Read:

• NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Chemistry Chapter 14 Environmental Chemistry
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Disadvantages of plastics

There are many disadvantages of plastics

• Typically, plastics are created from non-renewable resources While plastic initial materials originated from plant-based fibers, most of the products today produced are based on fossil fuels. It is usually petroleum, but natural gas can also be used to produce this product. About $4 \%$ of these fuels continue to manufacture new goods directly into the plastics sector. If you look at the amount of resources used during the process of refinement and the predicted increase in demand, the cost of plastics to fossil fuels might approach $20 \%$ in the next decade. This is the main disadvantage of plastic.
• The pollution in the world's waters is predominantly plastic Plastic comprises up to $80 \%$ of all marine waste. This problem is caused by marine and terrestrial sources, which often build up in broad open areas where tides come together. The problem concerns us finding rubbish on land, on beaches, and even in freshwater sources. Stirrers, bottles, cables, food wrappers and plastic straws are some of the items that are most common. At a cost of 5per kg, plastic pollution is removed from sea surface water, while the reutilization of this product is only $\$ 0.30$. This is why the efforts to clean up marine environments are spearheaded by non-profitable agencies. This is another disadvantage of plastic.
• Multiple economic costs could result from plastic pollution
  Pollution from plastic packaging itself causes the global economy an annual loss of over $\$ 80$ billion. It accounts for around $50 \%$ of all trash from this industry, and virtually any other industry does this in any form. Building and plastics contribute to $16 \%$ of plastic use, whereas textiles account for approximately $15 \%$. As many of the goods are not recycled, more of them are likely to alternately progress to waste streams.
• Unable to infinitely recycle plastic products
  Metals may be repeatedly recycled into a diversity of different items due to the qualities of the material. This is not the chance given by plastics. Only a handful of times can people retrieve or reuse it before it loses integrity and quality. This signifies that this product is more likely to be dumped or burned down in a landfill. Some plastic products cannot be recycled and hence the impact of this disadvantage might be further enhanced. More than 93 billion plastic objects are not affected annually, therefore they come into our waste stream. This is a demerit of plastic.

Also Read:

• NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Chemistry Chapter 14 Environmental Chemistry
• NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Chemistry Solutions Chapter 14 Environmental Chemistry
• NCERT notes Class 11 Chemistry Chapter 14 Environmental Chemistry

Some Solved Examples

Example 1: Making new containers from recycled materials like crushed glass helps to

1) Sour materials
2) Sane fuel
3) (correct) Both of these
4) None of these

Solution

Waste management -

Organic waste – composted or employed in a biogas plant.

Paper, plastic, and metals – recycled

Agricultural waste- manufacturing of paper, hardboard, animal feed, etc.

Hence, the answer is the option (3).

Example 2: Which of the following is not a source of water pollution?

1) Agricultural runoff
2) Industrial discharge
3) (correct) Use of environmentally friendly products
4) Plastic Overuse

Solution

The use of environmentally friendly products helps in preventing water pollution. Agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, and domestic sewage are all major sources of water pollution.

Hence, the answer is the option (3).

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