Plastic Affecting The Environment

Rianna Segal Period 6
How Does the Recycling of Plastic Affect the Environment?
Recycling greatly benefits many aspects of the world, particularly the environment. Almost everything used in today’s society is manufactured from plastic (i.e. water/ shampoo/ mouthwash bottles, food containers, furniture, technology, etc.). Due to this, not recycling plastic can lead to many problems in our environment. Recycling plastic promotes the conservation of energy and natural resources. It also contributes to the decrease of water and air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. To add, recycling plastic can save landfill space, or structure
Fossil fuels are burned during the production of plastic, which results in the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc. If we recycle plastic, many of these fossil fuels will no longer be used in such large quantities, and therefore the number of greenhouse gases emitted will become lower. This will also help lower air pollution. According to the Stanford Alumni, which is known for their continuous researches, “…recycling could save between 30 and 170 million tons of carbon each year, or the approximate equivalent of removing between six and 30 million vehicles from U.S. roads” (Staley, 2005). Reducing the amount of plastic waste will ultimately result in a healthier atmosphere. Water pollution can also be decreased if plastic is recycled. Since there won’t be such a high quantity of plastic waste, the need for disposal of it will decrease, and most of it will not end up in the oceans. According to Conserve Energy Future, which mainly writes about environmental issues throughout the world, “Recycling helps…reduce air pollution and water pollution (from land filling) by reducing the need for “conventional” waste disposal...” (No Author Given, 1). If the amount of plastic waste decreases, the need for disposing waste the way we do now, which includes using landfills, will not be
Landfills are big contributors to the destruction of the environment. They lead to pollution of water and soil, and produce methane which is a greenhouse gas. The effects of landfills also can include animals or even people being killed, roads being damaged, and annoyances like a lot of noise, stenches, and vermin. According to Conserve Energy Future, “Recycling programs keep 70 tons of waste from being deposited into landfills every year” (No Author Given, 1). Hence, recycling plastic will decrease waste, which in turn will decrease the amount of landfill space needed. If the amount of landfill space decreases, the environment is greatly