More and more plastic waste is polluting the world’s cities, countryside and oceans. What problems does this cause? What measures could be taken to solve them?

Nowadays, most items we consume are made from

plastic

or have unnecessary

plastic

packaging. Every day, we consume countless tonnes of trash, like straws, containers and

plastic

bags. They are thrown in the garbage and eventually end up in our environment.

This

essay will examine the harm caused by

plastic

waste and propose ways to reduce waste and solve the

problem

.

To begin

with, we must examine why

plastic

waste is

such

a complex

problem

.

Plastic

is non-biogedradable. That means that, unlike paper, wood, cotton or other organic materials, it does not break down and decompose into harmless particles.

Plastic

is made from petrochemicals and does not decompose:

instead

, it takes decades to break down. When it does, it becomes microscopic particles of

plastic

that can enter the soil and the water., eventually entering the bloodstream of humans and animals. Microplastic toxicity has been linked to cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders and congenital disabilities. To curb

this

disaster, every person, every community and every nation needs to work together to solve the

problem

.

Firstly

, we need to reduce

plastic

consumption by legislating bans on unnecessary

plastic

production. Large corporations and businesses must be financially penalised for excessive production and rewarded for eco-friendly alternatives to reduce

plastic

production. The

next

step is influencing the population to make eco-friendly choices and only purchase

plastic

-free items. They need to be subsidised and promoted as an ethical choice.

Lastly

, we need to recycle our

plastic

, so it does not pollute the environment. Recycling systems need to be free and easily accessible to everyone. In summation,

this

situation is dire, and the

problem

could have detrimental effects on the future of humanity. If we do not solve the

problem

, we could experience catastrophic environmental collapse.

Therefore

, by addressing the issue with a multi-level strategy, starting with serious commitments from our nation's leaders, we can stem the tide of

plastic

pollution and save the planet.