Plastic water bottles are one of the widely used things. It has some adverse effects on the environment. Though plastic is a recyclable material. We are going to discuss why plastic bottle is bad for environment through this article. Before using any plastic bottle, read this article to save the planet.
1. Fossil Fuels Are Needed To Produce Plastic Bottles
The use of non-renewable fossil fuels in the production of plastic bottles is a major issue. Oil-based polyethylene terephthalate is used to make the majority of plastics.
Even worse, energy is required during a plastic bottle’s entire life, including for storage, disposal, and transportation, in addition to being wasted throughout the manufacturing process.
An estimated 76 million barrels of oil are needed annually in the United States for the production, transportation, storage, and disposal of plastic bottles. That’s 4.3 million cars’ worth of oil for a year! The source
Recommend: Best Aluminum Bicycle Water Bottles
2. Bottled Water Production Is Bad For the Environment
Have you ever pondered the source of the water used in bottled water? Many natural water sources get depleted as the water is extracted for sale as bottled water. Plastic and plastic bottles have a number of harmful consequences on the environment and may even have an impact on our way of life, especially in drought-prone areas.
The fact that so much bottled water is sold in locations far from the extraction site exacerbates this issue. Because the harvested water is moved to a new place, local water resources will never recover through the water cycle.
3. Marine Ecosystems Are At Risk from Plastic Bottles
Given how many plastic bottles are sold every day, the majority will be disposed of incorrectly. This is a serious issue since research indicates that plastic bottles currently account for a large amount of the overall plastic pollution in water bodies and rank as the fifth most frequently discovered garbage at beach cleanups.
Eventually, a large portion of the plastic debris ends up in the ocean. Even land-based plastic that is distant from the ocean can be blown or carried into a body of water, which then travels through rivers or drainage systems before emptying into the ocean.
Because it can be mistaken for food by fish and birds, plastic is bad for the ecosystem. Additionally, tiny species like plankton may be impacted by plastic because it can arrive in a variety of sizes. Animals may become starved to death if they consume large amounts of plastic because it might clog their digestive tracts. Sometimes, animals, like sea turtles, could be strangled to death by the irregular shapes of plastic particles.
4. It Is Impossible For Plastic Bottles to Biodegrade
You must comprehend the distinction between biodegrading and degrading in order to comprehend what this entails. When an object is broken down (digested) by biological creatures, it is said to be biodegrading. This implies that the object can be spontaneously regenerated into new organic molecules and new life by decomposers like bacteria and fungi. Conversely, degradation is simply the process of a particle disintegrating into smaller fragments.
Plastic cannot be recycled by living things. Instead, plastic will continue to decompose into smaller bits due to a mix of environmental variables like rain and the sun’s radiation. Whether on land or in the ocean, these fragments, also known as microplastics, will always be plastic.
Recycling is not an environmentally friendly process because it requires washing water bottles, which pollutes water and uses additional electricity, even though most authorities recommend it as a flagship green practice.
5. Plastic Bottles Are Extremely Harmful To Your Health
Toxic substances are released as a result of the degradation of plastic water bottles. Additionally, reusing a plastic bottle could create a perfect environment for bacteria to grow. These frequently put the body at higher risk of absorbing the substances, which puts humanity at serious risk. Therefore, it is recommended that plastics be outlawed and eliminated permanently.
Plastics may be detrimental to human health because of the chemical additives used in the manufacture of plastic water bottles. Exposure to harmful chemicals emitted by plastic can cause cancer, immune system impairment, congenital defects, and other illnesses.
Summary
People use plastic bottles widely, but with some precautions, their bad effects can be reduced. Plastic is undoubtedly dangerous for the environment. We hope you will be careful after learning why plastic bottle is bad for environment? You can use any metal water bottle like an aluminum water bottle to make the environment safer.
