What is a common feature between laptop computer bags, hair loss products, skin care treatment? The common feature is plastic. Plastic is extracted out of petroleum. Petroleum is extracted from the earth and taken to a refinery. The crude oil is refined into gasoline, LPG, ethane, butane, propane, naphthalene, tar, grease and other products.
The propane and ethane are cracked into propylene and ethylene at about 3000 degrees centigrade. A catalyst is combined in propylene and ethylene making what is known as fluff which is a powdery material which looks like washing detergent. The fluff is put into a blender other additives are added to it continuously. Now becomes a polymer where it is fed into an extruder and melted.
This melted plastic is cooled while making pellets in a pelletizer. These pellets are the plastic, which is shipped to the customers. The customers then mould the plastic through various processes of moulding by injection, blowing and extrusion. Plastic is considered as the greatest innovation of the 20th century and is used in all aspects of life.
Some desirable properties is its lightweight, does not rot rust, as it is light more bottles or packets can be transported thereby reducing transportation cost. It is believe the save natural resources, because sand to make glass is not removed off the beaches which is a home to many intertidal species endemic to the seashores only. Trees to make paper and cartons are saved, too.
The trees cut to make cartons and paper is saved. Inventors are working all over the world to make great gadgets like a television on a plastic sheet which folds away to make more space. Why is the use of plastics banned from various places even though it is a wonder material?
After domestic sewage and industrial waste, plastic is the most toxic anthropogenic pollutant. It remains in the environment for more than 700 years as there are decomposers to degrade it and is highly toxic.
Unless a plastic-eating bacteria is made like we have oil-slick eating bacteria. Since the onset of the manufacturing process, carcinogens like Vinyl chloride and benzene besides other chemicals are used like certain gases and hydrocarbons, which violate the atmosphere and the earth. Not only this, they slowly degrade even when food and drinks are contained in them and pollute and sicken our bodies. Reasons enough to avoid them.
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