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WHAT HAPPENS TO PLASTIC THAT YOU THROW AWAY


Origin of plastic


Are formed in oil refineries by chemically bonding oil and gas molecules together, forming monomers (polyethylene terephthalate(polyester)). In turn, these monomers bond to form long polymer chains to make plastic in the form of millions of pellets.

These pellets are then melted and molded to make the resilient material that makes up the triplet's bodies. They are then filled, wrapped, shipped, bought, consumed, and unceremoniously (unceremonious=rude, sudden) discarded.

The 3 fates of plastic - empty and discarded plastic impact nothing other than the fate of the planet.


  1. Landfills


As hundreds of millions of tons (10^11)of plastic brethren (plural of brother), they end up in a landfill which expands each day because more plastic continues to take up space. As plastic sits there being compressed amongst layers of other junk over time, rainwater flows through the waste and absorbs the water-soluble compounds it contains, some of which are highly toxic, together they form a harmful stew called LEACHATE.

This leachate can move into:

          a. Groundwater 

          b. Soil 

          C. Streams (poisoning the ecosystem and  harming wildlife)

In this fate, it can take agonizing 1000 years to decompose.


  1. The great pacific garbage patch


 The plastic floats on a trickle (to go somewhere slowly and gradually) that reaches a stream, the stream flows into a river and the river runs into the ocean. Over time, due to water currents, the plastic is drawn into a massive vortex (a mass of air, water, etc. that turns around very fast and pulls things into its center) where the trash accumulates and forms THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH. (Here the ocean currents have trapped millions of pieces of plastic debris).

What happens to the aquatic life:

a. Some animals, like seabirds get entangled in the mess because they mistake the brightly colored plastic bits for food. 

b. Others eat the plastic mistaking it for food, plastic makes them feel full when they are not, so they eventually starve to death and pass the toxins from the plastic up the food chain. 

Example:

Lanternfish ➡ squid ➡ tuna fish ➡ humans 

Note:

Most plastics don't biodegrade, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces c/d MICRO PLASTICS which might eternally rotate in the sea.

  1. Recycle


Thrown in separate dustbin ➡ brought to a plant ➡ squeezed flat and compressed into blocks ➡ blocks are shredded into tiny pieces ➡ washed and melted ➡ converted again into raw materials that can be used again ➡ ready to be reborn into something new.
Location: India

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