Plastic Waste: Types and Ways to Reduce Its Impact on the Environment

Plastic is one of the materials that is still widely found in Indonesia. Usually, plastic is often used for single-use packaging. Unfortunately, plastic waste management in Indonesia has not been managed well. Therefore, this often becomes a problem that impacts the environment.

Now, many people have started to reduce the use of plastic waste. In addition, campaigns to reduce the use of plastic materials are also increasingly being voiced in society. However, friends should also know everything about plastic waste so that the steps to reduce its impact are also appropriate.

What is Plastic Waste?

Plastic waste is all used or unused items made from non-renewable chemical materials. Most of the plastic waste used daily is usually for packaging. Practically, plastic bags are still often used as organic waste containers that will be thrown into landfills.

According to the UN Environment website, the chemicals used to make plastic usually come from oil, natural gas, and coal. Since 1950, the plastic waste produced has reached 8.3 billion tons, and about 60% of plastic ends up in landfills or scattered in the natural environment.

Unconsciously, the use of plastic may have become a comfort zone for many people. When shopping, plastic packaging and bags also become practical alternatives that are easy to obtain. For industry players, plastic materials are also relatively cheap compared to other materials.

Examples of Plastic Waste in Daily Life

What types of waste contribute to plastic pollution? Based on their type, plastic materials are classified into several different materials. Each type of plastic is usually made from one or several mixtures of chemical substances. Some examples of plastic waste are as follows:

• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE), used for clear bottles and food trays
• High-density Polyethylene (HDPE), used for bottle caps, chemical bottles, toys
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC - U), used for pipes, electrical cable insulation, and door frames
• Polypropylene (PP), used for ready-to-eat food packaging, sauce, and syrup bottles
• Polystyrene or Styrofoam (PS), used for food boxes/bowls or egg packaging

So, it should be realized that plastic waste does not only refer to packaging waste. Materials used to make toys or leftover pieces of pipes that are scattered on the beach and carried away by seawater also become waste that is difficult to decompose. This waste can not only impact the cleanliness of the environment but also the health of living beings around it.

The Impact of Plastic Waste on the Environment

According to an article from National Geographic, it is also mentioned that fibers from plastic waste can accumulate in human feces. In other words, when someone eats shrimp, tuna, or other seafood contaminated with plastic waste, the microplastics are also ingested by the body. What seems trivial actually has a significant impact, doesn't it?

Basically, plastic waste can be recycled and reused to create useful items. Unfortunately, education about plastic waste in Indonesia is not yet optimal. Many people are already accustomed to throwing plastic waste without separating it from other types of waste.

Plastic waste that has been mixed with other waste becomes more difficult to recycle. Moreover, many people intentionally or unintentionally litter in natural recreational areas such as beaches and mountains. This causes plastic waste to end up on the seabed or in rivers.

The impact of plastic waste on the environment is indeed dangerous. Furthermore, its chemicals can also decompose into microplastics that adversely affect human health. However, CNNIndonesia.com mentions in its article that plastic waste also has economic value from its recycling system.

As an illustration, plastic bag waste has a selling value of Rp500 – Rp1000 per kilogram. Collectors can also sell plastic bottles and their caps at even higher selling prices. If the use of plastic is banned, there is a potential loss of economic circulation that harms the recycling industry.

Through the same article, the Head of the Polymer and Membrane Technology Laboratory at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Akhmad Zainal, suggests that a step the government can take is waste processing. In this way, plastic waste management can be done more effectively and also save raw materials for production.

How to Reduce Plastic Waste

Currently, the use of disposable utensils has also started to be reduced. A small step that has begun to be regularly taken is using organic materials that are easier to decompose. Not only to reduce plastic waste, but people have also started to get used to bringing stainless or wooden eating utensils, especially during the pandemic.

These small habits can reduce the potential waste from disposable plastic utensils. In addition, here are some things that can be done to reduce plastic waste:

Getting used to cooking at home

In the digital era, everything can indeed be done more easily. One of them is buying ready-to-eat food. However, are you aware that every purchase of food packaged in plastic will become waste? Well, if you get used to cooking at home, that waste can be reduced.

Buying raw materials in larger sizes

Do you often buy several small packages of spices or cleaners? Try buying larger packages directly. This way, the plastic waste can be reduced. If you buy snacks like chips, transfer them to a jar or another larger container for better storage.

Bringing shopping bags when going out

This is probably already done when intending to shop at supermarkets or minimarkets. Now, make sure to keep bringing shopping bags when going out. Some places no longer provide plastic bags at all. Even if you do not intend to shop, at least this can be done as a precaution. It would be troublesome to have to carry items or force them into the bag you are carrying, right?

Bringing reusable eating utensils

Nowadays, many restaurants have eliminated disposable utensils. Some restaurants may still replace straws with plastic straws. However, it will be more comfortable to drink using your own straw and eating utensils. Besides being safer in terms of cleanliness, you can choose stainless utensils for easier cutting of hard-textured food.

Replacing wet wipes with cloth

To make it more practical to clean surfaces at home, many people provide wet wipes. It is indeed easier, but wet wipes contain plastic resin that is difficult to dissolve in water! Therefore, it would be wiser to replace wet wipes with just a damp cloth.

The issue of plastic waste may seem trivial, but its impact can be troublesome. Not only for the future but also troublesome for you right now. Now, start to get used to processing plastic waste more wisely!

Author: Rizkita Darajat