Last Updated on March 11, 2021 by Filip Poutintsev
Imagine everything you have in your home; from your toothbrush to your air conditioner or even the washing machine. Now think of the materials they are made of and imagine replacing them with non-plastic materials, perhaps wooden, metal or paper. How would it be?
There are many things that would pop up on your mind, most likely being the look, weight, durability, and finally the cost.
How much would a wooden washing machine or an air conditioner cost and how long would it last. What would it feel like brushing your teeth with bristles that are not made of plastic?
Plastics have become one of the most significant manufacturing materials for virtually everything. Having said that, it is, of course, polluting the environment because it’s non-biodegradable. It would be good if you could slowly reduce the use of plastic in our daily lives but the question is “At what cost?” Let’s check some of the pros and cons of the use of plastic products.
Pros of Using Plastic Products
Advantages of Using Plastic Products
Plastics have definitely made life easier for humans. They are actually the byproduct of the overall development the world has seen in the last four decades. With the discovery and use of plastic products, we have been able to experience efficiency in doing the daily work. Some of the most important advantages of the use of plastics are:
1. Plastics are Durable
There are some plastics that last more than the life of a human. Not all plastics are the disposable type. PVC piping has a life span of more than a hundred years. Household products that are made of plastics have a normal lifespan of more than 25 years.
2. Made Our Life a Whole Lot Easier
Like mentioned earlier, imagine some of the items that you use on a daily basis made of anything else but plastic. How would you drink water or store food? Every aspect of life from transportation to medical facilities, from fitness tools to study materials, is connected with plastics. It is because of the plastics we are able to stuff much easier and faster than we would do otherwise.
3. The Cost is Less Than Half
Life without plastics would cost us more than twice the current amount. The manufacturing cost of plastic products is much less than other materials. In the kitchen, the less expensive plastic cutleries take up less space and weigh much less than glass or ceramic. Food stored in plastic containers preserves the freshness and flavour for a longer period of time.
4. Handful of Advantages
Besides being durable and cost-efficient, plastic products are water and heat resistant. It weighs less for household use. Some plastics are recyclable making it more efficient than some of the paper alternatives as well(eg. plastic bags compared to paper bags that leaves more net environmental impact because it requires more energy to produce than plastic)
Cons of Using Plastic Products
Disadvantages of Using Plastic Products
Humans are egocentric by nature. We tend to choose comfort over cost. Use of plastic is, of course, to make life easier for humans but it does not end there. Because of its excessive use and non-biodegradable nature, plastics have become one of the most widely spread harmful substance that ends up being on the food we eat. Some Cons of Plastic Products are:
1. Non-Renewable Nature.
Plastics are made of non-renewable resources making it less desirable than its alternatives. It takes millions of years to degrade and end up on landfills disturbing the ecosystem and making way to the food chain of different organisms including humans.
2. Burning of Plastics Releases Toxic Chemicals
Burning them is not the right solution to go for. When burnt, they release some of the most toxic chemicals that severely impair the lives of different plants and animals.
3. Environmental Pollution
100 billion plastic bags are thrown away in America each year. This garbage end up on the ocean polluting and disturbing the marine ecosystem. The packaging materials are mostly made of plastics and the presence of microplastics in those packaging materials can very possibly end up on the food we eat on a daily basis. Moreover, they contain harmful compounds.
