Understanding the Life Cycle of Styrofoam and Single-Use Plastics
Every time we buy something, whether it's goods or food, generally always wrapped in disposable plastic. Apart from plastic, styrofoam also not infrequently the main choice of culinary business owners to wrap their food. The result is clear, amount of trash styrofoam and single-use plastics in Indonesia continue to increase and eventually have a negative impact on the environment.
The Indonesian government itself has tried to suppress the use of single-use plastics by issuing DKI Jakarta Governor Regulation Number 142 Year 2019 regarding the Obligation to Use Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags at Shopping Centers, Supermarket, and People's Market. However, it seems that there are still many people who have not really paid attention to this rule.
Use styrofoam and single-use plastic isn't just bad for the environment, but also for our health. Why is that?? To know this, You have to know the life cycle first styrofoam and single use plastic.
Plastic and styrofoam it takes hundreds of years to decompose
Plastic and styrofoam is a material that is often used as a packaging. Plastic can be shaped and designed into a beautiful wrapper, cheap and waterproof. This practicality is the reason many people still use plastic. However, there is a price to pay for the practicality we get. Because, Plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose.
The plastic bags that you often use when shopping need at least 20 years to decompose. The plastic bottles you get when you buy drinks at the supermarket take even more time, that is 450 year. Besides that, plastic toothbrushes also take longer, more or less 500 years to decompose.
If plastic takes tens to hundreds of years to decompose, styrofoam it can't be decomposed, or decompose, at all. The shape will remain the same even if buried in the ground, will not disintegrate or decompose.
Why is it harmful to the environment?
Types of disposable plastic materials and styrofoam which is difficult to decompose is one of the reasons why these two objects are harmful to our environment. Reported from Kumparan.com, researcher Jenna R. Jambeck from Georgia University in 2010 mention that from approx 275 million tonnes of plastic waste scattered around the world, as much as 4,7 until 12,7 Tons of trash are in the oceans.
Plastic waste that is in the ocean can certainly threaten the life of marine biota. There is a risk that the waste will injure and be eaten by animals such as fish, turtle, seal, seabirds or other animals in the sea. Meanwhile, plastic waste collected on land can potentially pollute the air and soil through open burning or incineration.
On the other hand, World Health Organization (WHO) dan Environmental Protection Association (EPA) categorize styrofoam as an object that contains unhealthy content. Manufacturing material styrofoam containing polystyrene and CFC gases (freon) can damage the ozone layer. Besides that, making styrofoam It can also cause air pollution in the form of an unpleasant odor and can interfere with breathing.
Potentially bad for health
It's not only bad for the environment, styrofoam and single-use plastics are also bad for human health. Although difficult to unravel, Single-use plastics still have the potential to split into small particles called microplastics. Microplastics are only in size 0,3 until 0,5 millimeter. These small particles are dangerous because they risk entering the human body. The impact that can be caused to humans due to plastic waste pollution, among others, is cancer, stroke, as well as respiratory disease. The act of managing plastic waste by burning will produce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2).
Styrofoam included in the type of plastic or polymer, This material contains monomers, among others styrene, benzene and formalin which are known to have a number of negative impacts on the health of the body. The higher the temperature of the food inside styrofoam, the easier it is for styrene to transfer to food. This can cause damage to the spinal cord, problems with the thyroid gland, to anemia.
Does this mean we can no longer use plastic and styrofoam?
It is undeniable that a complete stop using styrofoam and plastic is very hard. Regardless of the danger, plastic and styrofoam still needed for some things. However, we can reduce its use, such as by carrying non-plastic bags when shopping or using non-plastic drinking bottles when buying drinks at cafes.
Besides that, It is also important to treat plastic waste and styrofoam well through the process reuse, reduce, and recycle. Reduce usage styrofoam (reduce), and reuse or recycle single-use plastics (reuse, recycle). If you are overwhelmed or don't have time to do plastic recycling, You are located in Central Jakarta, South and West can subscribe to ARAH's waste recycling service. Implementing an integrated system, RAH will help collect and manage your plastic waste. You can contact ARAH via Whatsapp via the number +6281311116800 or visit arahenvironmental.com for more detailed information.
Completely removed from use styrofoam and single-use plastic is indeed quite difficult to do. However, it's not that we can't do anything to reduce the impact of its use on the environment and health. Reduce usage styrofoam and single use plastic. Make sure any plastic you have used is recycled.