Plastic Pollution in the United States (Free Essay Sample)

Plastic pollution in the United States is a problem that seems to have no end in sight. Plastic is a substance that does not decompose. Every piece of plastic that has ever been produced is still lingering around in the environment in one form or another. Plastic only breaks down slowly into what scientists call “microplastics”, which are tiny, microscopic particles of plastic. These particles end up in the food and water supply for every living species to consume. Although there has been a campaign to “reduce, reuse, and recycle” since the early 1970s, Americans produce and use far more plastics than are recycled. Americans can help reduce the plastic pollution in the environment by enacting a federal ban on single-use plastics and using reusable steel water bottles. Plastic pollution is a problem that afflicts not only the human species but every animal and plant on the planet.

Plastic pollution has been an ever-growing concern for generations. Plastic was first developed at the turn of the 20th century. It was not until the 1960s that plastic pollution was first noticed and brought to the attention of the public. Plastic debris in the environment is steadily increasing as the years pass. When plastic is used and discarded it slowly, over years, breaks down into microplastics. These microplastic particles get washed away by rain and can be found in much of every water supply in America (Ayer & Merino, 2022). Marine life is at a higher risk of the dangers from microplastics due to so much of America’s litter being washed down rivers and streams into the oceans.

Unfortunately, much of the plastic that gets washed into the oceans is due to plastic water bottles and plastic bags. These are just two examples of America’s single-use plastics that get discarded so carelessly. It is very common to see people walking around carrying a plastic bottle of water. It is a cheap and convenient way to stay hydrated on the go. Almost every grocery store nowadays only has plastic bag options for transporting goods from the store. Plastic is exceptionally cheap to produce and distribute. The director and founder of the Plastic Soup Foundation, Maria Westerbos, and her team put together the article “Growth of Plastic Production” (2020). The article goes into detail on just how much plastic has been produced. She states that since WWII there has been a total of 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic produced in the world (“Growth of Plastic”, 2020). It is easy to see why so much plastic has built up in the environment over the last few decades. With this much plastic being produced and carelessly discarded, it has led to the devastating Great Pacific Garbage Patch located between California and Hawaii.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of plastics, microplastics, and fishing debris that has collected in the middle of the ocean. The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s article “What is the Great Garbage Patch” (2020) gives awareness of this expanding concern. The article states that the patch is made up of so much microplastic and discarded fishing gear that it poses a real threat to marine life. Whales often get tangled in the fishing nets, and fish and turtles mistake pieces of plastic for food, these instances can often time be fatal to the animals (“Great Garbage Patch” 2020). America’s use of plastics, especially single-use plastics, has great consequences stretching from land to sea. The amount of plastic pollution could be reduced if Americans were properly informed of the dangers and did their part to stop the use of single-use plastics.

If the United States government enforced a federal ban on the use of single-use plastics, it would be a great leap in the efforts of eliminating plastic waste. In an article published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “What are Microplastics?” (2021) the NOAA discusses the new field of scientific studies into microplastics and the dangers to marine life. The article states that the NOAA has developed a NOAA Marine Debris Program that has put standardized field methods in place for collecting and testing samples of sand and water. These extensive tests are being done to determine protocols that need to be in place for a global comparison of the dangers of microplastics in the environment. The article mentions the efforts the United States has taken to reduce the amount of microplastic pollution. In 2015 President Obama signed the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 effectively banning the use of microplastics in personal care products. (“What are Microplastics”, 2021) While this law is a great first step in the reduction of plastic pollution, more laws banning other plastic products are greatly needed.

A few US states have taken a stand against plastic overuse and initiated their own policies or bans on select plastic products. According to an article in “Conservation Science and Practice” by Autumn Iverson, “The United States Requires effective federal policy to reduce marine plastic pollution” (2019), She states that only California has implemented a policy that requires consumers to be given a plastic straw only by request (2019). This policy sparked an increase in biodegradable straw production. These straws are plant-based and safe for the environment. Iverson also mentions that only 4 states have a ban in place on plastic bags. A few cities, like New York City and Washington DC, have also enacted a ban or levies on plastic bags. Seattle has banned plastic straws and utensils. However, this still puts America far behind other countries in Africa, Asia, and also behind France, which Iverson states have complete bans on plastic bags, plastic plates, cups, and utensils (2019) Stronger federal regulations and bans on such products will hopefully become more prevalent within the U.S., but until then there are easy steps that Americans can take themselves to kickstart the plastic waste reduction.

Plastic water bottles are seen everywhere these days. These disposable, convenient, and cheap bottles are sold by the billions annually. People often assume, incorrectly, that drinking bottled water is safer than tap water. Unfortunately, the public is being misguided and is consuming tiny particles of microplastics found within bottled water. Extensive research has been conducted on the safety of plastic water bottles. One study showcased in an article by Tvisha Singh, “Generation of microplastics from the opening and closing of disposable plastic water bottles” shows just how dangerous bottled water can be. Singh exposes the health risks of consuming microplastics from bottled drinking water. She states that in studies performed on lab animals the small microplastic particles show evidence of gastrointestinal damage, chemical toxicity, and penetration of organs (2021). Not only does the purchase of plastic water bottles harm the environment, but they are harming people. A cost-effective alternative would be the use of reusable steel water cups that can be filled with tap water that has been filtered properly at home. This is one small step that would have gigantic benefits for the environment.

The recycle slogan has been drilled into every American since the 1970s: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”. Unfortunately, this slogan is often ignored. The consequences of this have been catastrophic to the planet. America’s lands, rivers, streams, and oceans are filling at a fast rate with plastics that are carelessly discarded and not recycled. Because of this, there could be more plastic in the oceans than fish in just a few short years. Everyone can do their part by reducing or eliminating the use of single-use plastics such as plastic bags and water bottles. Converting to steel water cups or jugs is not only safer for the environment, but safer for the health of the public. Enforcing a federal ban on such plastics would also carry tremendous benefits for everyone. These solutions have very little impact on a person’s lifestyle but have enormous benefits on the health and wellness of this generation, and many more generations to come.