Plastic pollution has been declared as a global issue that is polluting the oceans. Plastic materials such as bags and wraps take long to decompose and thus plastic materials accumulate either in bottom or shores of the oceans. The issue about plastic pollution on oceans became an area of study in 2014, a study on plastics on ocean near surfaces indicated that there were more than 5.25 trillion individual plastic particles weighing approximately 244, tonnes. Since then, different interventions have been taken to reduce the plastic pollution in ocean. One of the most applied interventions is banning the use of single-use plastics. Eight states in US including California, Connecticut, Maine, Oregon, Delaware, Vermont, New York and Hawaii have banned the use of single-use plastic bags. The ban of single-use plastic bags is effective in reducing plastic pollution in the ocean.
The use of single-use plastics may be the better option to transport household items to many people, but it is not the best way considering the environmental impacts they cause to the oceans. They greatly affect the water biodiversity through toxifying water which in turn affects water animals. In states that have banned single-use plastic, they have always found a solution to replace the plastics. For instance, the use of synthetic carrier bags which easily decompose has gained popularity in states that have banned single-use plastic bags. The belief that single-use plastic bags are essential in life is just a mindset because they have been in use for the longest time ever. A ban enables people to think outside the box and find other alternatives to plastics, which are less toxic and environment friendly.
Single-use plastic ban is not perfect, but is the best starter towards reducing the use of plastics bags in the society. Other strategies such as creating awareness on the release of plastics into the environment are useless because of people’s ignorance. Most people are aware of the dangers of using plastic bags without proper disposal or releasing them to the environment. However, people tend to ignore such information and doing the opposite because it is optional. This is why most Americans will place plastics in the streets because no authority will question them. Bans make it illegal to use plastics and as the nature of human being, they try to deter from using plastics. This is especially when the bans are linked to strict penalties.
Plastic bans reduce the production and use of single-use plastics in society. It could be better if the companies that produce and pack their products in plastics such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi would be responsible in cleaning the environment. However, the company has ignored this responsibility as they argue that it is the role of customers to make sure they don’t place plastic products anyhow in the environment. This has caused a dilemma of whether it is the responsibility of customers or the companies to clean plastics. In such incidences plastic bans will significantly work because it prohibits its use.
In conclusion, I believe single-use plastic bans are the effective way to reduce the production and use of plastics in the society. In turn, the amount of plastics that lies in the ocean will greatly reduce. Because it is the nature of people to take serious the issues that are declared illegal, plastic bans will be an effective way to reduce plastic pollution in ocean. Additionally, the companies which mainly depend on single-use plastics for packaging will only stop, if bans are put in place.