Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment. What damage does plastic do to the environment? What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?

Plastic

waste

has affected significant habitats, causing widespread concern among the public.

This

essay will primarily discuss the environmental damage caused by

plastic

pollution

and recommend some solutions which governments and the public can do to overcome

this

problem. The effects of elastic misuse on the environment are severe and often extreme. Basically,

this

type of material is biodegradable and it takes hundreds or even thousands of years to be decomposed. It means that environmental damage is long-lasting.

In addition

,

plastic

pollution

also

affects organisms in the food chain from tiny species to giant ones.

This

is because toxins from

plastic

pollution

can be digested by wildlife marine, causing injury and death to these species. It is reported that most wildlife marine

such

as seabirds, whales and turtles die of starvation because their stomachs are full of

plastic

waste

. Fortunately, these problems can be overcome if comprehensive solutions are implemented. It is obvious that governments around the world still play a crucial role in protecting the environment by enacting laws and regulations which enhance the awareness of both manufacturers and the public about environmental damage. To illustrate, the Canadian government introduced the Single-Use Prohibition Plastics Regulation as a part of its plan to address environmental

pollution

and meet its target of zero

plastic

waste

by 2023. To be more specific,

this

Regulation bans all activities including manufacturing, importing and trading single-use

plastic

checkout bags, cutlery and food service ware made from or containing problematic

plastic

.

Additionally

, at the public level, individuals can

also

be a factor contributing to eliminating

plastic

waste

by recycling the products they use or reducing their heavy reliance on

plastic

products.

For example

, people nowadays tend to use straws made from metal or fibre

instead

of

plastic

ones. In conclusion,

although

plastic

waste

poses certain threats to the environment, if governments and the public are aware of these risks and work together closely, it is believed that

this

problem can be overcome and surely that we can live in a world without

plastic

pollution

in the future.