We can beat plastic pollution

In the face of the already many environmental problems affecting people around the world, plastic pollution is becoming yet another global concern.

Governments and organizations around the world are all making an attempt to raise awareness about this issue with a great hope that it sees light at the end of the day.

Due to their cost effectiveness, plastic goods are now commonly used in homes, schools, offices and industries.

However, on the other hand, plastic pollution has several negative effects on our climate, but the three most important are land pollution, ocean pollution, and food pollution.

Plastic pollution is wreaking havoc on the lakes, and it’s getting worse every year.

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is imposing strict regulations to discourage the use of plastic products as a way to minimize its environmental impacts and impacts on human health.

However, great challenges are faced in the implementation of these regulations due to lack of proper knowledge from the populace.

Many people don’t understand the message, and to some groups, the campaign “Tuve Ku Kavera” is conducted in a language they don’t know.

Regarding this matter, we must all be aware that Plastics come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they are commonly used in our everyday lives.

Today it’s difficult to take a step without finding plastic waste. This is mainly due to the large production as packaging materials for soft drinks, mineral water, among others. 

All sectors of our economy from Agriculture to Health, the use of plastics is massive.

For example, wall corsets made of polyvinyl chloride, automobile instrument boards, electrical wiring sheaths, games, syringes, cloth covers, window frames, and other high-density polythene building materials.

However, the good news is that all plastic materials can be recycled to reduce their impacts on the environment. 

For instance,  Plastic bags, trash bags, prescription bottles, empty food containers, bottles, and milk bottle liners are all examples of items that can be recycled.

While it might seem that addressing chemical waste issues is as simple as recycling or washing empty bottles, the reality is that polluting plastic can vary in size from large to small. 

Even if you don’t want it on those products, plastic is all around us. Milk boxes are stuffed with cardboard, water bottles are strewn around, and some items can also contain small plastic pieces. 

Chemical pollutants are more likely to enter the environment and cause harm each time one of these items is discarded or swept away.

As a result, action must be taken to address this issue before it is too late.

There are no natural methods in place to recycle non-biodegradable plastics, and as a result, most people have resorted to burning these materials, however, the decomposition is quite low thus polluting the underlying soil or groundwater if the content leaches underneath the ground. 

In general context, despite our efforts to reduce plastic consumption, it is difficult to avoid plastic altogether.

By thinking carefully about how you reuse your plastic products, you can get the most out of each item and avoid adding to the pollution problem.

Save plastic jars and bottles and use them to store your household items

Many countries around the world have made commitments to reducing the amount of plastic being produced and used in a bid to beat plastic pollution.

In 2016, France became the first country in the world to ban the manufacture and sale of single-use plastic cups, cutlery, plates, and takeaway food boxes.

The law requires all disposable tableware to be made from 50 percent bio-sourced material that can be composed at home.

While in Sweden, the government has put an incentive where people are paid for returning back an empty plastic bottle.

After a wide consideration, I still have only one option in my mind: You make it, you take it back. All of it. Community and private haulers could collect all consumer plastics in a separate waste bin.

Manufacturers pay (or taxed) for shipping and sorting. When manufacturers have ever-growing waste mountains on their properties that are required to keep, they will quickly and miraculously develop the science to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Eddie Ojara,@emoujhara