Plastic waste adds more to environmental problems

Plastic waste adds more to environmental problems

By Joko Sarwono

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Plastic has become a household name in
all sectors of life. Many things, from miscellaneous household
items to parts of heavy industrial equipment, are mostly made of
plastic.

"We use plastic ware in everyday life," said Iswandi Anas, a
microbiological expert in soil at the Agriculture University of
Bogor, whose advice on disposing of plastic waste in Jakarta is
frequently required.

"Bean cake (tempe) was formerly wrapped in banana leaf.
Nowadays, it is packed in plastic," said Iswandi.

An increase in the population automatically creates an
increased demand for plastic. Daily use of plastic has become
unavoidable. The problem of plastic use emerges only when such
items have to be disposed of. Plastic waste does not decompose
naturally, and this was emphasized by both M.S. Saeni, an
environmental chemist, and Ahmad Syahreza, a plastic expert of
the Faculty of Chemistry at the university.

"Plastic waste is practically indestructible because it is
made of a strong element," said Ahmad. Iswandi agreed with him,
saying: "So far, a microorganism hasn't been discovered which can
dissolve plastic."

The problem is more aggravated by the appalling lack of
discipline among the public for waste disposal. The majority of
them litter waste whenever it suits them, wherever they happen to
be.

This waste is then spread by the wind in all directions.
Waste, for example, is disposed of at river banks, in gutters and
drains, which gradually blocks the flow of the river and water in
drains and gutters.

Excessive waste accumulation, said Iswandi, would undermine
the beauty of a city and in turn would obstruct water flow and
result in flooding.

Several preventive or curative measures in plastic waste
removal could be applied by consumers and producers to overcome
the problem effectively.

"Plastic items should be totally pulverized," suggested Ahmad.
"Don't throw a leaking pail away, for instance."

"As long as it can be repaired, patch it up. You'd use the
item a little longer," said Ahmad, who is a graduate of the
University of New South Wales in Australia. "In this way, we save
some money. But more importantly, we don't litter plastic waste."

The same applies to plastic bags. "We should save them for
other purposes," Ahmad said.

Plastic items that are no longer useful have to be taken care
of in the proper way. Plastic household waste must be separated
from regular household waste. This plastic waste is then
collected in a temporary storage place. Garbage collectors then
transport the waste to plastic waste collectors where it is
further graded in item varieties. The selected plastic waste is
then dispatched to recycling factories.

"Transparent plastics, bags, pails and washbowls can all be
recycled into new plastic material. Its quality is somewhat
inferior though," explained Ahmad. "Recycled plastic material is
usually used in plastic items which do not require prime quality
as a base."

He suggested that producers make efforts by adding another
element to aid disintegration of plastic waste. "Nature will do
the rest," he said.

Plastic producers all over the world still invest their money
in conventional plastic factories.

A new plastic variety which decomposes naturally is actually
already on the market. "There are various types," said Ahmad.

"It looks like plastic, but if it is buried in the ground, it
disintegrates quickly," Iswandi added. This type of plastic is
made in Belgium, based on suggestions by W.H. Verstraete of the
Microbial Ecology Laboratory at the State University of Ghent.

This variety, however, raises costs and is not entirely
without risk. Durability of this type of plastic is rather
limited.

"If this type of plastic is not sold before the expiry date,
it disintegrates," said Ahmad. "That is the reason why it is not
popular in the industrial world."

The right course, therefore, should be taken to develop a new
type of plastic that would disintegrate only when it is thrown
away. Efforts in this direction are already being made. "Its
performance has to be improved though," said Ahmad.

Burning of plastic waste is the easiest and cheapest way to
dispose of plastic waste.

"It is a very easy and inexpensive way to destroy plastic
waste," said Saeni.

Burning of household plastic items is not harmful when it is
done in minimum amounts, according to Ahmad and Saeni. Even so,
when done frequently, it might affect the neighborhood. "In large
amounts it would certainly be dangerous," Ahmad said.

Burning of plastic could release various unhealthy substances.

Saeni suggested that this way of plastic disposal should be
done at a special location far from residential areas. The place
should have good ventilation and workers' safety facilities
should be provided by management.

"A village should, for instance, own a special incinerator,
but isolated from densely populated areas," explained Saeni.