Impact of plastics on human health and environment

Plastic is a kind of material that is commonly well known and used in everyday life in many forms. Plastic pollution where in plastic has gathered in an area and has begun to negatively impact the natural environment and create problems for plants, wildlife and even human population. Often this includes killing plant life and posing dangers to local animals. Plastics contain many chemical and hazardous substances such as Bisphenol A (BPA), thalates, antiminitroxide, brominated flame retardants, and poly- fluorinated chemicals etc. which are a serious risk factor for human health and environment. Different human health problems like irritation in the eye, vision failure, breathing difficulties, respiratory problems, liver dysfunction, cancers, skin diseases, lungs problems, headache, dizziness, birth effect, reproductive, cardiovascular, genotoxic, and gastrointestinal causes for using toxic plastics. Use of plastics causes serious environment pollution such as soil pollution, water pollution, and air pollution. Application of proper rules and regulations for the production and use of plastics can reduce toxic effects of plastics on human health and environment. Plastics associated human health risks, evidence abounds for plastics’ potential to pollute and disrupt important natural processes and quality of life and its continued use at accelerating rates is unsustainable and will cause a significant burden for future generations. As plastic and plastic products are being used in day to day at the cost of environment pollution, the human and wildlife health and has become a global concern. Public should be educated about the use of plastic and plastic products which can prove to be hazardous and risk factor to many health problems of human and wild life. Hence there is an urgent need to look for biodegradable measures and effective policies and their implementation. Objectives • To raise public awareness on the risks on the effect of plastics on human health. • To identify the main challenges and barriers for reducing plastic waste. • To promote recycling of plastic polymers as a substitute for virgin plastic.