PLASTIC
POLLUTION, PLASTIC
MARINE SCIENCE 101
SOLUTION
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
ENGAGE
Plastic, plastic everywhere
+ The importance of plastic
+ Types of plastic
PLASTIC POLLUTION, PLASTIC SOLUTION
The importance of plastic
+ Malleable
+ Durable
+ Lightweight
How plastic �is used
+ Consumer products
+ Building materials
+ Packaging
+ Medical devices
Types of plastic
THERMOSET
+ Starts out as a soft solid or viscous liquid
+ Strengthens when heated
+ Cannot be remolded after initial forming
THERMOPLASTICS
+ Seven types
+ Can be reheated and remolded
VS
7 types of thermoplastic
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
PET or PETE Polyethylene Terephthalate | HDPE High-density Polyethylene | PVC Polyvinyl Chloride | LDPE Low-density Polyethylene | PP Polypropylene | PS Polystyrene | MISC Miscellaneous types of plastic |
✓Drink bottles ✓Packaging ✓Drink caps ✓Condiments | ✓Milk jugs ✓Soap bottles ✓Spray bottles ✓Detergent bottles | ✓Non-food bottles ✓Pipes
| ✓Cling wrap ✓Sandwich bags ✓Plastic bags ✓Squeezable bottles | ✓Yogurt containers ✓Medicine bottles | ✓Disposable coffee cups ✓Plastic cutlery ✓Packing foam ✓Styrofoam | ✓Sunglasses ✓Baby bottles ✓5-gallon water jugs |
PET or PETE
Polyethylene Terephthalate
RECYCLE NOTES
+ Usually clear plastic
+ Not intended for multiple uses
+ Commonly recycled
1
+ Water bottles
+ Soft drink bottles
+ Mouthwash bottles
+ Salad dressing bottles
+ Peanut butter jars
+ Cooking oil containers
HDPE
High-density Polyethylene
+ Milk jugs
+ Juice containers
+ Household cleaner bottles
+ Salad dressing bottles
+ Buckets and playground equipment
+ Crates
RECYCLE NOTES
+ Colors vary
+ Durable enough to be reused
+ Commonly recycled
2
PVC
Polyvinyl Chloride
+ Credit cards
RECYCLE NOTES
+ Contains additives that can be harmful
+ Should never be burned
+ NOT commonly recycled
3
+ Pipes
+ Toys
+ Bubble wrap
+ House siding
+ Shower curtains
LDPE
Low-density Polyethylene
RECYCLE NOTES
+ Many retailers are starting �to take it back
+ NOT commonly recycled
4
+ Bread bags
+ Frozen food containers
+ Plastic grocery bags
+ Toothpaste tubes
+ Hot/cold beverage cups
+ Sandwich bags
PS
Polystyrene
RECYCLE NOTES
+ Easily breakable
+ Requires careful disposal
+ NOT commonly recycled
5
+ Take-out containers
+ Foam egg cartons
+ Plastic utensils
+ Foam packing peanuts
+ Medicine bottles
+ Fast food trays
PS
Polypropylene
RECYCLE NOTES
+ Often used for food
+ Recycled in some communities
6
+ Yogurt containers
+ Plastic cutlery
+ Syrup bottles
+ Potato chip bags
+ Bottle caps
+ Cottage cheese containers
MISC
Miscellaneous types of plastic
RECYCLE NOTES
+ Made up of a variety of plastic resins
+ NOT commonly recycled
7
+ Sunglasses
+ Eyeglasses
+ CDs and DVDs
+ Computer cases
+ Dental sealants
+ Nylon
Questions?
Plastic, plastic everywhere
PLASTIC POLLUTION, PLASTIC SOLUTION
EXPLORE
The plastic dilemma
+ How plastics are made
+ Petroleum based
+ Drawbacks of plastic
PLASTIC POLLUTION, PLASTIC SOLUTION
How are plastics made?
+ Polymers are compounds made up of smaller repeating identical units called “monomers”
+ Polymers are joined by a chemical reaction called “polymerization”
+ Plastics can be made from different monomers resulting in different polymers
Polymer
Monomer
= Monomer
= Dimer
= Trimer
= Tetramer
Polymer
=
BIOPLASTIC:
Monomer - Glucose Polymer - Starch
How are plastics made?
+ Made from fossil fuels like crude oil, petroleum, and natural gas
Petroleum based plastics
+ Fossil fuels are hydrocarbon compounds consisting of a simple carbon chain with each carbon bonded to oxygen atoms
H
H
H
H
C
H
H
H
H
C
C
H
H
H
H
C
C
H
H
H
H
C
Manufacturing petroleum based plastics
HOW IT IS CREATED
Oil/petroleum extraction�
Refining�Polymerization
Addition of additives Extrusion
Formed into pellets
Export�Melted and molded
2
1
3
4
5
6
7
8
Drawbacks of
petroleum based plastics
+ Extraction, transport, and refining all contribute to carbon emissions
+ Refining uses water and contributes to water and air pollution
+ Potential negative health effects of additives
+ Plastic in landfills and plastic pollution is persistent
+ Not all plastics are easily recycled
Most Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) are only designed to accept and recycle plastic types 1 & 2
1
2
Questions?
The plastic dilemma
PLASTIC POLLUTION, PLASTIC SOLUTION
EXPLAIN
Microplastics in the food web
+ What are microplastics
+ Negative impacts
PLASTIC POLLUTION, PLASTIC SOLUTION
How are micro plastics made?
+ Plastic pieces that are 5mm or less
PRIMARY
Plastic that is 5mm or less in diameter upon entry into the environment
EXAMPLE
Microbeads or microfibers
SECONDARY
Result of the physical weathering of larger plastic debris like UV radiation, wind, or waves
EXAMPLE
Plastic in albatross bolus
Negative impacts of microplastics
+ Plastics in the body are endocrine disruptors*
*Natural or man-made chemicals that may mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones
+ Environmental toxins stick to microplastics
NATURAL HORMONE
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTOR
ATTACHES TO
NATURAL HORMONE
CELL
RESPONSE
TOXINS
MICROPLASTICS
Negative impacts of microplastics
BIOACCUMULATE
A gradual build up of microplastics in organisms.
BIOMAGNIFICATION
Concentration of plastics and toxins are greater in higher trophic levels.
Questions?
Microplastics in the food web
PLASTIC POLLUTION, PLASTIC SOLUTION
ELABORATE
Reduce, reuse, recycle, recover
+ The four Rs
PLASTIC POLLUTION, PLASTIC SOLUTION
The four Rs
REDUCE
REUSE
RECYCLE
RECOVER
Questions?
Reduce, reuse, recycle, recover
PLASTIC POLLUTION, PLASTIC SOLUTION