The material plastic has been around since 1855, when Alexander Parkes invented the plastic Parkesine, which was later called Celluloid. Ever since its introduction to the world at the Great International Exhibition in London in 1862, the plastics industry has been ever expanding.
The nature of plastics is one of huge versatility and adaptability, both of which have led to mass expansion of the industry since its inception in 1855. The production of plastics is relatively low cost and along with the ease of manufacturing and the fact that plastics are imperviousness to water, a vast array of everyday products are utilised by many millions of people, from paper clips to water bottles. Gone are the days of a re-usable leather water bottle and now we see vast quantities of plastic water bottles that, more than anything, appear to typify our throwaway culture. We are constantly buying bottled drinks and then throwing away that plastic bottle; the next day we may do exactly the same without a second thought. Since the 1950s, one billion tons of plastic has been discarded and each year two-thirds of all plastic bottles are deposited into landfill [1].
What is even more surprising is that most of us pay for water to come out of the taps in our homes, yet we continue to buy bottled versions. The bottled water industry has done an extraordinary job of marketing this form of water, and what a success it has been for them. The bottled water industry makes £1.5 billion a year [3].
The popularity of plastic is part of the problem and with use of the material ever increasing (we use 20 times more than we did 50 years ago) [2] we must find ways to mitigate the negative environmental impacts it can cause. Plastic takes an incredibly long time to break down; therefore landfill is not a viable option. Burning plastics can release toxic fumes adding to air pollution and the manufacturing of plastics consumes vast amounts of energy, using non-renewable fossil fuels meaning they have a large carbon footprint. Plastic can also cause harm to wildlife, which can become entwined in bottles and packaging.
However, efforts are being made to reduce the amount of waste generate from plastic and to increase the recycling of all plastics. It is argued that if just one plastic bottle is recycled then enough energy is saved to power a light bulb for 6 hours [1]. Coca-Cola has launched a recycling drive called ‘See Plastic Differently’ and argues that British people are increasingly recycling [1]. We can all do our bit by recycling our plastic bottles, as they are one of the easiest plastics to recycle. 92% of all local authorities now have some sort of recycling scheme, whether it is kerbside collections or recycling centres where we can dispose of our bottles [2]. We can also invest in a permanent water bottle and use the water that we already pay for to fill it up. While some may argue that tap water is not as clean as bottled water, the quality of tap water is ever improving and the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s latest quality report for Thames Water found that tap water was 99.99% compliant with national and European Standards [3].
With the ever-improving standards of tap water, we expect to see an increase in the installation of public water fountains. A town in Australia called Bundanoon has already banned bottled water and established drinking fountains and London’s first public drinking fountains in 30 years have been installed [3]. The first trials were set up at Hammersmith Bus Station and Tower Bridge Museum where customers are charged 20p to fill their bottle [3]. If such a scheme is successful, it will be extended across the capital in time for the 2012 Olympics.
References
[1] Energy Saving Trust (2010) [Online]. Available from www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Resources/Energy-saving-news/
[2] WRAP (2010) [Online]. Available from www.wrap.org.uk/recyclenow_08/how_is_it_recycled/plastic_bottles.html
[3] Guardian (2010) [Online]. Available from http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/04/london-drinking-fountains-water-industry
[Picture] Plastic Bottles. Available from www.ozville.org
