Essay on Plastic: Advantages and Disadvantages of Plastic

Plastic refers to materials made from oil through a chemical process and can be used to produce a wide variety of materials.

Plastic can be easily molded into many shapes when soft and then set in a rigid, elastic form.

Typically, plastics can be remodeled by applying pressure and heat. Most of the plastic is made from synthetic resins known as a polymer.

Advantages of plastic

Plastic is durable.
It’s water resistant.
Its lightweight in nature.
Plastic is very cheap to manufacture.
It does not conduct electricity.
Plastic is very versatile. A little pressure and heat can convert plastic into many shapes.
Plastic is pretty much recyclable.
Plastic may be able to resist heat to a certain extent.
It is completely devoid of smell which makes it reusable.
Offers a solution when it comes to packaging things.
Has many uses. It can be used in the transport sector, electronic industry as an insulator etc.
Plastic has a good chemical resistant property.
It does not require post-processing after injection molding.
Plastic can withstand adverse weather conditions without degrading.
It is pretty resistant to external factors.

The use of plastics poses a threat to the environment.
Plastic has a very low melting point so it can’t be used in conditions where heat levels are high.
Plastics have a shorter lifespan compared to metals.
It poses chocking accidents in small children whose toys are mostly made using plastic.
They pose a threat to animals especially when not properly disposed of.
The manufacturing process of plastic causes environmental pollution.
Plastic is non-biodegradable.
May cause suffocation.
Plastic can block drainages.
Highly flammable.
There seems to be too much trash as a result of plastic.
In as much as they are recyclable, the cost of plastic recycling is quite high.
The only way to get rid of plastics is to burn them. However, when burnt, plastic produces lethal fumes.
Plastics are non-renewable.
With time, plastic deteriorates in light transmission and in strength.

Conclusion

Plastic makes everyday life easy and manageable. It has helped in packaging products and transportation purposes.

However, plastic poses many threats to the environment mainly because it’s non-biodegradable.

By: Christopher.