Why Students Must Address Plastic Pollution
Plastic waste makes its way from our homes and workplaces to landfills and bodies of water, resulting in plastic contamination. There is an immediate need to correctly dispose of such plastic waste and to reduce its widespread usage in the interests of health and the environment. Here we have provided both long and short speeches on plastic pollution for students of Class 5 to 12 along with 10 lines for a speech on plastic for students of Class 1 to 4.
Long Speech on Pollution by Plastic Bags
Today, I am here to deliver a speech on plastic pollution. Plastic has very seriously impacted the health and life of human beings in the last decade. Several events have drawn the attention of the whole world and placed a question mark on the use of plastic in everyday life.
Plastic, the wonder material we use for anything that pollutes our atmosphere, is probably the most destructive waste deposited in the sea by sailors and sea-goers because it does not break down easily. The plastic that goes in the river today might still be around to ruin the fishing gear, ship propellers, and beaches for future generations.
Plastic is non-degradable material, it does not completely mix up with the natural elements unlike degradable materials like food, clothes, paper etc Hence, it persists in nature for a longer time than other materials. India generates around 9 million tons of plastic waste annually. It is so sad to know that 40% of the total waste generated is not even collected from the source. Most of the plastic waste generated is single-use plastic which is discarded by people with minimal use of it.
Plastics can be broadly divided into microplastics and macroplastics. Microplastics are smaller in particle size with less than five millimeters. They include microbeads that are used in making cosmetics, personal hygiene products, industries, and microfibers which are used for sanitation. On the other hand, macroplastics are particles with more than five millimeters. Comparatively, microplastics cause more damage as they are easily transferred from one trophic level to another trophic level.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board in India, we generate around 26,000 tons of all types of plastics every day and half of it is not even collected from the source. They choke the drains, get eaten by animals, enter the water resources and pollute the environment. On average, every Indian consumes 11 kgs of plastic every year. Though it is 10 times less than the USA, as India has more population, we seem to generate a lot of waste comparatively.
Careless plastic handling can have dire repercussions. For an indiscriminate feeder like the sea turtle, a plastic bag seems like a delicious jellyfish, but plastic is indigestible. It can choke, block the intestines of those animals that eat it or cause infection.
A plastic bag can clog the cooling system of an outboard engine as well. Monofilament fishing lines lost or discarded may foul propellers, break oil seals and lower engine units, or may become an enveloping web for fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.
More and more plastic is collected in our oceans every day. Recreational boaters are not the only party to dispose of plastic refuse at sea improperly. Through waste outfalls, merchant shipping, commercial fishing activities, and beachgoers, plastics are also entering the marine environment.
It is very flexible in the middle stage and, depending on temperature and pressure, any shape can be provided. In the practice of plastic waste preparation, urea, formaldehyde, polyethene, polystyrene, polycythylcholide, phenolic compounds and other substances are used.
The most widespread plastic contamination nowadays is caused by polyvinyl chloride (P.V.C.). The soluble chemical is eventually dissolved in them when any food substance or blood is deposited in the aforementioned plastic containers, causing death due to cancer and other skin diseases.
The fertility of animals and their respiratory systems have also been found to be destroyed by polyvinyl chloride. It causes paralysis when combined with water and also affects bones and causes skin irritation.
Here are several steps we should take to reverse the tide of harmful, non-biodegradable waste so that our world will not be overtaken by it.
Use of paper, canvas, and other healthy-fiber containers, placed produce.
Using bags of wax paper, cloth napkins, or reusable sandwich boxes (e.g., tiffins, described below).
Using bottles or cans of glass only.
We need to acknowledge that we only have one planet, which we are supposed to pass down to our future generations. It is our responsibility to keep it safe and clean.
Short Speech on Plastic Waste Management
Today, I am here to deliver a speech on plastic waste management. The influx of plastics into our environment has reached crisis levels, and it is evident through the pollution of our oceans. Up to 12 million metric tons of plastic are expected to flood our ocean each year.
Our oceans are increasingly becoming plastic broth, and the effect on the survival of the oceans is chilling. Discarded plastic fishing lines entangle turtles and seabirds, and bits of plastic of all sizes choke and clog the stomachs of animals, from small zooplankton to whales, which confuse it for food. Plastic is now entering all layers of the food chain and is even showing up on our plates with seafood.
Our world can no longer accept throw-away plastics as a society. Our landfills are being filled up with single-use plastics, choking our waterways, and contaminating our oceans. Corporations have been blaming us all for far too long to deal with their own failed design problem. We have been advised that citizens should simply recycle the billions of tons of output from plastic companies and that it will make the required difference to sustain our world.
We were told a lie.
There is no recycling of over 90 percent of plastics. Recycling alone will simply never solve this problem. A radical change in how they deliver goods to people must be faced with the size of the problem companies have developed. It is up to all of us to demand more, to tell these industrial companies that the plastics they impose on us will no longer be accepted. Our planet deserves better and if they fail to adapt, we don't need their goods.
For a lifetime, nothing that is used for a few minutes should end up polluting our oceans. It's time for us to denounce the old corporate story that we are content with a throw-away lifestyle and build a better future.
10 Lines for Speech on Plastic
Plastic is a synthetic substance that is non-bio-degradable.
We use it indiscriminately in almost all day-to-day products.
Environmental contamination comes from plastic accumulation.
Land, rivers and oceans are plagued by its accumulation.
It releases poisonous gases such as nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide upon burning.
It also contributes to the loss of marine life and wildlife.
We ought to use biodegradable materials instead of plastic.
It is compulsory to use advanced incinerators for successful waste disposal.
In the soil, chlorinated plastics emit harmful chemicals that seep into the groundwater and damage us.
If we want to preserve Mother Earth, we should stop using plastic and use only natural biodegradable materials.
FAQs on Speech on Plastic Pollution: Empower Change with Every Word
1. What exactly is plastic pollution and why is it such a serious environmental threat?
Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles in the Earth's environment. It is a serious threat because plastic is not biodegradable; it doesn't rot like paper or food. Instead, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics, remaining in our soil, oceans, and even our bodies for hundreds of years, harming wildlife and ecosystems.
2. How can I structure a compelling speech on plastic pollution for a school competition?
To make your speech effective, follow this structure:
- Introduction: Start with a powerful fact or question to grab the audience's attention.
- The Problem: Briefly explain what plastic pollution is and mention its primary causes, like single-use items.
- The Impact: Describe its harmful effects on marine life, the environment, and human health.
- The Solution: Offer simple, actionable solutions that students can adopt, such as using reusable bottles and bags.
- Conclusion: End with a strong call to action, urging everyone to be part of the solution.
3. What are the main sources of plastic that end up polluting our land and oceans?
The primary sources of plastic pollution are land-based activities. These include improperly managed landfills, littering, and urban stormwater runoff that carries plastic waste into rivers and eventually the sea. Major ocean-based sources include discarded fishing gear (known as 'ghost nets'), and waste from shipping and aquaculture activities.
4. How does plastic waste cause harm to animals, especially those in the ocean?
Plastic harms animals in two main ways. First, animals can get entangled in larger plastic items like bags, nets, and bottle rings, which can cause injury, drowning, or suffocation. Second, many animals mistake small pieces of plastic for food. Ingesting plastic can block their digestive tract, leading to starvation and death.
5. What is the difference between macroplastics and microplastics?
Macroplastics are large, visible pieces of plastic waste, such as bottles, bags, and food containers. Microplastics are tiny plastic particles smaller than 5 millimetres. They are formed when larger plastics break down from sunlight and waves, or are manufactured as microbeads for use in cosmetics and cleaning products. Their tiny size makes them easy for animals to ingest, allowing them to enter the food chain.
6. Why does a simple plastic bottle take hundreds of years to decompose?
A plastic bottle takes so long to break down because it is made from synthetic polymers derived from petroleum. The chemical bonds in these polymers are incredibly strong and are not recognised by the natural microorganisms that decompose organic materials like wood or cotton. Instead of rotting away, plastic simply fragments into smaller microplastics over centuries.
7. Are “biodegradable” plastics a good solution to the pollution problem?
While they seem helpful, most “biodegradable” plastics are not a perfect solution. Many require specific conditions found in industrial composting facilities to break down, which are not present in the open ocean or a regular landfill. If not disposed of correctly, they can persist in the environment and cause harm, just like conventional plastics. The best solution remains reducing our overall plastic use.
8. What are some simple, everyday actions I can take to help fight plastic pollution?
You can make a significant impact with a few easy changes:
- Always carry a reusable water bottle and shopping bag.
- Say no to single-use items like plastic straws and cutlery.
- Choose products with minimal or no plastic packaging.
- Participate in local clean-up drives to remove plastic from your community.
