Man and woman 

Plastic pollution of the planet. Is there life without plastic? How to rid the planet of garbage - new technologies and experience of the USSR Planet in plastic packaging

Our planet is literally choking on garbage, each of us takes garbage out of the apartment almost every day, for example, in St. Petersburg, about 8 million cubic meters of household garbage is generated per year.

In nature, nothing disappears without a trace, everything falls apart and returns to the natural cycle again. The activity of the modern consumer society is linear, that is, we first take, consume, and then throw away. Modern manufacturers of goods make packaging colorful, attractive, food in such packaging does not deteriorate for a long time. For the production of packaging, polymeric materials are mainly used. Plastic today is used everywhere and not only for the production of packaging. We very often began to use plastic utensils, today each inhabitant of the planet accounts for up to 88.5 kg of plastic disposable utensils per year. Used packaging and other waste end up in a landfill, littering the ground. Under natural conditions, paper decomposes within 2-5 months, cigarette butts from 1 to 12 years, plastic bags decompose 10-20 years, plastic packaging practically does not decompose. Plastic is a real disaster for nature! The world's oceans are literally full of plastic garbage, mostly packaging material? bottles and bags, about 95% of seabirds living in the North Sea have plastic garbage in their stomachs. So, for example, in Belgium, researchers found 1600 pieces of plastic in the stomach of a dead bird! According to the UN, plastic waste causes the death of 1 million seabirds a year. So, for example, in the stomach of a dead albatross chick, 272 pieces of various small debris were found, he got there with food, the fact is that the stomachs of the fish that he was fed were full of garbage. All this accumulated in the chick's stomach until it overflowed. Due to plastic waste, not only sea birds die, but also a large number of marine mammals: dolphins, seals, whales and other animals. A plastic bag in the ocean can resemble a jellyfish, if swallowed by a turtle, it can block its digestive tract or give it a feeling of fullness, as a result, the animal will stop eating and die.

In 2006, volunteer cleaners found 1,074 animals entangled in various debris and old fishing gear. About 80% of plastic enters the seas and oceans from land. A gigantic amount of garbage is growing in the Pacific Ocean. The currents have formed two huge garbage patches: the eastern and western Pacific garbage patches. The eastern section is located between the Hawaiian Islands and the California coast. The area of ​​this huge garbage island is twice the size of the state of Texas, and the mass of household waste concentrated there, by the way, is 90% plastic, exceeds 3.5 million tons, the western garbage patch is located east of Japan.

If the consumption of non-recyclable plastic is not curtailed now, then in the next decade, the area of ​​oceanic garbage patches, already huge, could double. The situation is aggravated by the fact that it is almost impossible to completely clean the ocean of household and other garbage.

The burning of plastic waste also causes great damage to nature; when it is burned, very toxic substances enter the atmosphere, which harm not only the environment, but also human health. The situation can be changed by reducing the use of plastic packaging or its recycling. The best way to reduce plastic waste is to eliminate plastic packaging and products that contain plastic.

The problem will help to solve the separate collection of waste, their further processing and production of recycled polymer materials, as well as the development and production of packaging from bio- and water-degradable materials, the cessation and complete prohibition of the free distribution of plastic packaging and bags in retail outlets. The introduction of a fee for plastic packaging will significantly reduce its popularity among the population. A large contribution to reducing the amount of waste will be made by the widespread use of paper packaging, since paper is an environmentally friendly material, only paint applied to it can harm the environment.

Everyone can make a small contribution to reducing waste. First of all, it is necessary to leave as little garbage as possible in places of recreation, whether it be a forest, a park or a beach, and household waste must be taken only to containers specially designed for this, that is, do not arrange unauthorized dumps. When purchasing goods and products in stores, you should pay attention to their packaging, giving preference to environmentally friendly packaging, if you have a choice, refuse to purchase products in plastic packaging. When you go grocery shopping, take a bag with you so you don't have to buy a plastic bag and finally try to buy products whose packaging can be recycled or reused.

Remember that each of us is responsible for the fate of our common home - planet Earth, and everyone is able to contribute to its purification.

Plastic pollution of the planet has reached incredible proportions. As a result, manufacturers have realized their responsibility, and the governments of a number of countries have taken active steps in the fight against plastic. Almost every day you can see the news that another country, city or company refuses plastic and, first of all, disposable products. 40 states have already joined the anti-plastic campaign. Recycle has collected the most striking examples of the fight against plastic pollution.


Plastic bag ban in Kenya

Kenya has become known for enacting the most stringent plastic bag ban in the world. For using the package, you can get a fine of 32,500 euros or a prison term of up to four years.

Now the authorities are claiming victory, and their success is so impressive that other East African countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and South Sudan want to follow Kenya's lead.

The Minister of the Environment says that the attitude of manufacturers has changed markedly: “Now companies themselves turn to us and offer new solutions”. PET bottles are next in line for the government, and interested companies are already proposing a management scheme to help organize the collection and recycling of bottles.


Single-use plastic ban in the European Union

The European Union will introduce a ban on single-use plastic utensils, as well as a fee of 80 cents per kilogram of unsuitable for recycling waste.

In particular, it is proposed to ban disposable tableware, cutlery, drinking straws, cotton swabs and plastic balloon holders. In addition, restrictions may also apply to plastic packaging for food sold by takeaway eateries.

First of all, drinking straws and cotton buds will be banned.

EU Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger has proposed charging EU authorities 80 cents for every kilogram of plastic waste that is unsuitable for recycling. Such a measure can reduce the volume of plastic waste.

According to a study by the Cologne Institute for German Economics, every inhabitant of Germany annually produces 37 kilograms of plastic waste.

The ban will also apply to MEPs in Brussels. Thus, all plastic utensils will be removed from the dining room of the European Parliament in Brussels, and they will not drink water from plastic bottles at meetings.

Instead, more than 150 fountains with drinking water will be installed in the premises of the European Parliament. The phase-out of single-use plastic will begin in July 2019.


Single-use plastic ban in India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the country will be phasing out single-use plastic by 2022.

“The choices we make today will determine our future,” Modi said. “This choice will not be easy, but modern technology, global partnerships and awareness of the importance of the goal will help us achieve our goal. Let's stop plastic pollution together and make our planet a better place to live."

The situation with plastic pollution in India is now catastrophic, most of the plastic garbage ends up on the coast and beaches, in the rivers of the country, and then into the ocean.

The second most populous country in the world still does not have a developed waste sorting and recycling system.

According to the Ministry of Urban Development, India generates 160,000 tons of garbage daily.

Since 2017, the capital of India, Delhi, has already banned the use of disposable plastic tableware, glasses, bags and other items. By 2022, this ban should extend to the entire country.

India's goals turned out to be too optimistic, according to the UN. For example, the UK is ready to phase out single-use plastic only by 2042.


UK ban on plastic straws and ear sticks

The British government intends to ban plastic straws and cocktail sticks, as well as ear sticks in England.

The UK plans to completely get rid of these plastic items by 2042 as part of a national strategy.

“Plastic waste is one of the biggest problems for the ecology that exists in the world, they are especially dangerous for the ocean,” British Prime Minister Theresa May said in this regard. “The UK government is the world leader on this issue and the British have shown enthusiasm and energy in welcoming our plastic bag tax and microparticulate ban.”

The government estimates that about 8.5 billion plastic straws are thrown away in the UK each year. They are particularly detrimental to marine animals and ocean ecology.

According to experts, by 2050 the volume of plastic waste produced will reach 12 billion tons.

Around 60 UK independent music festivals have already said they plan to get rid of single-use plastic items by 2021, according to the BBC. In addition, a number of them have already promised that in 2018 festivals will no longer serve plastic straws for drinks.


Refusal to use plastic in hotels, shops and restaurants

A positive example was also contagious. Hotels, restaurant chains and large shopping centers have also announced that they will take part in the fight against single-use plastic.

For example, IKEA plans to stop selling and using single-use plastic in its stores and restaurants by 2020.

This will affect 363 of the company's stores and restaurants worldwide. In particular, they will gradually phase out or find sustainable replacements for drinking straws, disposable tableware, freezer bags, trash bags, and plastic-coated paper plates and cups.

By the end of 2018, 650 hotels of the international hotel chain Hilton will stop using plastic straws and bottles.

Thus, the company will become the first international hotel operator to abandon plastic products on such a large scale.

Representatives of the McDonald's chain also announced the refusal of plastic straws for drinks from the beginning of May 2018.

Moving away from drinking straws is in line with the company's plan to only use packaging from recyclable, renewable or certified sources in fast food chains by 2025.

Disneyland, Starbucks and other companies around the world are also planning to fight single-use plastic.


Plastic bag ban in Chile and Bolivia

Chile has become the first country in Latin America to legally ban the commercial use of plastic bags.

Under a new law passed by Chile's National Congress and signed into law by President Sebastian Piñera, small businesses in the country will be required to completely phase out the sale and use of plastic bags within two years.

Large companies are required to stop using plastic bags within the next six months. Violators of the law will have to pay a fine of $370.

Piñera said the new rules would be a great step towards a clean country.

“We want to move from a culture of single use, where everything is used and thrown away, to a healthy culture of recycling,” the president said.

Prior to this, the President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, also called for the abandonment of the use of plastic bags.

“We have to get away from the consumer culture, we didn’t use such bags before, we are falling into Western culture,” Morales made such a statement during the signing of the law on waste management.

According to statistics, 3 billion plastic bags are used annually in Bolivia. The standard time for using each package is no more than 20 minutes.


Complete phasing out of single-use plastic in Costa Rica

Costa Rica could become the first country in the world to completely phase out non-recyclable plastic.

It is assumed that not only plastic bags and plastic containers will be banned, but also disposable tableware - in particular, plastic forks and plates, lids for coffee cups and other goods. According to plans, Costa Rica will get rid of plastic by 2021.

In Costa Rica, 4,000 tons of solid waste is produced daily, 20% of which is not recycled, but remains in the rivers of Costa Rica, on ocean beaches and in forests, polluting nature.

In addition to phasing out plastic, Costa Rica plans to neutralize carbon dioxide emissions by 2021 by switching to renewable energy sources.

Through investment in new technologies, the government plans to replace single-use plastic products with innovative ones.


Banning all single-use plastic on an island in the Caribbean

Dominica, a state located on one of the islands of the Caribbean Sea with an area of ​​​​754 square kilometers, will introduce a ban on the use of single-use plastic from January 1, 2019, reports

In particular, the ban will affect plastic straws, disposable tableware, including plates, knives and forks, as well as polystyrene mugs and containers.

The innovation was announced on Twitter

MOSCOW, November 10 - RIA Novosti. Valery Spiridonov, the first candidate for a head transplant, talks about how the land and oceans of the Earth are rapidly "overgrown" with plastic debris, how it affects the functioning of ecosystems and how it can be combated.

The era of plastic

Often, the modern benefits of civilization create not only convenience for people, but also cause irreparable damage to nature. In the last 10 years alone, more plastic products have been produced worldwide than in the previous century.

Disposable tableware, bags, packaging, bottles and various containers are the most common types of plastic waste that we "produce" every day. Only five percent of its volume is ultimately recycled and reused in everyday life and life.

Plastic causes serious damage to the environment, from its production to disposal. Factories producing plastic products release up to 400 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per year, and approximately 800 species of animals are now under threat of extinction due to eating and poisoning with plastic.

Disposable bags clog city sewer systems and create flood threats, plastic debris litter beaches and recreational coastal areas, hurting the tourism industry.

The soil

Scientists: Stomachs of 90% of seabirds were filled with plasticOceanologists conducted a large-scale study of the diet of seabirds, which unexpectedly showed that the stomachs of 90% of sea birds contain particles of plastic, which indicates a greater scale of plastic pollution in the sea than previously thought.

It is known that plastic decomposes for about two hundred years. Once in the ground, plastics break down into small particles and begin to release chemicals added to them during production into the environment. It can be chlorine, various chemicals, such as toxic or carcinogenic flame retardants.

Microgranules of plastic and its chemicals seep through the groundwater to the nearest water sources, which often leads to the mass death of animals.

Ocean

According to UN environmentalists, about 13 million tons of plastic waste enters the ocean every year.

Attempts to stop the catastrophic trend have been going on since the middle of the 20th century. Even then, environmentalists sounded the alarm about the growing "Great Garbage Patch", which currently, according to various estimates, covers up to one percent of the Pacific Ocean.

According to forecasts by the British Ellen MacArthur Foundation, by 2025 for every three kilograms of fish in the world's oceans there will be a kilogram of garbage, and by 2050 the mass of waste will be higher than the combined weight of all fish on Earth.

Plastic makes up 80 percent of all debris in the world's oceans. Under the influence of sunlight, it breaks down into small particles. Plastic microgranules accumulate persistent toxic substances on their surface.

Undecomposed plastic bags end up in the stomachs of marine mammals and birds. Ecologists have calculated that tens of thousands of birds, whales, seals, and turtles die from this every year. Animals die of suffocation, or indigestible debris accumulates in their stomachs and interferes with their work.

The result is that the same waste that we throw away is returned to us back on the dining table along with food or water.

Salt is no longer

Recent studies by scientists confirm that these fears are well founded. For example, NYU professor Sherry Mason argues that plastic is already everywhere: "In the air, in the water, in the seafood, in the beer we drink, in the salt we use."

In his work, the scientist examined 12 different types of salt from grocery stores around the world. The found particles of plastic indicate that people constantly consume it in food. The calculation showed that Americans eat over 660 plastic particles a year, with an average recommended salt intake of 2.3 grams per day. The consequences of plastic consumption for human health are still little studied, but it is undoubted that it has a negative impact, as it does on any living organism.

Spanish ecologists have also found microplastics in two dozen samples of table salt. Most often, they found in them polyethylene terephthalate, a polymer used in the production of plastic bottles. Another international team of scientists has found other types of plastic in salt, such as polyethylene and polypropylene.

Sources of pollution

According to environmentalists today, China is the leader in pollution of the world's oceans. It is followed by other Asian countries - Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The inhabitants of the sea coast in these states do not always care about its cleanliness and all the garbage here, as a rule, ends up in the ocean.

The total number of daily discarded plastic products in the US, EU, Norway and China reaches 37 thousand tons, in Russia - no more than 10 thousand tons. Existing plastic recycling technologies can only partially solve the environmental problem.

Legislative regulation

Proposals are being put forward for a consolidated international action plan to address the problem of plastic waste.

Experts from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) acknowledge that the problem has been exacerbated by prolonged inaction. Under the auspices of UNEP, the World Campaign to Combat Marine Litter has been launched.

An illustrative example is the Italian city of Capannori with a population of 46,700 people. In 2007, a zero waste strategy was introduced here. In ten years, the volume of garbage has been reduced by 40 percent. At the same time, only 18 percent of waste ends up in landfills.

It is worth noting that such a strategy requires certain investments and should include mechanisms for financing the fight against garbage. Alternatively, there is the "polluter pays" principle. For an industry with $750 billion in annual revenue, it could be quite effective.

More than 40 countries have established legal restrictions and bans on the use of plastic bags in their territories.

© AP Photo / Eric Risberg


© AP Photo / Eric Risberg

There are no such laws in Russia yet. According to current estimates by environmentalists and economists, Russian industrial enterprises produce approximately 26.5 billion plastic bags. If all of them were collected, then it would be possible to cover an area three times the size of Moscow.

In this regard, Greenpeace Russia launched the campaign "Package? - Thank you, no!" The purpose of the campaign is to call on the largest supermarket chains to abandon plastic bags. Anyone can support the program by sending a letter of appeal to retailers on the organization's website.

Personal culture of consumption

Every day we have an alternative: buy mineral water in a glass or plastic bottle, take disposable paper utensils or plastic plates for a picnic, use reusable shopping bags or shopping bags. Environmental concern or personal convenience? The choice determines the level of a person's self-consciousness.

Of course, such a culture in society is instilled over the years. The less each of us begins to use plastic in everyday life, the faster manufacturers will reduce its production. You should not choose "disposable" plastic solely because of its low price - often many plastic items can be replaced with reusable products made from more environmentally friendly materials.

For example, calculations by British analysts show that the reuse of plastic packaging will save up to 120 billion dollars every year. Decreasing plastic production, it seems to me, can increase the demand for more environmentally friendly reusable products from other raw materials and make them cheaper by increasing their mass production.

It is quite likely that we will be able to turn the tide in a few years and stop or at least slow down the environmental catastrophe.

There are other futuristic views on pollution problems. According to some scientists, irreversible changes are already taking place on our planet, we are threatened by a shortage of drinking water, global warming and other things that will make the Earth unsuitable for human life.

Some of them suggest not to look for new ways to save the Earth, but to focus on finding new planets that are most suitable for the resettlement of mankind. Even leaving aside questions of ethics and morality, it seems to me that such a path is not reasonable from a strategic point of view. It’s easier to put your “beautiful and well-equipped house” in order by cleaning it than to build and settle in a new one.

This folder contains material for the scientific-practical conference "Search gives rise to discovery":

project, presentation, film "Plastic Fantasy"

Introduction

“We must not forget that the level of development of the system for collecting and processing secondary raw materials is, in fact, an eloquent indicator not only of our common culture, but also of the civilization of the economy as a whole. In addition, the environmental safety of the state directly depends on the efficiency of work in the field of waste management. This is our responsibility to future generations.”

“To ensure order on earth is not only to collect garbage, municipal household waste, but also to use them rationally.” A. G. Lukashenko.

We live in a rural area in the village of Zapolye, Vitebsk region, located 70 kilometers from the city. On the territory of the village there are 6 garbage containers for 76 yards, which is extremely small, and garbage removal is not carried out regularly. So we get such mini-dumps around the village, which spoil the overall look.

A large amount of garbage, and especially empty plastic bottles, plastic disposable cups, plates, plastic bags on the streets of our village made us think about how to solve this problem.

The project "Plastic Fantasy" is dedicated to an important and topical topic of the present time - the problem of Municipal Solid Waste.

Problem:

The purpose of the project: to identify the conditions and ways of recycling plastic bottles, plastic cups, plates, plastic bags.

Project objectives:

Find out the history of the emergence and use of plastic bottles, disposable plastic utensils, plastic bags;

To study the chemical properties of products made of plastic and polyethylene;

Hold a school competition for the best craft from a plastic bottle, disposable tableware, plastic bags "Plastic Fantasy"

Research methods:

* experiment;

* sociological survey;

* observation.

Significance and applied value of the work:

Stages of project implementation:

Stage 1. Preparatory.

Stage 2. Basic

Stage 3. Final

Expected Result:

“The good of civilization” replenishes the growing landfills like mushrooms. Therefore, the question of what to do with this mass of waste is becoming more acute. It is unacceptable to burn, as they contain various synthetic materials, during the combustion of which toxins are released. Burial is not an option, since this method of disposal of waste requires large areas. At the same time, atmospheric air and groundwater suffer. So it is necessary to develop technologies that allow the use of industrial waste. But besides this, it is important to educate a generation that will think about protecting the environment, so it is necessary to start this work now.

View document content
"NPK Fantasy of Plastic"

State educational institution

"Zapolskaya kindergarten - secondary school of the Vitebsk region"

Regional scientific and practical conference of students

Vitebsk region

Ecology

Fantasies of plastic

(reuse of bottles and disposable plastic tableware)

Polunina Kristina Yurievna,

8th grade student;

Fedorova Ekaterina Andreevna,

7th grade student

Scientific adviser:

Ryabtseva Irina Mikhailovna,

physics and mathematics teacher

Vitebsk, 2014

1.Project "Plastic Fantasy"

Introduction ____________________________________________ 2

Relevance of the project______________________________ 2

Problem ____________________________________________ 3

Purpose ____________________________________________ 3

Tasks __________________________________________ 3

Research Methods______________________________ 3

Significance and applied value of the work _____________ 3

Stages of project implementation __________________________ 4

Expected result______________________________ 4

Conclusion ______________________________________ 4

2 .

1. Planet in a plastic bag ____________________ 5

2. Environmental problems associated with plastic bottles and packaging____________________________________________ 6

3. Analysis of the sociological survey ___________________ 6 - 7

4. Observation results __________________________ 7 – 8

5. They don’t eat twice from such plates ___________________ 8

6. Marking on disposable tableware - what does it mean?_ 8 - 9

7. Dangerous plastic. What are these numbers? _________________ 10 - 11

9. Figures and facts __________________________________ 13

14 -18

4. Conclusions________________________________________________ 19

5. Conclusion 19

6. Resources used_________________________________ 19

Introduction


“Ensuring order on earth is not only about collecting garbage, municipal household waste, but also using them rationally.”

With the advent of spring, restoring order on earth is of particular relevance.

A large amount of garbage, and especially empty plastic bottles, plastic disposable cups, plates, plastic bags on the streets of our village made us think about how to solve this problem.

The project "Plastic Fantasy" is dedicated to an important and topical topic of the present time - the problem of municipal solid waste.

The streets of our village, the roads are littered with garbage, most of which is plastic bottles, plastic disposable cups, plastic bags.

Identify the conditions and ways of recycling plastic bottles, plastic cups, plates, plastic bags.

Project objectives:

    find out the history of the emergence and use of plastic bottles, disposable plastic utensils, plastic bags;

    to study the chemical properties of products made of plastic and polyethylene;

    hold a school competition for the best craft from a plastic bottle, disposable tableware, plastic bags "Plastic Fantasy"

Research methods:

* study of literary sources; Internet resources

* experiment;

* sociological survey;

* observation.

Significance and applied value of the work:

to teach schoolchildren to take care of the nature around us, to instill in them the skills of manual labor, to expand their knowledge about the history of things.

Stages of project implementation:

Stage 1. Preparatory.

1. Studying the history of the creation and use of plastic and polyethylene products in the food industry.

2. Study of the chemical properties of plastic and polyethylene products.

Stage 2. Basic

Making crafts from plastic bottles, disposable plastic tableware, plastic bags.

Stage 3. Final

1. Participation in competitions, exhibitions;

2. Release of the booklet "Plastic Fantasy".

Expected Result:

* find out when plastic bottles, disposable plastic utensils, plastic bags appeared;

* find out whether plastic packaging is beneficial or harmful;

* find ways to reuse plastic waste;

* master the technology of making crafts from plastic waste and find their application in life;

* share our findings with the villagers.

“The good of civilization” replenishes the growing landfills like mushrooms. Therefore, the question of what to do with this mass of waste is becoming more acute. Burning is unacceptable, as they contain various synthetic materials, during the combustion of which toxins are released. Burial is not an option, since this method of disposal of waste requires large areas. At the same time, atmospheric air and groundwater suffer. So it is necessary to develop technologies that allow the use of industrial waste. But besides this, it is important to educate a generation that will think about protecting the environment, so it is necessary to start this work now.

The results of our research.

Plastic and polyethylene containers in our country began to gain popularity just a couple of decades ago. Back in the early 90s, our grandmothers and mothers carefully washed each plastic bag, dried it and carefully put it in a special jar for reuse (or better, reusable) use. At that time, few people heard about plastic bottles - beer and Coca-Cola were sold in cans and glass bottles. Together with the collapse of the USSR, the country gained independence, the availability of information flows and various "achievements" of the West. One of these "achievements" was the widespread use of plastic and polyethylene containers.

It would seem, what is it? The population received an accessible and convenient type of packaging - light, practical, cheap. No need to wash, no need to wash. Takes up little space. Moisture, air, microorganisms neither inside nor outside does not pass. Virtually unaffected by decay.

“Look around in your office, kitchen or bedroom, plastic is all around us. Our food packaging, clothing, computers, mobile phones, stationery and even toys... »
In fact of the matter. It does not rot, which means it is not subject to environmentally friendly disposal. It burns well, but at the same time it emits such an amount of harmful substances into the atmosphere that it becomes scary. According to experts, a person throws out up to 250 kg of household waste per year. About 25% of this is food waste, 5-10% is paper, 50% is polymers, and the rest is metal, textiles, rubber, glass and other trash. The classical way of waste disposal (container - garbage truck - landfill - recultivation) today is inefficient and, moreover, potentially dangerous, since even a carefully cultivated landfill filled with soil is a source of "landfill gas" that stimulates the greenhouse effect. Despite the fact that in the West, recycling is a profitable and profitable business, as it turned out, it is much easier for us to bury waste in the ground. But this cannot continue indefinitely, since almost all polygons are 50-60% full.

Environmental issues associated with plasticbottles and plastic bags.

Accumulations of plastic bottles and packaging on the planet are already forming real floating continents in the oceans. Scientists are sounding the alarm: giant deposits of garbage have accumulated in the Pacific Ocean. This is mainly plastic and petroleum products. They are located somewhere in Japan and the west coast of the United States, and under the influence of the El-Hi current they regularly move thousands of kilometers. According to rough estimates, this "plastic island" weighs 100 million "tons. Moreover, it is basically a kind of suspension of semi-decomposed plastic, which is not visible either from the air or from a satellite. According to these accumulations of garbage, they pose a great threat to living organisms. When decomposed, plastic releases toxic substances that can cause serious hormonal disorders in both animals and humans.

The threat from plastic containers to the Earth's ecology is not limited to this. The production of plastic bottles in the US alone takes about 18 million barrels of oil per year.

In reviewing the literature on this topic, we found that:

paper decomposes in the ground within 1 month,

banana peel - 6 months

wool - 1 year

wooden poles -4 years

paper cups - 5 years,

painted wood - 13 years,

tin can - 100 years,

and a plastic bottle - from 500 years to 1000 years,

and the decay time of a glass bottle takes 1 million years.

People are already tired of the plastic waste that they themselves create. The creation of plastic packaging has solved many problems, but also created no less. The garbage that our fathers left in places of rest has long turned into dust, and even our great-great-grandchildren will see our plastic bottles, because they are “eternal”.

In our village, you can still return glass bottles in the store in exchange for money, and these bottles are taken away for processing and making new bottles. But with plastic bottles, the situation is different, they are not accepted anywhere and often they litter our streets!

We conducted a survey of students in our school.

Purpose: to find out what products in plastic packaging are purchased, used and where the packaging goes.

48 families of students from our school took part in the survey. The survey participants were asked the following questions:

1. Do you buy products in plastic packaging? Which?

2. Where do you put plastic bottles after use?

3. If you don't throw away, how do you use plastic bottles?

The results of the survey showed the following results:

Question 1. Do you buy products in plastic packaging? Which?

Yes - 38 people

No - 1 person.

Mineral water - 22 people

Carbonated water, juices, drinks - 20 people

Sunflower oil - 20 people

Mayonnaise - 7 people

Ketchup - 4 people

Drinking yogurt - 5 people

Curds, cakes, noodles, mashed potatoes, fish, salads, halva - 1 person each.

Question 2. Where do you put plastic bottles after use?

Throwing out -29 people

Burning in the oven - 3 people

We use in the household - 14 people

Burying - 2 people

Question 3. If you do not throw away, how do you use plastic bottles?

For planting seedlings - 14

For the household - 6 people

We use for milk, kvass, jam - 5 people

We make a drain for water, we use it for watering vegetables - 4

Making crafts - 3 people

The survey showed that families of students in our school buy products in plastic packaging and in most cases they throw away or burn the packaging, and not many use it in the household.

Observation results.

After studying the data, we decided to find out who is to blame for the fact that so much plastic garbage is lying on our streets. To begin with, we went to the store in order to study the number of goods produced in plastic packaging. The results are impressive. The store in plastic packaging has up to 10 types of shampoos from different manufacturers, liquid soaps and deodorants, 3 varieties of vegetable oil, several types of mayonnaise, drinking yoghurts and a huge selection of mineral, sweet sparkling water and beer. This once again confirms the information that plastic packaging is very convenient to use.

We counted the number of abandoned bottles on the streets where we often walk. Got the following result:

st. Soviet - from school to shop - 18 bottles

st. Soviet - from our house to school - 6 bottles

There are 39 bottles along the central road, because the locals dump all their garbage into the ravine that stretches along the entire street and do not think about installing garbage containers.

Most of the abandoned bottles were from mineral or carbonated water, from beer, rarely from vegetable oil. Conclusion: the residents of our village buy products in plastic packaging and in most cases they throw the packaging out of the territory of their estate without worrying about the cleanliness of the streets, which is why there is so much plastic garbage along the roads of our village.

Experts say: plates, forks, spoons and cups made of polymeric materials cannot be used more than once.

This even applies to plastic water bottles. It is strictly forbidden to pour milk or alcoholic drinks there - you will get a poisonous mixture.
The main rule when choosing disposable tableware is to carefully read the label. Each branded product must have a label showing what the packaging is made of. If there is no marking, then it is better to take care of your health and purchase the product in glass containers.

The PVC icon (PVC-polyvinylchloride) or the number 3 in a triangle at the bottom of the bottle or plastic packaging warns the buyer about its toxicity.

In addition to harmless glass containers, there is harmless food-grade plastic, which is marked with letters:

    RE (PE)- polyethylene,

    PETF (PET) or PET (PET)- polyethylene terephthalate,

    RR (PP)- polypropylene.

    PS (PS)- means polystyrene (its code is the number 6).

    In addition, safety is confirmed image of a plate and fork, numbers 05 and 1.

Marking on disposable tableware - what does it mean?

Not all buyers know what the marking means and how such dishes can be used.

This marking indicates that the cookware is made of polystyrene. It can only be used for cold foods. You should never heat food on them in the microwave. In this case, harmful toxins enter the food. In addition, alcoholic beverages should not be poured into dishes with such markings, since toxic substances are also released. The released styrene accumulates in the kidneys and liver and leads to various diseases.

Plastic with this marking is made from polypropylene. Dishes with this marking can be used for hot drinks and foods. Such dishes can withstand up to +100 ° C. You can drink hot tea and coffee from polypropylene glasses, and heat food in the microwave on plates.

You can't pour alcohol. From the contact of alcohol and polypropylene, toxins are released - formaldehyde and phenol. These toxins also affect the kidneys and liver, but there is still a chance of going blind.

Triangle on the package, consisting of three arrows, says the tableware is made from recycled material. Inside the triangle, as a rule, there are numbers.

They talk about the type of processing. So if you see

    1–19 are plastic,

    20–39 - paper and cardboard,

    40–49 - metal,

    50–59 - wood,

    60–69 - fabric and textiles,

    70–79 - glass.

Drawn on the packaging sign "glass - fork" means that the dishes are suitable for any dishes, including the first (hot). If the icon is applied to the packaging in this form, then the products can even be stored in such dishes.
And here if such an icon is underlined, plastic products are not intended to come into contact with food.

Dangerous plastic

We often underestimate the danger it can pose to our health. It turns out that there is a relatively safe and dangerous plastic. Since we still have no way out, it is worth taking care of choosing the lesser evil. Some types of plastic are really dangerous.

Information about the material used in the manufacture of the packaging is located on its bottom in the form of a graphic symbol consisting of three arrows forming a triangle. In the middle of the triangle are numbers from 1 to 7, indicating the type of material from which the packaging is made.

What are these numbers?

1 - PET (PET)

Such plastic is mainly used in the production of disposable beverage containers. Typical PET packaging is mineral water bottles. Such packaging, even after careful cleaning, can release toxic chemicals when reused. Never reuse this kind of material.

2 - HDPE (LDPE)

Low pressure polyethylene (high density) is used for the production of semi-rigid containers, it is one of the safest plastics and can be reused.

3 - PCV (PVC)

Polyvinyl chloride is very often used, for example, in the production of food packaging films. PVC is hazardous to health and can release toxins. When burned, PVC produces highly hazardous chemical compounds known as dioxins, which are often more dangerous than potassium cyanide.

4 - LDPE (HDPE)

The high pressure (low density) polyethylene used in many types of packaging (such as plastic bags) is considered recyclable and safer than many other plastics, but not as safe as plastics 2 and 5.

5 - PP (PP)

Reusable polypropylene is often found as a material for food containers. It belongs to the group of the safest plastics along with material 2 (HDPE).

6 - PS (PS)

Polystyrene is well known in the form of foam. PS releases toxins and should not be used as food packaging. It is also rarely used for this purpose due to the lower chemical resistance of polyethylene, but is present, for example, in lids for disposable coffee cups.

7 - OTHER (OTHER)

Never reuse plastic items marked 7. This group includes many types of harmful chemicals, including the highly toxic Bisphenol A (BPA), which can contribute to schizophrenia, depression, or Alzheimer's disease. In addition, eating foods that come into contact with BPA can lead to disorders of the nervous and endocrine systems, and even cancer. Never use such products in microwave ovens that allow BPA to penetrate deeper into food.

It is most often found in:

    Bottles, dishes for children, in pacifiers;

    Disposable packaging and utensils;

    Epoxy resins on the inner surface of cans with canned products;

    Cosmetic products as an antioxidant;

    medical equipment;

    kitchen appliances;

    Glasses for glasses;

    Water coolers;

    Electronic and automotive industries.

In order to avoid poisoning from packaged food, simple nuances should be taken into account.

First of all, it should be remembered that disposable tableware is disposable.

Currently, plastic is an integral part of our lives, and it will not be possible to get rid of it quickly in the kitchen. But you can try to minimize the harmful effects of plastic on our health. For this:

1. Use only plastics marked 2 (HDPE) and 5 (PP) for food storage.

2. Do not use other categories of plastic for food storage, but recycle it. Do not reuse PET bottles or microwave food in the food trays you bought them in (unless the packaging says they are suitable for this purpose).

2. Do not microwave food in packages containing bisphenol (Group 7), do not pour hot liquids into them, and do not wash in the dishwasher.

3. Use all plastic packaging in accordance with the instructions on them (recommendations for temperature, use of the dishwasher, etc.).

4. Do not buy mineral water in plastic packages that have been exposed to the sun, but it is best to buy drinks (including such as milk, kefir, yogurt) in glass containers.

Disposable packaging and utensils are designed to be used once. It is not worth leaving them in reserve for storing other products.

After use, the thin protective layer on the plastic is destroyed, and these dishes cannot be reused.

Always pay attention to the appearance of the package, its integrity, clarity of the inscription, expiration date.
Principle 1. Disposable tableware can be used strictly for its intended purpose.
Each type of disposable tableware has an indication of what it is intended for: for cold, for hot, for cold drinks, for alcohol, etc. If you pour a hot drink into a glass intended for cold, the plastic begins to release toxic substances.

principle 2. Never leave the product in an open jar, even in the refrigerator. Either buy a smaller package or close tightly.
Principle 3. You can not store any products in disposable dishes, especially in used ones.
After using disposable tableware, the protective layer is destroyed, and when products, such as sugar, are stored in it, toxic substances pass into the product.

Principle 4. Meat and cheese are better not to take in the package.
Principle 5. Plastic dishes are not intended for ethanol-containing substances - alcohol.
Ethanol is an aggressive solvent. The toxic substances in the plastic begin to dissolve and end up in the drink.
Principle 6. The best option for disposable tableware is paper.

Principle 7. Often the composition of plastic dishes includes melamine, which is especially abundant in bright multi-colored dishes intended for children. In its normal state, it is not dangerous, but if you put something hot on a plate, medanin begins to release toxins that enter the human body with food.
Paper is cellulose. Even if its particles enter the body, nothing bad will happen.

Plastic bottles

While disposable cups are usually thrown away, convenient plastic bottles often remain in use.

In them by no means can't pour milk, since fats in it are able to dissolve some polymers, alcoholic drinks, kvass, compote. Polymers tend to "age" under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, high temperatures, so over time they begin to release substances harmful to humans.

Figures and facts

According to the United Nations Committee for Nature Conservation, plastic waste causes the death of 1 million birds, 100,000 marine mammals and countless fish every year.

Recycling 1 ton of plastic saves 750 kg of oil.

The rational organization of the processing of municipal solid waste (MSW) makes it possible to use up to 90% of the waste products in the construction industry, for example, as a filler for concrete blocks.

By recycling 670 aluminum cans, you can make a bicycle.

Recycling 1 kg of aluminum saves 8 kg of bauxite and 14 kWh of electricity.

When burned, 5 tons of garbage emit as much heat as 2 tons of coal or 1 ton of liquid fuel.

On the Internet, we found many sites where people share their inventions and crafts from plastic bottles, plastic disposable tableware, plastic bags. Birdhouses, mousetraps, funnels and pots for seedlings are made from bottles. They are hung on the fence as a scarecrow from crows, and also used as waterproof caps on the tops of poles.

The bottles are an eco-friendly solar water heater.

A Chinese farmer placed 66 bottles on the roof of his house, connecting them with a simple system of pipes. Bottled water heats up almost instantly and enters the house. Hot water is enough for three family members of an enterprising Chinese to take a hot shower. The neighbors liked the invention so much that they immediately decided to use this idea.

Fantastic plastic ship

A team of French explorers is about to sail from San Francisco to Australia (18,000 km) on an 18 meter vessel made entirely from plastic bottles (except for the sail masts). The construction of the yacht took 18,000 two-liter plastic bottles, which were filled with dry ice (to give hardness).

A million bottles to build a temple

That's how many bottles were used by environmentally conscious Buddhist monks in Thailand to build their temple. During the construction of the temple, the monks used green Heineken beer bottles and brown Chang beer bottles. In the temple, even toilets and crematoria are made from empty bottles.

Near the Zapolskaya hospital








among primary and secondary school students


Here is such a cheerful clearing appeared at school.

The flowers were made by elementary school students.



Conclusions.

As a result of the work done, we found out when plastic packaging and plastic bags appeared. They are easy to use, thanks to such properties as lightness, elasticity, strength, and therefore occupy an increasing place in human life, but it cannot be destroyed after use.

Having worked in a chemistry classroom, we learned that plastic packaging does not decompose even under the influence of chemical reagents, and when burned, it emits toxic smoke that is dangerous to human health. Thus, we confirmed our hypothesis: plastic packaging really litters the earth and harms nature.

Our observations and the competition showed that if you approach this problem creatively and in a businesslike way, you can find many ways to use plastic packaging.

At the end of our work, we want to say that in every family something must be accumulated, or even thrown away. We have found many uses for household waste from plastic packaging. Some of the ways we propose to see in the booklet "Plastic Fantasies"

Based on the results of our research, we have outlined the following steps:

1. Present the results of our research to the students of our school, the villagers.

2. Create as many crafts, useful and unusual, as possible on the school grounds.

3. Write an article in the district newspaper Zhytstse Prydzvi nnya to once again draw the attention of residents to the problem of garbage in our villages and remind them that we ourselves are responsible for the cleanliness and beauty of our area.

usedresources:

1. Wikipedia Free encyclopedia [electronic resource] Access mode:
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D1%83%D1%82%D1%8B%D0%BB%D0%B8
2. Science, news. Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications. [electronic resource] Access mode:
http://www.inauka.ru/technology/article40009
3. Children's portal bebi.lv [electronic resource] Access mode:
http://www.bebi.lv/otdih-i-dosug-s-detjmi/podelki-iz-plastikovih-butilok...
4. Site "Ecology" [electronic resource] Access mode http://www.ecology.md/section.php?section=tech&id=2220

1. Plastic container for water, cereals and liquids.
2. From the plastic bottle, you can build a heat-insulating wall, a house, a greenhouse, and other structures.
3. The bottom of the bottle can be cut off and used as a watering can.
4. Cut off the neck of a plastic bottle and use it as a pot for flowers, seedlings.
5. The plastic bottle can be a fishing net float.
6. In a plastic bottle, water can be purified and disinfected.
7. Plastic from a bottle can be used as "glass" and make a translucent window.
8. A plastic bottle makes an excellent washstand.
9. The cut plastic bottle can become a scoop for bulk products and materials.
10. If you cut off a part of a plastic bottle, it will turn into a mug, container (plate) for food, a vase or a universal container.
11. From a large number of plastic bottles, you can build a raft, simple and reliable, quick to manufacture, or even an entire island.
12. You can also make a life buoy or life jacket out of bottles.
13. If you cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle and attach a handle, you get a wonderful mouthpiece.
14. The bottle can be a hot water bottle.
15. Candlestick, table lamp.
16. If you make several holes in the bottle cap, you will get a sprinkler or sprinkler. A very handy thing when frying barbecue on the grill.
17. If you insert a small tube into the bottle cap, you get an oiler that will help you fill containers that are in hard-to-reach places (gearboxes, transmission elements)
18. Although it is not easy, it is possible to make a homemade silencer for firearms from a plastic bottle.
19. If you pour pebbles into a plastic bottle, you get a rattle that can be hung on a rope around the perimeter of the protected area.
20. Thermos (if you insert another, smaller one into one plastic bottle, and lay foam newspaper material between them, etc.). To maintain the temperature of a filled plastic bottle, you can simply wrap it tightly in several layers with newspaper or corrugated cardboard.
21. Often plastic bottles are used as a target (to be hit by various means of destruction, stones, arrows, etc.). Unlike glass, after hitting this target, no fragments remain.
22. Small dumbbells can be made by filling a bottle with shot, small nuts and bolts, or just wet sand.
23. If you pour water into a bottle, you can use it as a rolling pin for dough.
24. Plastic bottles make wonderful greenhouses for rooting plants or for maintaining high humidity of various small seedlings and seedlings.
25. A waterproof container for storing and carrying matches, dry fuel, and other non-waterproof items can also be made from a plastic bottle.
26. You can make a bird or animal feeder.
27. A plastic bottle, under certain conditions, can be used as an electrical insulator.
28. You can also make traps for small fish, crayfish, rodents.
29. Make goggles or even a whole mask, protect your face and eyes from dust, flying particles, insects.
30. On bottles, you can spend the night on cold soil. Or just use the bottle as a pillow.
31. It seems incredible, but in a plastic bottle you can boil water on a fire.
32. From large plastic flasks you can make the simplest shoes to protect your feet.

View presentation content
"Plastic Fantasies"


Fantasies of plastic

creative project

Completed:

Polunina Kristina, 8th grade;

Fedorova Ekaterina, 7th grade


Advantages and disadvantages of plastic packaging

Advantages

disadvantages

transparent,

can be dyed

in any color

products in plastic packaging have a short shelf life

lungs

Don't fight

some bottles contain harmful substances

convenient to transport


Planet in a plastic bag

  • “Look around! Whether in your office, kitchen or bedroom, plastic is all around us. Our food packaging, clothing, computers, mobile phones, stationery and even toys... »

Experts say

A person throws out up to 250 kg of household waste per year.

About 25% of these are food waste,

5-10% - paper,

50% - polymers,

the rest falls on metal, textiles, rubber, glass and other rubbish.


Accumulations of plastic bottles on the planet already

form real floating continents in the oceans.

In the Pacific Ocean, a "plastic island" weighs approximately 100 million tons.


According to scientists

paper decomposes in the ground within 1 month, banana peel - 6 months, wool - 1 year, wooden poles - 4 years,

paper cups - 5 years,

painted wood - 13 years,

a tin can is 100 years old, and a plastic bottle is from 500 years to 1000 years,


  • “We must not forget that the level of development of the system for collecting and processing secondary raw materials is, in fact, an eloquent indicator of not only our common culture, but also the civilization of the economy as a whole. In addition, the environmental safety of the state directly depends on the efficiency of work in the field of waste management. This is our responsibility to future generations.”
  • “Ensuring order on earth is not only about collecting garbage, municipal household waste, but also using them rationally.”

  • the streets of our village, the roads are littered with garbage, most of which is plastic bottles, plastic disposable cups, plastic bags.

  • We live in a rural area in the village of Zapolye, Vitebsk region, located 70 kilometers from the city. On the territory of the village there are 6 garbage containers for 76 yards, which is extremely small, and garbage removal is not carried out regularly. So we get such mini-dumps around the village, which spoil the overall look.

Relevance

A large amount of garbage, and especially empty plastic bottles, on the streets of our village made us think about the question of how to solve this problem. The project "Plastic Fantasy" is dedicated to an important and topical topic of the present time - the problem of municipal solid waste.


  • identify the conditions and ways of recycling plastic bottles, plastic bags, disposable plastic tableware

Project objectives:

  • find out when plastic bottles, disposable plastic utensils, plastic bags appeared;
  • develop recommendations for the recycling of plastic bottles, plastic bags;
  • hold a school competition for the best crafts from these plastic products.

Research methods:

  • * study of literary sources, Internet resources;
  • * experiment;
  • *sociological survey;
  • * observation.

Significance and applied value of the work

To teach schoolchildren to take care of the nature around us, to instill in them the skills of manual labor, to expand their knowledge about the history of things.





Figures and facts

- Recycling 1 ton of plastic saves 750 kg of oil.

The rational organization of the processing of municipal solid waste (MSW) makes it possible to use up to 90% of the waste products in the construction industry, for example, as a filler for concrete blocks.

- By recycling 670 aluminum cans, you can make a bicycle

- Recycling 1 kg of aluminum saves 8 kg of bauxite and 14 kWh of electricity.

- When burned, 5 tons of garbage emit as much heat as 2 tons of coal or 1 ton of liquid fuel.



Practical application of used plastic packaging in the village of Zapolye .

  • Near the Zapolskaya hospital


Greenhouse made of plastic bottles of the Shmyrev family






  • At the end of our work, we want to say that in every family something must be accumulated, or even thrown away. We have found many uses for household waste from plastic packaging.
  • Based on the results of our research, we have outlined the following steps:
  • 1. Present the results of our research to the students of our school, the villagers.
  • 2. Create as many crafts, useful and unusual, as possible on the school grounds.
  • 3. Write an article in the district newspaper "Zhytstse Prydzvinnya" to once again draw the attention of residents to the problem of garbage in our villages and remind that we ourselves are responsible for the cleanliness and beauty of our area

Fantasize! Dare! Creative success to you!

Nomination "Children's project in elementary school"

The relevance of the project. 160 years ago, man first received a plastic mass. Today, millions of tons of plastic are produced and discarded each year. And every year plastic waste is growing. And this huge amount of garbage makes us think about the question: is plastic “good” or “bad”?

Research problem lies in the contradiction between the positive properties of plastic for the manufacturer and the environmental problems that arise as a result of environmental pollution with waste that has not decomposed for centuries.

I am only 10 years old, I am in the 4th grade, but I know for sure that plastic products have firmly entered the life of every person: we drink water from plastic bottles, store food in plastic containers, carry food in plastic bags. It's convenient, easy and inexpensive. But recently, I have noticed that there is a lot of talk around about the dangers of plastic and products made from it. So what? Is plastic harmful or not? Should he be in the future or not? Based on this, I have chosen this topic"Plastic in our lives".

Hypothesis my suggestion that plastic is still harmful at such a scale of its use will serve.

Target my research is to find out what is more good or bad in plastic and whether it is possible to completely abandon this material in modern life. Accordingly, I had to perform several tasks to achieve the set goal:

  • study and analyze information sources (books, magazines, newspapers, reference books, certain sites on the Internet);
  • interview adults (project manager, chemistry teacher, parents);
  • conduct a survey of classmates on a given topic;
  • familiarize yourself with at least a few areas of application of plastics;
  • albeit in general terms, but familiarize yourself with the production of plastic;
  • find out the reasons why plastic has come to be considered a harmful material;
  • encourage others to think about the important environmental problem of ourplanet and to be interested in the possibilities of creating from plastic productsmany interesting and useful things.

Practical significance This work is that the results of the survey can be used in our lives.

To begin with, we must decide what plastics (plastic masses) or plastics are. These are organic materials. They can be based on synthetic or natural macromolecular compounds. They are called polymers. The name plastic means that these masses are very plastic. Those. if they are heated and then acted on, they can take any shape after cooling. When hot, the plastic is viscous, and when it hardens, it is glassy - solid.

Once I decided on the topic, I composed research plan:

1. Background.

2. Varieties and scientific names of plastic.

3. Plastic production.

4. Applications:

  • everyday life (packaging, food preservation, children's toys, school supplies);
  • construction and decoration (buildings, windows, etc.);
  • medicine (plastic prostheses, teeth…);
  • Sports Equipment;
  • information (plastic disks, flash cards).

5. Distinctive features of plastic.

6. Environmental aspect: garbage disposal,possibility of reuse.

7. Plastic is harmful and plastic is useful.

1. History occurrence

The first plastic was obtained by the English metallurgist and inventor Alexander Parkes in 1855. Parks called her parkesin (later another name became widespread - celluloid ). Parkesine was first presented at the Great International Exhibition in London in 1862.

The development of plastics began with the use of natural plastic materials (the production of chewing gum, shellac). Then it continued with the use of chemically modified natural materials. This is how rubber, nitrocellulose, collagen, and galalite were produced. And, finally, it came to fully synthetic molecules (bakelite, epoxy resin, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and others). They have been widely used.

Because not a single industry in our time can do without plastic, I just remind you that hundreds of plants, factories and combines have been created to produce it. Only in our country there are a great many of them.

But it should be noted that two companies produce most of the plastic in Russia - the titans Nordplast and Stellar, and how many other smaller enterprises. In Bashkiria, we can note Rempolimermash in Ufa, Plastmasych in Oktyabrsky, several types of plastic products are produced by our factories Khimprom and Sintezspirt, etc.

2. Plastic processing

Synthetic plastics are obtained by certain chemical reactions. They use substances extracted from coal, oil and natural gas. When I study chemistry in high school, I will probably explain this process better. But I remember that there are several methods for processing plastic.

Mechanical restoration is when very high pressure is applied without any lubrication. At the end of the process, the product is cooled by a jet of air. Plastic can be processed on a lathe, or maybe on a milling machine.

Also, one of the ways to recycle plastics is rotation molding. It is believed that rotational molding of polymers began in the late 1930s. This is how beach balls, soft toys were produced, and during the Second World War they began to produce syringe flasks, soft bottles, air cushions, and elastic balloons.

This method is based on a fairly simple principle. A certain amount of polymer (powder, for example, granules or liquid) is loaded into a hollow mold, which consists of two parts. Then it is rotated and swayed, and also heated at the same time. Then they begin to cool and also rotate to get the desired shape. Now this method is used for the manufacture of polymer shells. The temperature and speed are controlled by the computer.

As a method of processing polymers, there is still welding. Only by means of welding is it possible to obtain a joint without foreign materials, i.e. do not use bolts, rivets, glue. Welding is used when products of special strength and tightness are needed. It needs a very high temperature.

Various types of welding are used:

  • Gas welding
  • Flash welding
  • Welding in an electric field, etc., but this conversation is more for specialists.

3. Applications of plastic products

It is difficult to list all the areas in which plastics and products made from them are used. Therefore, we will only mention a few of them.

  • Such wonderful modern products are obtained from high-strength, frost-resistant, sunlight-resistant polyethylene. Use them for storage, preparation and transportation of products.
  • Once upon a time, not so long ago, all dairy products, water, juices, jams and jams were produced in glass containers. It was also handed over for reuse and received money for it. Now almost everything is packaged in plastic.
  • Special mention must be made of plastic toys. They have long replaced wooden horses, and for some reason we try to bring plastic pencil cases to school, and in them - plastic rulers, sharpeners and pens. Our textbooks and notebooks are wrapped in polyethylene.
  • Now there is not a single building where plastic materials were used during its construction, especially when finishing. Starting with plastic windows and doors and ending with the plinth.
  • Even in such a sensitive industry as medicine, which should be more interested in environmentally friendly products for people, it is impossible to do without plastic. In some cases, ductile materials are preferred over others here. So, for example, in our Republican Clinical Hospital, in the trauma and orthopedic department, they told me that once upon a time, instead of worn-out hip and knee joints, patients were given metal ones. They were heavy, even often creaking when walking. Now these are light, durable and mobile prostheses, in the manufacture of which plastic is also used, naturally of the highest quality.
  • The same is true with dentures. The more advanced the dental industry, the more different types of plastics it uses. Although purely plastic prostheses of the early period are not welcome now. They are not durable, recognizable in the mouth, and harmful microbes can breed in chips and cracks in plastic. Nylon prostheses have taken the first place in prosthetics today.
  • There were completely different sports goods - for tourism, sports activities and games. As well as inventory, equipment, clothing and footwear. And here plastic is used. For example, a jumping pole is now made of high-quality plastic, and using some special technology.
  • Be sure to say about plastic information carriers. We use disks, flash cards, floppy disks, tapes, etc. every day.

In a word, a lot - a lot of plastic around us. It displaces other materials - wood, metal, glass. Why? After all, they are more environmentally friendly and harmless to humans.

4. Properties of plastics

Here is a better look at the properties of plastics and their distinctive features:

  • plastics have a high degree of density;
  • they are durable;
  • do not corrode;
  • they are not afraid of acid, salt and alkali (therefore they are used in the construction of chemical industry enterprises, sewer networks, etc.)
  • plastics do not conduct heat well (they are used as a heat-insulating material);
  • they are well painted in any colors and retain them for a long time;
  • plastics almost do not absorb water (therefore, polymers are used in the manufacture of adhesives);
  • in addition, plastics are light, transparent and relatively durable;
  • they are easier to make.

Many of these properties distinguish plastics from natural materials.

In my 4th grade, I asked the guys: plastic is “good” or “bad”, in which cases it is necessary to refuse plastic. The survey was conducted in the form of a questionnaire.

1. KaWhat plastic products do you use in your life?

A) dishes D) school supplies

B) personal hygiene items E) packaging

C) furniture E) toy

2. What materials do you prefer?

A) paper B) plastic

B) wood D) glass

D) stone

3. What do you think, what words are called plastic mass?

A) polyvinyl chloride D) polyurethane

B) hyperboloid E) polysaccharide

B) celluloid

4. Which dish do you like best eat and drink?

A) iron B) porcelain

B) glass D) plastic

5. What will you choose?

A) if a sled, then ... B) if a suitcase, then ...

Wooden - leather

Plastic - plastic

metal - metal

B) if a toy, then ... D) if a drink, then ...

Plush - in a glass container

Plastic - in an aluminum can

Rubber - in a plastic bottle

From a wooden barrel

6. In what cases do you refuse to use plastic products?

7. Plastic - is it "good" or "bad"?

All the children indicated that in their everyday life they use various plastic products: dishes, school supplies, personal hygiene items, etc. But they still prefer different materials. For example, 10% of children will refuse a plastic bed and other furniture, because. it is not strong enough, and most importantly uncomfortable. But 5% of respondents like to eat from plastic dishes.

17% of students say they will never give up plastic products, although they do not like that they break quickly. In sports and games, children choose plastic products (skis, sleds, skates, toys, etc.) - 41%. And all my classmates admitted that their school supplies and personal hygiene items (toothbrush, comb) are made of plastic.

In addition, I found out that my friends know absolutely nothing about the dangers and benefits of plastic. None of the opponents defined the names of plastics. Although almost 50% consider that the main problem is that plastic does not rot for a very long time, therefore it pollutes the world around us.

5. Dangerous or No?!

Apparently, in the future, the importance of plastic in our lives will only increase. So my grandfather and I watched a documentary film about the Plasticity exhibition. It was opened in honor of the 100th anniversary of plastics in London at the Science Museum. Very interesting things of the future were presented there: plastic blood, an aircraft project that can change shape in flight, boots.

However, more and more researchers are saying that some types of plastic may not be safe.

In 1988, the Plastics Industry Society developed a labeling system for all types of plastics and universal recycling codes. This marking is international. Some types of plastic have an equally harmful effect on the environment. People throw away over a trillion plastic bags as soon as they are used once. Only one in four bottles is recycled. This means that millions of tons of plastic are sent to landfill every year or, even worse, to bodies of water and land. There are no such microorganisms in nature. Which would recycle plastic in a short time. It takes 500 years. Imagine, you are no longer there, and the glass you threw will lie in the forest for another 5 centuries?!

6. Secondary processing

Thus, it turns out that throughout the life of plastic products - from production to disposal - they harm both humans and nature.

Of course, it will not be possible to completely refuse to use such material in our life, but it is impossible to continue to use it thoughtlessly. And besides the environmental problem, there is the question of oil reserves. It is the basis for the production of plastics.

This means that it is urgent to establish a harmless disposal of these products and figure out how to use plastic several times.

An interesting solution was proposed by the Japanese. At the Plasticity exhibition, they exhibited a Toyota car made of plastic based on vegetable raw materials.

Plastic waste must be recycled. You can not burn them - harmful substances are emitted into the atmosphere.

There are already several ways to recycle plastic:

  • Pyrolysis
  • Hydrolysis
  • glycolysis
  • methanolysis.

Here's how one of them works: in the car, the temperature is about 500 ° C, there is no oxygen, using pyrolysis in a fluidized bed reactor, pieces of plastic debris decompose, while many polymers break down into the original monomers. In the end, wax, styrene, carbon and other things that made up plastic are obtained. Now these products are raw materials for light industry. This technology saves money and does not bury waste, and can also be profitable.

In addition, in everyday life, you can try to give a "second life" to plastic products: both children and adults can make bird feeders, chess for themselves, various "animals", mushrooms for flower beds in the garden and in their yard. From disposable plastic utensils, I myself made a model of a spaceship and even won first place in a contest of crafts made from waste materials dedicated to the day of cosmonautics.

III. Conclusion

Considering everything that was said above, I came to the conclusion that it is no longer possible to completely abandon plastic products. I also realized that plastics are harmful and useful. You just need to use this product correctly:

  • it is not necessary to heat food in plastic because when heated, harmful substances from the container move into the food;
  • useless (scratched, cracked) containers do not use;
  • follow the rules for the operation of plastic products - some cannot be washed, others cannot be kept in the refrigerator for a long time, others are not suitable for long-term use;
  • do not burn plastic items in your country house - you will poison yourself and poison your neighbors. And, of course, pay attention to the labeling of plastics. The safest materials for humans under the numbers 4 and 5, LDPE and PP codes. These are polyethylene and polypropylene.
  • try to gradually get rid of plastic dishes, it is better to replace them with glass ones - they are made of environmentally friendly materials.

Of course, this topic is not new. It seems to me that as soon as synthetic plastics appeared in life, this problem arose. But it exists, and it affects everyone. So, we need to solve it all together.

Project presentation