Submit your order instructions

Get essay writer assigned

Receive your completed paper

Environmental sustainability and plastic waste

This IGCSE global perspectives individual report, written for an undergraduate level 3-4 course in environmental science using MLA citation style, examines the environmental and social impacts of plastic waste, with a focus on single-use plastics and their implications for ecosystems and human health. It references authoritative sources such as WHO reports and scientific journals to discuss the causes of plastic pollution and analyze its consequences. The individual report example explores potential solutions including regulatory measures, sustainable alternatives, and recycling technologies. The paper's author reflects on both systemic and individual levels of action. This IGCSE report serves as a useful reference for students studying environmental issues, illustrating the use of an interdisciplinary approach to solve diverse environmental problems, integrating insights from environmental science, economics, and sociology.

November 3, 2024

* The sample essays are for browsing purposes only and are not to be submitted as original work to avoid issues with plagiarism.

Surname 1

Student’s Name

Professor’s Name

Course

Date

Individual Report: Environmental Sustainability and Plastic Waste

Introduction

Plastic waste management has become one of the most modern-day pressing issues due to

rising environmental concerns. More precisely, it is about the effects of single-use plastics on

ecosystems and human health. The following report takes a closer look at plastic waste's

impact on the environment and social life, focusing on why it has remained a problem and

how mitigation measures have gone so far. By analyzing diverse research on plastic pollution,

viable alternatives, and policy measures, I seek to develop an individual perspective on

feasible solutions towards lessening the environmental impact of plastic waste.

Source Evaluation

The sources used for this research consisted of a mixture of peer-reviewed journal articles,

government reports, and news sources from reputable outlets. The 2019 WHO report on

microplastics in drinking water was pretty enlightening as far as health hazards go. Moreover,

research articles from Environmental Science & Technology gave insights into the ecological

impact of microplastics. Realizing that my sources may be biased, I have cross-referenced my

information against other works from Greenpeace and NOAA, better-equipped organizations

in environmental matters.

Surname 2

Image 1: Plastic waste in natural habitats (Kumar et al., 2021)

Impact of Plastic Pollution

Plastic waste is extremely harmful to the environment. Approximately 8 million metric tons

of plastic are released every year into the oceans, disrupting marine ecosystems and putting

biodiversity under threat. Generally, plastics released into the environment can take many

centuries to degrade; they break down into microplastics ingested by wildlife, thus affecting

marine food chains. As of 2020, microplastics in 80% of marine species. This results in

digestive blockage and disruption of hormones as part of the adverse effects (World Health

Organization).

On land, plastics contaminate the soil by leaching chemicals into the earth and back

into food supplies. A World Health Organization report warns that these chemicals can have

adverse health effects; this is most particularly likely in areas of low incomes where waste

management systems may not be fully developed (World Health Organization). Given the

breadth of impact, the problem of plastic pollution requires intervention now on a wide-scale

basis.

Surname 3

Image 2: Chart showing a breakdown of plastic waste by product type to illustrate

predominant sources of pollution (Kumar et al., 2021)

Causes of Plastic Waste

Different reasons may be identified as to why plastic waste is persistent. First, plastic

materials are cheap to make and versatile; hence, they cannot be replaced in packaging and

everyday items. Besides, the recycling systems are still at rudimentary levels; only 9% of

plastics globally are recycled. According to Alassali et al. (2021), this is partially because

different types of plastics are hard to recycle, thus making sorting and processing

cumbersome.

Cultural factors contribute to plastic pollution in the form of consumer habits that

favor convenience and disposability. To begin with, packaging materials made of plastic

continue to dominate packaging not for reasons of high price but due to the generally durable

properties of the material in question, despite its drawbacks in ecological terms (Tsuchimoto

& Kajikawa, 2022). Therefore, plastic waste is not just a question of technology but one

related to consumption and economic powers.

Surname 4

Potential Solutions

Policymakers and environmental groups are calling for alternatives and more regulation to

solve the crisis. In 2021, the European Union implemented a ban on several single-use plastic

products, such as straws and cutlery, in an effort to stem the tide of plastic waste (Alassali et

al., 2021). Regulatory measures of this kind are crucial, but they must be scaled up and

broadened in their scope.

From an economic point of view, consumers should also adapt to sustainable

alternatives such as reusable bags and biodegradable materials. Additionally, investment in

advanced recycling technologies can be widely undertaken in order to improve plastic

recovery rates (Tsuchimoto & Kajikawa, 2022). Enterprises such as Loop Industries are on

the frontline in chemical recycling towards the treatment of mixed plastics into reusable raw

materials. Indeed, such innovations represent a promising avenue for reducing plastic

pollution (Alassali et al., 2021).

Surname 5

Image 3: Diagram of the circular economy model for plastics to illustrate the sustainable

approaches to waste management(Kumar et al., 2021).

Conclusion and Reflection

In consideration of the above evaluation, there is the realization that both personal action and

systemic change have their places when it comes to plastic waste. It does take stringent

policies by governments and corporations, yet consumer choices do make some difference.

My conviction from research has always been that moving toward sustainable plastic

management requires a combination of regulatory measures, public awareness, and

technological advancement.

Research sensitized me to the degree to which plastics saturate contemporary life and

showed the complexity of any eventual shift toward more sustainable alternatives. While I

did find many promising inventions, I realized that social behavior and cultural values were

as much an essential part of making change last.

Primarily, the processes of reduction in plastic waste have to be multidisciplinary in

nature, consisting of environmental science, economics, and sociology. Addressing such

dimensions will provide a pathway for societies towards sustainability, free from plastic

pollution.

Surname 6

Works Cited

Alassali, Ayah, et al. “Towards Higher Quality of Recycled Plastics: Limitations from the

Material’s Perspective.” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 23, 30 Nov. 2021, p. 13266,

https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313266.

Kumar, Rakesh, et al. “Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Ecosystem Services, Sustainable

Development Goals, and Need to Focus on Circular Economy and Policy

Interventions.” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 17, 2021, p. 9963. mdpi.

Tsuchimoto, Ichiro, and Yuya Kajikawa. “Recycling of Plastic Waste: A Systematic Review

Using Bibliometric Analysis.” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 24, 7 Dec. 2022, p. 16340,

https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416340.

World Health Organization. “Microplastics in Drinking-Water.” Www.who.int, 20 Aug. 2019,

www.who.int/news/item/20-08-2019-microplastics-in-drinking-water.

November 3, 2024

24/7 custom essay writing by real academic writers

WPH

Academic level:

Undergraduate 3-4

Type of paper:

IGCSE report

Discipline:

Environmental science

Citation:

MLA

Pages:

3 (936 words)