Recently, the British newspaper “Guardian” has pointed out “the worst invention of mankind”. Unfortunately, plastic bags “won” this title, because the planet we live on now has almost become a “plastic planet.” Plastic bags are almost everywhere: lands, rivers, mountains, oceans, etc. Until one day, when we are all gone, they will continue to occupy the earth, because they are “immortal”.

The newspaper said that the cockroach has always been regarded as a symbol of tenacious vitality. However, since the appearance of plastic, it even surpasses the cockroach and becomes the last witness of human civilization. I think it will bring the history of mankind and enter the next ice age.

Plastic “was born” in the 1930s. Since the 1970s, it has monopolized the market for shopping bags in European and American supermarkets. Now, in Britain, around 8 billion plastic bags are used every year.

Plastic grocery bags have caused extremely serious pollution in the ecological environment. Its molecular structure is very stable, which is difficult to break down by light, heat, bacteria, and enzymes in nature. Even if it is buried in the ground for hundreds of years, it will not divide or degrade. Burning plastic bags is not the way to solve the problem. Because after it has been burned, the chlorides and heavy metal ions that remain in the atmosphere will seriously endanger human health and the ecological environment. The accumulation of a large amount of discarded plastic bags has caused serious pollution in farmland and rivers, and has destroyed the environment in which we live. In addition, the production of plastic bags will consume a large amount of energy, such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, shrink film, low-density polyethylene, etc.

Compared to other countries, “white pollution” in South Africa is much more serious. When the wind blows, the trees are often covered with plastic bags, making residents even think it is snowing. To reduce environmental pollution, since March 2001, the Irish government has started to collect the tax on plastic bags: 9 cents for each bag. And Britain has also started to take action, using biodegradable materials to make plastic bags. Currently, other countries are also following this program, in order to do some work to remedy “the worst invention”. However, we do not know when humanity can say goodbye to the “age of plastic”.