When waste management companies will be expected to deal with three times more of a particular polluter in the next forty years, do we really think we will cope? Already environmental enemy number one, the forecast for plastic production is expected to triple during that period. Do we think our rubbish removal and recycling efforts are going to cope? 

The answer may be yes in areas where the resources are available to scale up junk removal efforts and promote the levels of recycling, but across the world, no, it doesn’t seem likely. 

The problem with plastic is that it takes decades to degrade and when dispersed into the environment, it is highly mobile. Being lightweight, it gets blown by the wind or washed along by the water. While in the UK the recycling levels of plastic are a respectable 40 percent plus, worldwide it is only 9%. 

It seems that only a miracle will prevent the earth from being swamped by this environmentally dangerous material in the future. It may mean that private waste management companies involved in rubbish removal and junk cleanups need to gear up to face the looming danger. 

As a locally registered waste management company in the Wirral area, Junk Removal Wirral is on hand to deal with any form of environmental pollution of which plastic is one of the most problematic. We do, however, work closely with industry and recyclers to find the best waste solutions we can. 

Can the Environmental Enemy Become a Friend? 

There is a school of thought that the energy contained in plastic can be utilized with the help of science. The challenge seems to be that the chemical bonds in plastic are very difficult to break down and if this could be overcome a huge energy source will be unlocked. This could turn the enemy into a friend.

The traditionally popular method of recycling through waste separation, washing, shredding, melting, and reforming plastic into new products won’t keep us ahead of the great tsunami of plastic waste coming our way in the future. 

And so there have to be other ways that can convert plastic away from its dangerous polluting format to a more useful benign state. And for sure, environmentalists will insist that this way is eco-friendly and it should not involve the use of harmful chemicals which will further pollute our globe. 

Using Nature to Break Down Plastic

The answer to no chemicals has been found in the form of using enzymes in certain bacteria strains. The problem however is that the conversion rate is not fast enough. To solve this, researchers are looking for ways to alter the enzymes’ capabilities to be able to deconstruct the chemical bonds of plastic, particularly PET. 

This is much more preferential to chemical action, where only the addition of water is required to facilitate the action of the enzymes. 

While the use of enzymes still has to gain traction, continuous research, and development hopefully will overcome the hurdles faced with recycling PET. This includes overcoming the dyes used and their chemical makeup which are obstacles that researchers are facing. 

Plastic to Syngas 

Even more encouraging result from researchers in Cambridge who are trialling the conversion of both carbon dioxide and plastic simultaneously using solar power and the addition of some catalysts. These are converted into syngas, which is an important element of a sustainable fuel such as hydrogen. 

Better still is the prospect of having a recycling plant that is powered by solar entirely. These sorts of breakthroughs indicate that there is hope and that one day a solution to plastic pollution will be found. 

Other Meaningful Actions 

We are so used to plastic that we tend not to think about it or the consequences of buying more products in plastic containers when we are out shopping. Also, we are used to certain routines with our daily purchases, and breaking these habits is hard to do. 

• Single-use plastics are a scourge to society. By saying no to them you can help reduce plastic waste. 
• Use alternates to plastic like glass or cardboard, which are much more recyclable. 
• If you use plastic, make sure that it goes into a separate bin and is sent to recycling. 
• Refuse to use plastic bags if you are out shopping, look for an alternative.
• Don’s use plastic straws or plastic cutlery 

Think about the harm to Animals. 

The many stories we hear about animals and birds suffering as a result of plastic should be enough to put us off using it. In many instances, it’s not only plastic bottles and bags but microplastics, which are tiny plastic beads found in consumer goods like cosmetics and toothpaste that find their way into the environment and are swallowed. 

The toxicity in plastic can cause death, and there are instances where sea birds mistake floating plastic for food. Likewise, marine life gets entangled in plastic, and with the invasion of plastic into their environments their breeding habits become disturbed. 

Because plastic takes so long to degrade it means that the chemicals in plastic have plenty of time and opportunity to leach into the soil. There they build up and stay there for a long time, polluting water, becoming ingested into plants, and being harmful to those creatures that eat them. It’s a ripple effect that we hardly imagine, but it is happening day in and day out. 

Start Reducing Plastic Today 

Let Junk Removal Wirral help your community get the better of plastic. Reduce, recycle, and reuse is the well-known mantra, and it applies especially to what can be done to tackle the scourge of plastic. 

Come rubbish collection day please separate your recyclables and reduce the use of plastics. That’s a good start to the war on plastic. 

By making an arrangement with a licensed waste management company in Wirral, such as Junk Removal Wirral, you can be sure that your junk will end up where it should and be disposed of in the correct manner. 

When you need a junk removal service, call us at 0151 808 0407. 

We will be pleased to hear from you.

Email: enquiries@junkremovalwirral.co.uk

www.junkremovalwirral.co.uk