Dr. Ajai Kumar Sonkar

Before determining the treatment for a disease, it is very important that we identify the disease correctly. When we talk about the problem of plastic and its solution, the administrative order banning single use plastic is seen as a big step. It indicates that we are still unaware of the real magnitude of the problem.

The real danger to us is from that plastic which is not visible to eyes, it is in our air, in drinking water, in our food, through which it has reached our blood and tissues. These plastic particles are so fine that they reach the clouds in the sky with vapors, and rain down in remote glaciers, mountains, jungles. Due to the presence of these plastic particles in irrigation water, it has reached our fruits, vegetables and grains… Plastic rocks have started being found in the oceans which are called Plastiglomerates. This unnatural substance manufactured by man is making every pore of this Earth sick, the lives of those creatures who have nothing to do with this plastic are also in danger.

Today news is coming from all over the world that this plastic has been found in someone's liver, someone's heart and someone's genitals. Blood flows in every organ, so whatever is in the blood is bound to be found in other body parts.

Plastic is found everywhere not only in India but in all developed countries. Perhaps you won't find even a drop of drinking water that is not trapped in a plastic bottle in developed countries. Not just water but every beverage and food items are wrapped and in contact with plastic.

One day while working in my tissue culture laboratory I found plastic particles in the mantle tissue of a marine oyster through a microscope. The body's defense system had formed a circle around those plastic particles which looked like tumors.

In search of the source of the plastic particles I collected water samples from rivers, ponds, seas etc. and found that plastic particles were present in every sample. One day I put a drop of tea made from a teabag under a microscope and found that there were millions of plastic particles present in them too.

Plastic used anywhere in any form is dangerous. For example, a plastic chemical called 6PPD is added to the rubber of vehicle tires to make them Tires and shoes contribute to 50% of micro-plastics in the environment stronger. Similar chemicals are also added to shoe soles. This chemical is extremely toxic. A study conducted at Vienna University of Austria states that such tires and shoes contribute 50% of micro-plastics in the environment.

The steps taken to save the earth from this terrible disaster are negligible, not only single use plastic is a danger, but every plastic is a curse on life on earth, the nature of plastic is that it loses its flexibility with time and becomes brittle and breaks down to micron and nano size, this process of plastic breakdown accelerates in sunlight and corrosive environment. Thus, plastic lying in the open environment has reached the air we breathe, water, our food chain. The awareness of the public is also insufficient to deal with this disaster, because what can they do, they have no option, their every essential item is in the grip of plastic only.

Governments will have to take strict steps to prevent the use of plastic and its reaching the environment by making strict provisions.