A source of danger: Plastic

It came as the wonder material of the 20^th century, but today disposal of plastic waste has become a huge problem.

They are made from the by-products of petroleum and natural gas. Most of the plastics in use today are non-degradable, i.e. require 200 to 400 to decompose. If buried in garbage dumping grounds, the chemicals used in manufacture of such plastics, leach out into ground and surface water.

They also present a danger to domestic animals.

The solution to the problem is not recycling, because most plastics cannot be burnt or broken down into reusable compounds.Ecologists worldwide advise re-use of plastic products or a reduction in their use.