Category: Garbage

As Shannon L. Alder once said, “before you call yourself a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, or any other theology, learn to be human first”. But what does it actually mean to be a good human? Certainly not one that normalized disastrous issues like pollution in the name of profit and convenience. The On-the-go, modern lifestyles of people have made disposable products such as cans, bottles, bags, and straws a constant requirement. However, the accumulation of these products has led to plastic pollution, an issue that is as extreme as climate change yet constantly ignored. Plastic, a strong, durable, lightweight, corrosion resistant and relatively inexpensive polymeric material acquires this versatile nature which leads to its overuse to the point where its consequences in the long run are looked over its current benefits (Wabnitz & Nichols, 2010).What many individuals are unaware of, is that plastic has large non-biodegradable molecules, which in turn create toxic pollutants and lead to death among humans and wildlife.

Easy accessibility, the need to over-consume, and human hunger for plastics have become a deadly combination of lethal nature. Whether it’s being mistaken for food by animals, clogging drainage systems, or flooding low-lying areas such as beach shores and ocean banks, plastics have gained their much-needed attention as a large-scale pollutant in the recent years. Despite being such a big issue, the harms of plastic pollution are overlooked by society as most individuals find it hard to move away from the easy accessibility of plastic products.

Plastic pollution is an issue that is quite often neglected in mainstream media and, consequently, everywhere else. If efforts to reduce plastic waste remain minimal, a study conducted in 2016 by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation states that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 if measured by weight (Hornak, 2016). Based on this reality and possible consequences, it is crucial that humans are doing everything in their control to refrain from excessively using plastic products, finding ways to reuse them and making use of more biodegradable plastics in attempts to save the planet and its inhabitants.

Despite the fact that plastic production drastically increased during World War II, it was not until the 1970’s that the presence of plastic pollution in water bodies was recognized. Research conducted by the National Academy of Sciences (1975) measured that approximately 450000 metric tons of plastic are annually discarded at sea (Azzarello & Van Vleet, 1987). Modern lifestyles make it difficult to live plastic-free, as we are so accustomed to the convenience of disposing rather than reusing. Humans rely on the ability to dispose, whether it’s food containers, plastic grocery bags, garbage bags, straws, even everyday cutlery, and water bottles, without considering the impacts of the plastic in landfills. When plastic waste is improperly disposed, it accumulates overtime and adds to one of the five subtropical gyres that cover approximately forty percent of the world’s oceans (Moore, 2019).

Cause & Affect

The increase in plastic waste disposal evidently contaminates and poses an escalating threat to the marine environment, natural food-chains, water bodies, and in the end, human health. Since plastic pellets and granules come in various sizes, plastic pollutants affect organisms as small as plankton and as big as whales and humans. The ingestion of this poisonous plastic disturbs the food chain and causes an increase in death within all living things. The microscopic nature of microplastics prevents marine organisms from being able to detect their saturation on ocean floors. This causes fish to consume microplastics, the same fish which then become available in supermarkets for human consumption. The toxic chemicals within plastics also cause air pollution which in return leads to deaths amongst humans and animals.

Recent Initiatives

Although our ignorance may be the leading cause of animal deaths as well as poor human health, there is very little we are doing to stop it. Only recently have multimillion-dollar companies taken action to ban certain kinds of plastic products. Amongst all uses of plastics, United Nations figures evidently show that two-thousand out of the nine million tonnes of plastics are disposed straws (Abedi, 2018). Straws are also the leading reason as to why sea turtle species are seriously harmed (Wabnitz & Nichols, 2010). Recent initiatives from businesses in the food, hospitality, and entertainment industry like Starbucks, SeaWorld Entertainment, Hilton and Marriott have placed a ban on straws. Their recognition and understanding of how intense the matter is, is the first step in the reduction of plastic pollution. These companies aim at saving the lives of marine animals who mistake straws for food and ingest them. But what are we doing? Even though eliminating plastic straws rarely requires a drastic change, we refuse to adjust to reusable straws for the betterment of marine animals. Our selfish ways of life have caused many animals and humans to sacrifice a healthy lifestyle.

Consequences

Education on plastic pollution is extremely important for the public to realize the serious consequences of excessive plastic use and disposal. From the known impacts that plastics pose on humans and harmless marine animals, there is no reason as to why our society appears to do nothing in order to remove plastic from our lives. Immediate measures must be taken into place to regulate production, manage disposal and limit the distribution of plastics. Although certain alternatives such as bioplastics may be expensive, they biodegrade quicker than normal plastics and are synthesised from plant-based materials making them less harmful in the long run. Plastic can be replaced with reusable materials such steel, silicone, glass, and even liquid wood. At the end of the day, the ban of certain plastic products, and raising awareness of the serious consequences that follow with the overuse of plastics, may help in reducing the harm it causes.

How is business contributing to the issue? About 33% of the plastic that contaminates our territory and seas are from food coverings. Today almost every aspect of our food coverings has plastic whether the potato chips packet or ice cream cup whether our favourite refreshment beverage or filtered water bottle, whether expresso coffee or carbonated drink not to forget those straw and stirrers. Plastic is commonly used to wrap and protect food since it is lot less expensive then other packaging options. Single use plastic has also found place in every shops to let customer carry things with ease. Bottle tops and small plastic coverings, cannot be processed by marine creatures and winged animals and they die of plastic ingestion. (Top 5 Causes of Plastic Pollution, n.d.)

The statistics of 2015 reveal the amount of plastic produced annually by various industries. Packaging industry leads in this by producing 146 million tonnes followed by Construction industry at 65 million tonnes and third in the list is Textile industry at 59 million tonnes. Consumer products, transportation and electronics & electrical industry together produce about 87 million tonnes of plastic. However the waste these industries produce is phenomenal packaging industry at 141 million tonnes, construction and textile at 13 and 42 million tonnes respectively and consumer products, transportation and electrons and electrical industry at 67 million tonnes (Roser, 2018).

How is business impacted by this issue? Plastic pollution impacts several businesses. The Marine Pollution caused by Plastic waste has an impact on marine produce and industries that depend on them for business get adversely impacted. Fishing Industry has dual edged impact one is its lesser produce due to pollution and its fishing gears getting damaged due to plastic in the ocean and hence inability to catch big fish. The Tourism Industry is also impacted with less people wanting to visit scenic places due to plastic waste sites at the sea shore and economies that depend on tourism face huge and ongoing loss. Industries which use Plastic for packaging due to cost advantage like food and beverages industry are at all times worried about reputation damage and face allegations towards not being environment sensitive, which in turn can have customer loss, negative brand image and hence lower profitability. Ripple impact is seen in the market for such companies who are heavily using plastic for packaging. Single use plastic is banned and hence those manufacturing have to invest additionally in creating facilities to manufacture more environment friendly plastic.

Governments across countries through regulatory measure and substantial investment try to keep the country clean and provide basic hygiene to its people. According to the article written by Claire Le Guern, “The bill for cleaning the beaches in Bohuslän, on the west coast of Sweden, in just one year was reportedly at least 10 million SEK or $1,550,200. In Britain, Shetland fishermen reported that 92 per cent of them had recurring problems with debris in nets, with each boat losing between $10,500 and $53,300 per year as a result of marine litter. The cost to the local industry could be as high as $4,300,000. The municipality of Ventanillas in Peru has calculated that it would have to invest around $400,000 a year in order to clean its coastline (Guern, 2019).”

How is Business responding? Ecological laws and regulatory policies make organisations answerable to creating contamination and liable for paying for the damage caused to the environment. Given the organisations are looking to proactively dispose of single use plastics, example in case, by 2025 companies like Mc Donald, Nestle, Unilever is aiming at completely recyclable plastic usage. Unilever is supporting the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastic Economy Initiative and intends to distribute the full palette of the plastic materials utilized, to help make a convention for the business. Volvo is going to use 25% of reused plastic in its new vehicle. Coca-Cola, propelled its World Without Waste mission in January, saying it would reuse a used container or bottle for each new one sold by 2030 and promised to expand the measure of reused materials to 50 percent by 2030, and is trying various procedures for reusing its items and also providing support to government and industry endeavours.

There are also non-profit marine preservation associations all over the world attempting to reduce the pollution. They are engaged in securing and re-establishing a lively marine life through their various programmes. Plastic bank, an NGO not only is spreading awareness it is also purchasing the plastic waste and sells it to companies to recycle and reuse (Nevres, n.d.). Other such organizations are, Ocean Conservancy, Surfrider Foundation, Oceana, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Green Peace, etc (Mambra).

What can be the future responses to this problem? Plastic substitute packaging with innovative sustainable material like glass, paper pulp, hay which has less impact on nature and minimal carbon impression must be promoted for use. Deposit return plans, that deal with packing material and bottles, can help in accumulating the plastic waste for recycle (KEETLEY). “To solve the plastic pollution crisis, companies need to rethink how products are delivered to consumers and invest significantly in reusable and refillable delivery systems,” Schlegel said (Companies’ solutions to global plastic crisis miss the mark: Report, 2019).

The issues of marine environment have always become a hot topic among the marine people. Ocean, seas, estuaries, coastal, mangrove forest and all other major water bodies environment is considered as marine environment and have their important towards other life. So, whenever problems occur at these environments can be an issue as it will affect the ecosystem in the marine environment and thus affect the whole marine community. Across the globe, plastic pollution had become the hot crisis that was never had an end discussion. The high production of single-use plastic causes the increasing of unused plastic stranded in the ocean and other marine environment. According to UN environment (n.d), Chang Jiang (1469481 tons), Indus (164332 tons) and Huang He, known as Yellow River (124249 tons) are the top rivers that carried 90 percent of plastic waste in their water. Other marine environmental issues also include overexploited fisheries, improper discharge of waste, pollution by pesticides and fertilizers, oil spillage, global warming and many other things that is threat to the marine environment (Grip,2017). In Malaysia, the current hot issue is about the water problem that occur in Selangor. The water issues in Selangor is not a new issue but a same problem that always occurs due to pollution of improper waste discharge. Another water pollution case also rises in 2019, where Kim Kim River in Johor was polluted by toxic pollutants.

Most of the marine environmental issues are caused by human activities whether in direct or indirect. Each of the marine environmental issues that arise give impacts towards the marine ecosystem, economy and local community. For example, pollution and overfishing will lead to decreasing in the number of fish available in the ocean due to death and short time of reproduction. This problem will be a crisis in fisheries sector where there will be limited number of fish, thus can affect the economy of a country. Besides, the marine ecosystem itself can also be affected. This is because when there is any disturbance in the ecosystem especially when it affects the keystone species, it will alter the whole ecosystem as every organism has link with other organism in the ecosystem. For example, when sea otter dead due to pollution or chocked with plastic, the number of sea otter in that area will decrease, thus it will promote sea urchin to overgraze kelp and destroy the kelp forest community in that area. Improper waste discharge can also affect the marine ecosystem where the accumulation of nutrient can boost the growth of eutrophication and promote the occurrence of dead zone area. According to NOAA (2020), the northern Gulf of Mexico had already identified as the second largest red zone in the world. Next, marine environmental issues can also give impacts to the local community. For example, sea level rise that occur due to global warming had erode 40 percent of the Florida’s beaches and affect the community there.

Marine environment is the vast body of water that covers 71 percent of the earth’s coverage, consists of many different subsystems such as corals, seagrass, mangrove and many more. They provide many services and values for human being and marine organisms. So, it is a need to know about the marine environmental issues and aware of the solution or mitigation to reduce the problems. Among all the marine environmental issues, the most concern issue was the plastic pollution issue. This contaminant comes from both land-based and sea-based, and there are many entrances that let this contaminant enter the marine environment. The accumulation of plastic and other debris is considered as human-created and give big threat especially in the marine ecosystem. Due to some unique characteristic of the plastic, plastic litter and microplastic are the most persistent contaminants in marine environment compared to the other debris such as glass, wood, rubber, paper and many more. Due to long period of time to be degrade, plastic has the potential of ready transportation with the help of wind and water current. The accumulated plastics in the ocean basins can be broadly classified into four levels based on their sizes: megaplastics, macroplastics, mesoplastics, and microplastics. Microplastics are found in commonly manufactured, commercial products such as personal care and cosmetic products or microplastic particles produce from in-situ environmental degradation and subsequent fragmentation of larger size plastics by physical, chemical, and biological processes. Microplastics are mostly abundant in marine and coastal systems, while synthetic pollutants chemically interact with organic pollutants and metals. The density of microplastics also affects the distribution of microplastics in the water column. Accordingly, microplastic pollutants are widely distributed in every sub-zone/layer (pelagic and benthic) of coastal and marine systems.

The garbage disposal unit is a device that is placed under the sink and which shreds organic waste from the kitchen. Once shredded, this waste is only a few millimeters and does not clog the pipes or generate bad odors. Also called a sink crusher/shredder, or garbage shredder, a garbage disposal is an appliance that is gaining market share every day.It is an excellent tool used to facilitate the organization and cleaning of kitchens. The price can vary greatly from one model to another. And nonetheless, the price doesn’t portray the level of quality of the tool. With that in mind, we have created a guide with everything you need to know about these garbage crushers, from installation to durability and safety issues. There are basically two types of waste disposal units. Both are designed for different needs and priorities: be it for kids’and pets’ safety or convenience. The continuous-feed disposals: These are the most popular types and are less expensive. As the name suggests, they work continuously but have great ease of use and are activable with just any amount of food or scraps that enter it. Except you’re a really savvy do-it-yourself enthusiast, their installation requires the service of professionals.

However, it’s not advisable for people with pets and curious kids. While the unit is on, if anyone or animal puts their hands inside the drain, this might turn catastrophic. Also, if anything apart from food or scraps enters it may damage such prior to its retrieval. If you must choose this device, you must be a very careful and overly cautious person. Batch-Feed disposals: More expensive than the first, the batch-feed waste disposals work only when needed. Hence, they are safe to use and are the ideal for people with kids and animals around. While they are safe to use, they aren’t as convenient to use because they aren’t as automatic as the continuous-feed type. They aren’t use-as-you-go devices. You have to wait till they fill up before you can activate them. Although the sink crusher is a very powerful device, you should avoid putting too large waste or bones in it, as this could damage it.

Meanwhile, there are fewer chances of accidents and offer peace of mind to the user. The powerBefore trying to find out how to buy a garbage disposal with better value for the money, the power of the device isn’t a trivial feature. The power of a waste disposal unit is an important criterion to take into account. You have the choice between machines whose power goes from 300 W to more than 1000 W. For domestic use, a model with a power of 500 W is more than enough to dispose of all your organic waste. On the other hand, if you are a restaurateur, it is preferable to equip your commercial setup with a device with minimum power of 1000 W. On some models, the engine power is expressed in horsepower. To avoid getting confused, a small conversion is essential. In this case, you have to take into account that each horse is 735.5W.A powerful sink shredder will allow you to make immeasurable savings on your household waste. On average, the use of this device will guarantee 25% less waste.

The sink shredder is a very bulky device. Before buying one, make sure you have enough space under the sink. If otherwise, an arrangement is required. Know that the more powerful a disposal is, the more impressive it is. If the most compact machines weigh only 3 kilos, professional-quality ones can weigh 100 kilos or more. It is, therefore, necessary to check that the dimensions of the device correspond to the space you have.If you don’t want to make any modifications to your kitchen, our buying guide for the best garbage disposals recommends that you opt for the 5-kilo models. In terms of performance, these devices will not disappoint you.

Ease of useMost garbage disposers underwent an antimicrobial treatment before being launched on the market. This is very important because it guarantees the absence of microbes and bacteria in your kitchen. Shredders are resonant devices, but if the noise bothers you, there are soundproof models. Some models let you recover wastes into composts.

The waste disposers are no longer equipped with grinding blades but are equipped with a high speed rotating disc. 2,500 RPM is considered quite effective for a garbage disposal unit. Of course, these shredders are just as dangerous as many other utensils with rotating discs. So if you’re sure you can be extra careful with them and want more ease of use, choose the continuous-feed types. It is better to cut off its electrical power in case you do not need to use it or need to clean it. And, most importantly, always ensure it’s protected from those small children!

The installation of this type of equipment is usually not complex, but to avoid problems it is always advisable to rely on models that have an instruction manual. It should also be noted that in some cases there are parts necessary for installation. These can include some tires and tubes that do not come with the unit and must be purchased separately. You do not need a plumbing expert to install your garbage disposers if you have some basic knowledge. In addition, asides the manuals, some crushers are sold with quick installation kit and drain adapters.

The disposal has a motor and, consequently, makes noise when operating it. When it comes to a model for domestic use, it is advisable to look for a product that is as quiet as possible. The models with SoundSeal are the most effective in terms of sound insulation. They are renowned for maintaining ultra-low quietness even when processing the noisiest garbage materials.

This technology is available in some InSinkErator models. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a safe decibel model, know that 65-70dB is the maximum range your machine can go. If more than this, know you’re opting for a very noisy machine. Look for another model! Manufacturing elementsOpt for a waste disposer that contains stainless steel components as it is extremely important to ensure the life of the appliance and prevent corrosion. Garbage disposals with grinding chambers that resist corrosion, in fact, give the users some confidence the product can last timelessly. With this kind of material, this is why you see manufacturers offer a warranty covering a period of 5 to 7 years. So, while stainless steel is the recommended, never choose models with ABS or other less-stronger materials. Antimicrobial treatment Garbage disposals shrink the quantity of your wastes but it still accumulates them under your sink for some time. So, the chance of smelling that stink is always still there, irrespective of the product advertisements, which may say otherwise. Certain waste disposers have an antimicrobial treatment installed in their structure. This is essential to guarantee the absence of bacteria in your kitchen and keep the garbage fresh. Disposal stoppers and splash guards which are designed to be in the unit help to filter small garbage particles and water. This helps in fighting odor-creating microbes and stains. Other features Crushing chamber: The crushing chamber capacity is measured in milliliters. Around 1000 ml, they are perfect for the homes of 4 people. A 500 ml tank is perfect for a kitchen used by two people.Scraping-pushing tool: There are practical accessories such as a scraper to evacuate waste more easily. You can also equip your drain with a magnetic band that will catch the kitchen cutlery. This is in case you are not very skilled and/or distracted! Shredder disc: The crushing of household waste is not designed to treat fibrous debris. These can be wrapped around the disc or the parts of the apparatus. Certain commercial disposals are equipped with toothed discs that can treat them with some efficiency. However, it is better to recycle or dispose of this waste in the garbage container!

Waste recycling: Crushed food wastes are evacuated in most cases to the septic tank. However, they can also be retrieved to compost; Some models offer easier evacuation than others.

If you are thinking of purchasing a household waste disposal, what matters most is the number of people living in your home. Small garbage disposal will not make the size if you are many members in the home using the kitchen sink. It can cause your engine to overheat and break down!Once you have determined the power of the waste disposer, analyze some aspects to guarantee the comfort of use and the durability of the product. Remember, when making the purchase of a product of this type, asides price, warranty and ease of maintenance, you must also pay special attention to the ease of installation, power, the type that suits you most and the special bells and whistles of the garbage disposal unit.

Rubbish management is the process of controlling waste to its final disposition. Controlling garbage is not that easy because of factors like population rise especially in most towns and cities. Garbage, when not well disposed, could be a major blow to human beings and living things’ health not forgetting the ecosystem. Rubbish causes environmental degradation thus the emission of harmful gases that are not good for humans and animals. The following strategies can help with garbage disposal.

Recycling involves the turning of remains into reusable items. These entities may include paper, glass, or plastics. Using detergent buckets cum cooking oil jerricans in storing water proves completely to be a way of recycling plastic. Recycling garbage saves energy as opposed to the one used during the actual manufacturing from scrape. This strategy also aims at taking care of wildlife and ecosystem. For example, re-using paper lessens risk of cutting trees thus protecting wildlife.

Composting as another strategy of rubbish control entails conversion of garden, plants or remains from the kitchen into manure. Hence, later used in the farm to grow plants and produce. The garbage is put aside into heap pit for some weeks until they decompose and then mixed with other manure, on the farm. This is one of the most beneficial tactics used by Rubbish Management Companies Minneapolis MD.

Garbage control companies also use waste to energy strategy in rubbish disposal. This process entails changing garbage into power initiated fuel. It decreases the release of harmful gases like methane to the surrounding. Targets renewable energy as it is utilized alongside solar and hydro…

Landfilling involves burying wastes into the earth. Although it might contaminate soil and expose danger to living things’ consumption of air and water, it controls the spread of rubbish everywhere. Thus making surroundings clean.

Reduction and reuse of waste materials constitute the other strategies used by companies to dispose off garbage. Companies use less packaging to achieve this. When individuals buy used things like clothes, kitchenware, furniture among others, it saves on rubbish disposition. Reducing and reusing prevents contamination as there are no fresh materials needed in manufacturing procedure when the method is inculcated. It saves energy and money as second-hand things are always cheaper than actual price of the same brand new commodities or materials. Also, it contributes to a clean global climate as there will be no emissions of harmful gases into environment.

These strategies not only apply to companies but to individuals also. Let us create clean surroundings by practicing rubbish management strategies like recycling, composting, waste to energy, landfilling, reusing and reduction. These strategies if inculcated will also extricate unnecessary costs and power spent when they are not in place. As a company, strive to give the best services ever by incorporating the tips.

Nowadays our word is sadly suffering from immerse increase in the amount of wastes, which has happened due to the rapid growth in the population. From here we proposed the idea of Smart Garbage Management System. This proposed system will monitor the amount of waste in dumpsters, detect bad smell and to segregate dry from wet waste. To achieve this aim different sensors will be used which are: moisture, ultrasonic and odor (MQ136) sensors. These sensors will work together in order to collect the needed data, and these data will be sent to the cloud to be monitored and analyzed. Based on the analysis an installed actuator, which are motors and LED, will be controlled accordingly. So based on the processed data, the system will detect the type of waste and separate them. Also it will detect the level of waste, light up a LED when full and notify to empty the garbage. Lastly, the system will detect the bad smell and send notification to collect the garbage. At the end, this project is very effective in managing waste, it can help in recycling, avoid health problems by keeping the city clean and afford a much better way to collect waste.

Waste management is an important issue that needs to be taken into consideration. With the rapid increase in population the amount of waste increased massively which endangered the health of both human and environment. In [1], the World Bank announced that our global waste production will increase by 70% by 2050 unless we take urgent action. Surprisingly nowadays humans are producing two billion tons of waste yearly which is really high amount, knowing that the world population is only 7.6 billion. The figure below shows the waste generation in the world that is announced by Solid Waste Management in:

Consequently, monitoring and separating the waste are required now in order to protect the future. In normal cases, wastes are collected by trucks that circulate continuously without taking into consideration that the bins maybe not filled. This unnecessary roaming leads to extra traffic that pollutes the environment and lead to extra consumption of fuels which is not economical for the waste companies. These rules due to the lack of data and real-time information. Also, despite the use of separate bins by putting dry waste in blue bins and wet waste in green bins, some people do not respect these rules in lack of awareness and education. For this reason, we need an automatic system that separates the waste into two categories wet and dry, and it will help in increasing the cleanliness in society.

Waste management is a problem that has been solved by many researchers. Most of the proposed solutions focus on the detection of the level of wastes in bins in order to empty them. Some researchers have also worked on the separation of waste and the detection of the level at the same time.

In, they proposed a waste level management system. The garbage cans are continuously monitored using ultrasonic sensor and their status is displayed and updated on a website. When the trash is filled, it stays on standby for a fixed period during which the trash must be cleaned by the municipality. If this timer expires and the trash is not cleaned at a given time, the unit will send a message to the higher authority, stating that the trash has not been cleaned in time, re-set the timer for the same duration and stay on hold. When the trash is cleaned the appliance will exit the standby state. The problem here is that the message is not sent immediately to the municipality, while the goal is to empty the trash as soon as possible. So, the efficiency in this case is low.

In, the collection of waste is treated. They used a weight sensor and IR sensor to detect the weight and level of bin. When a high level is detected, the microcontroller sends a message to the control room via Zigbee which in turn will send an SMS to the driver of the nearby vehicle via GSM Module to collect the waste. IR sensors have many limitations such as not being able to use them in the sun due to interference. In addition, Zigbee has a lot of limitations like it cannot be used for long distances, it has low data speed and it is not secure. In, they worked on the detection of the level of waste and the separation of the waste into two categories: wet and dry. For the separation they used a humidity detection plate. The dry waste has a resistance value higher than the threshold value, therefore according to the result of the comparison made by the microcontroller the servomotor will turn the plate towards the corresponding bin. For the detection of the level, they used the IR sensor such that the detected value is collected by the microcontroller and subsequently an SMS is sent to the municipality via this microcontroller. The problem here is that all analyzes and control are done by the microcontroller itself as this is not recommended. In addition, the use of the IR sensor for level detection is not efficient because it has a lot of limitations.

To complete these two tasks, we will use: sensors, actuators, microcontroller and cloud solution allowing the implementation of the MAPE loop. The microcontroller is used to collect data from sensors and publish it to the cloud. In the cloud, based on the collected data, an analysis is made in order to control the actuators. Also, an application will be used to monitor.

For waste separation, a moisture sensor will be used so that due to the humidity of the waste, wet waste can be distinguished from dry waste. Then, based on this detection the motor will turn to the corresponding trash to open the door and allow the waste to slip. For verification if the trash is full or not, the ultrasonic sensor launches the sound waves, and depending on the received waves, the program will decide whether the trash is full or not. If the trash is full several actions will be done: lighting up a red LED and notifying the authority to empty the trash. In addition, trash must not be left for several days uncollected even if the bins are not filled because it leads to emission of bad smell. From here the need of using odor sensor (MQ136) to detect bad smell and notify.

The following table shows the comparison between

the existing solutions and our proposed system.

In order to implement MAPE loop, our system architecture, shown in figure 2, is based on the following:

Photon is used as microcontroller which contains only the touchpoint program. Published data is sent and stored in “ThingSpeak” database via “Webhook”. Using “ThingSpeak”, we monitor dry level, wet level and the smell of waste in real time. Also, in “ThingSpeak” we use React application to evaluate and analyze our “ThingSpeak” channel data and trigger other events. In our project, we use “ThingHTTP” to trigger “Webhooks” at IFTTT web service. The IFTTT “Webhooks” service is used to create web requests to trigger an action. The incoming action is an HTTP request to the web server, and the outgoing action is notification in the IFTTT application on our device or execution for an action by actuators.

The Smart bin contains two separations: one for the wet waste and other for the dry waste. Just above the gates there is a moisture sensor, when the garbage is thrown on the top, between wet and dry gate, moisture senor will measure the amount of humidity in the garbage. If the measured value is high, then the corresponding function published from photon to Particle cloud will be called by IFTTT. This function sends to the servo motor that is placed on the wet side and fitted at the hinge of the gate, to rotate by a certain degree downwards and open the gate, to allow the garbage to slip in. While if the measured value is low, then the servo motor of dry side and similarly allows the garbage to slip in.

If the percentage obtained is greater than a certainn threshold, IFTTT will call a certain function to light up a red LED and send notification to the authority. The sent notification will include: the date and time, the type of waste that should be emptied and the percentage of the waste in the bin. In order to detect the bad smell from the waste, MQ136 sensor will be used. So if the measured value is high, a notification will be sent through IFTTT to the authority in order to empty the garbage.

Regarding the separation of the waste, when the value detected by moisture sensor is high then the servo motor of wet side will rotate by 60 degrees allowing the waste to slip into the wet bin. While when the detected value is low, the servo motor of dry side will rotate to the other direct by 60 degrees to let the waste slip into the dry bin.

For monitoring, figure 3 and 4 show respectively the percentage of dry waste and wet waste in real time.

Figure 5 shows that when the percentage is greaternthan 75%, a notification is sent to collect the waste, as shown in figures 5. Not only a notification is sent toncollect the waste. In addition, to the notification, the red LED, corresponding to the type of waste that should be emptied, will light up indicating that this type of waste is almost full. Also, the smell of the waste will be monitored in real time. As we can see in figure 5, a notification is sent to collect the waste from the bin when a bad smell is detected.

Our proposed system allows to monitor the garbage in real time which makes our solution more advantageous than others. Also, it notifies the authority immediately when the waste should be collected. It does not require a lot of hardware and software components and it is easy to implement.

On the other hand, the proposed prototype has some limitations: first limitation is the Photon worked well but it would not be practical in real life. To eliminate the need for a plug-in power source, a Wi-Fi sensor that is battery operated would need to replace the Photon. Second issue is that the sensors used in our prototype do not give precise values. Last but not least is the IFTTT web service which suffers from limitations in declaring complex conditions or actions needed.

To conclude, our project proposes an autonomic system which can help in bin level monitoring and waste separation. Moreover, this system may save a big amount of money that is used for processing the garbage after collecting waste. Also, it is more economic for the waste companies by avoiding the unnecessary roaming. In addition, it solves the problem of garbage found on road side due to overflowed dustbins and it avoids the spread of bad smell in the city. Simply it keeps our environment clean, green and free from bad smell of wastes. In the future, we can enhance our system byseparating the waste into more detailed categories: organic, plastic, metallic, glass and paper.

In today’s world there is a very big issue, garbage. there’s garbage everywhere and there is nowhere to put it so we need to recycle. My 9th-grade class walked around Canarsie and a beach to do a street and beach clean up and we found a lot of waste such as cigarette buds, beverage bottles, food packaging, etc. We did this to collect data and to see which is worse the street or beach. Thanks to the data we collected, we know that the streets have more waste than the beach because the street is more broad and because the beach isn’t used by many people after summer. We found ways to reuse the garbage, we also realized that people don’t recycle properly and we can’t dump our trash anywhere because then we will be overwhelmed with it and it could do more than contaminate our air.

I noticed that beverage bottles are everywhere so they are a threat to this planet. The beverage bottles break down into infinitesimal pieces, but the plastic can not be digested or transferred by most species. Instead it fills up their intestinal tract and they die the worst way possible, a slowly extremely painful death. Plastic objects such as bags and straws are becoming a threat to. Sometimes turtles get straws stuck in their nostrils,and mistake plastic bags for jellyfish and eat them which causes blockage within their digestive system and will eventually lead to death.

If I was a zoologist my main concern would be to keep the waste away from animals. Zoology is the study of animals and their behavior. Zoologists may study a particular group of animals, in the wild or in a place like a zoo. Zoologists study animals and their interactions with ecosystems. They study their physical characteristics, and the impacts humans have on them.

Another scientist that could help is A hydrologist because they study water and they can help keep waste out of the water keeping sea animals safe. Another concern would be to keep waste away from animals because waste ends up in the water. Animals could become endangered or extinct because of the trash if animals die then there will be no meat for us to eat, Animals contribute a lot to humans lives. They serve humans for food, clothing, medicine and even for economic needs. If plastic bags continue to get in water then turtles will continue to try and eat them and continue to die. When plastic litter drifts out to sea, animals like dolphins may ingest the plastic. Animals can’t break down plastic in their digestive system and will usually die from the obstruction. Pieces of plastic can also get tangled around animals’ bodies or heads and cause injury or death.

One way to solve this problem is to do the three R’s, reduce, reuse, recycle if we do this fewer animals will die. Use reusable bags while shopping. If we do this then we will reduce the plastic bags that end up in the water and streets. Another way is to stop the problem at the source, stop buying plastic water bottles, stop relying on plastic bags.

Did you know that humans are dumping more than 8 million tons of plastic into our oceans every year? That’s over 21,918 tons of plastic per day thrown into our ocean. Our Earth can’t hold all of the plastic we have thrown away, and we need to ban all single-use plastic. Since over 60 million plastic bottles are thrown away every day, plastic bottles need to be banned in all countries. Plastic is harming the health of animals and humans around the world, is destroying ecosystems, and the future costs will be astronomical.

Since 1907, when plastic was created, plastic has become a bigger and bigger problem for animals and human health. A study done by the University of Newcastle, Australia says that the average person could be consuming about 5 grams of plastic each week. Since 2000, the world has produced as much as all the years before that combined, a third of which has leaked into nature. The production of plastic has increased by 200% since 1950. As of 2016, 100 million metric tons of plastic waste have ended up in the ocean. 75% of all plastic produced is waste because it is single-use and disposable. Plastic waste is often majorly mismanaged, and plastic is left uncollected, openly dumped, littered, or managed through uncontrolled landfills. Of the mismanaged waste about 87% of it is leaked into nature and becomes pollution. If we don’t do something, the ocean will contain one metric ton of plastic for every three metric tons of fish by 2025.

Additionally, some studies have shown that microplastics in the air can cause mild inflammation in the respiratory tract. In marine animals, higher levels of microplastics in the digestive and respiratory systems can lead to early death. Studies have found toxicity in lung cells, liver, and brain cells from microplastics. Some types of plastic have chemicals and additives that are potentially harmful to humans. Identified health risks due to the production of residues, additives, dyes, and pigments found in plastic, have been found to have an influence on sexual function, fertility, and increased possibility of mutations and cancers. Airborne microplastics can also carry pollutants from urban areas. There are many direct effects of plastic on animal health including entanglement, blockages to the digestive system, and poison impacts. for humans, the effects depend on size, chemical composition, and shape all of which help decide if the particle will be removed or taken into the cells and possibly moved. The indirect effects of microplastics on the environment and human health are hard to determine. Most of the studies are done in the marine environment and it is clear that microplastics interact with every part of ecosystems in many ways, a lot unknown. There may be large ecological risks associated with plastic pollution, including the health of fish stocks and changing marine carbon storage, which could have long-term effects on food and climate security. The impact of plastic debris on one individual animal is widely known but the result of plastic on the entire species population is harder to determine. A review commissioned by the Scientific Technical and Advisory Panel of the GEF, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, said that 663 have been reported being tangled up, or eaten plastic trash, an increase of 40% in the number of species since the last study. Plastic trash was responsible for 88% of recorded events, and 15% of species were on the IUCN red list. More concerning were the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal, endangered loggerhead turtle, vulnerable northern fur seal, and vulnerable white-chinned petrel.

In addition to harming animal and human health, plastic waste is destroying the delicate balance of ecosystems. Plastic pollution can cause irreversible changes to ecosystems’ performance at the faunal-province [regional] level or the extinction of a species or rare habitat. A high hazard can cause mortality for an affected species or significant changes in the function of an ecosystem and animals. Effects would be expected to occur at the level of a single coastal or oceanic body and would be felt for a prolonged period after the culture activities stop (greater than the period in which the new species was cultured or three generations of the wild species whichever is the lesser time period). Changes would not be amenable to control or mitigation. Moderate hazards would change the ecosystem performance or species performance at a regional or sub-population level, but plastic would not be expected to affect whole ecosystems. Changes associated with these risks would be reversible and have moderately protracted consequences. Changes may be amenable to control or mitigation at a significant cost or their effects may be temporary. Low-hazard changes are expected to affect the environment and species at a local level but would be expected to have a negligible effect at the regional or ecosystem scale.

Plastic may be one of the least expensive materials right now, but in 30 years cleaning up the trash we have made costs will be through the roof. A University of California, Berkeley study estimated that the areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco could gain an economic benefit of $200 a ton for recycling instead of dumping their plastics. Even so the cost of recycling a bottle versus making a new one simply varies, depending on where the bottle is and what the changing price of oil happens to be. That is just two cities out of around 5,000 with a population above 150,000. NAPCOR estimates that 5.5 billion pounds of PET bottles and jars passed over U.S. shelves in 2006. Making this many PET bottles and jars today from virgin plastic would cost $4.5 billion just for the raw materials, without considering the cost of operating bottle production plants. The number of plastic bottles passing over the shelves has only increased leading to more expensive production. Prior to plastics reincarnation as industrial carpet or sleeping bag stuffing, a plastic bottle in the recycle bin has a long journey ahead of it. First, it goes to a collection facility to be inspected for contaminants like rock or glass. Then it is washed and chopped into flakes. The flakes are dried and melted into plastic lava, which is filtered for impurities and formed into strands. Finally, the strands are cooled in water and chopped into pellets that can go to the market. Landfills, however, are the final resting place for most bottles. Seemingly this is the cheaper option. But landfill tipping fees, the dumping tariffs levied to offset the cost of creating, maintaining, and closing a landfill, can be quite expensive compared to recycling. This is especially true in densely populated areas like the East Coast or areas like Florida with shallow water tables. In fact, fees can run from $10 a ton to over $100, according to Jerry Powell, editor of the trade publication ‘Plastics Recycling Update.’ Additionally, dumping wastes is a valuable commodity: In 2005, about half a billion dollars worth of PET bottles went to landfills, according to the Container Recycling Institute, a non-profit organization. Rising plastic prices have forced some companies that bottle their product, like Coca-Cola, to think twice about using expensive virgin plastic resin. Now they are working to make more lightweight bottles that contain more recycled resin, Powell explained. Bottles made with thinner plastic use 30 percent less resin and rely on the water or liquid inside to maintain their shape. Using less resin per bottle could translate to savings on raw materials of about $1.5 billion a year for the bottling industry. Powell thinks it’s a positive step for the business and the environment. “That’s what we need,” he remarked. “Less plastic. Not just recycling.”

According to the Container Recycling Institute, 100.7 billion plastic beverage bottles were sold in the U.S. in 2014, or 315 bottles per person, and all territories should ban plastic bottles for good. The health of animals has been deteriorating for years because of plastic, their ecosystems have been dying as well, and the costs of plastics previously used are going to start skyrocketing to prevent more plastic trash. We may think that plastic is helping our interests currently but, the longer we wait to pick up after ourselves the more toxic the waste will become and will start to threaten everything we know and love. Start picking up after everyone around you.

Plastic pollution is the accumulation of synthetic plastic products to the point where they create problems for wildlife and their habitats.(credible; cited sources) There’s approximately 2,68,000 tonnes of plastic in the ocean.(reliable; written by authors affiliated with the subject) There are several harmful consequences of plastic simply existing in the ocean, example: plastic blocking the surface preventing sunlight from reaching the marine animals and plants.

I’ve always been passionate about the environment and have participated in several rallies that focused on cleaning up water bodies. Due to this relevancy, I chose this subject for my research project.

Plastic Pollution

In 2015, the world produced 381 million tonnes of plastic, of which 141 million tonnes was from packaging, with only 20% recycled.(credible, reliable; University of Oxford is a trusted resource for information) Animals eat plastic coverings that protect the food, and since indigestible, they remain in the stomachs of these animals causing them to eventually die of starvation or food poisoning.

Every year more than 8 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean, killing 1 million seabirds and causing damage worth $8 billion to marine ecosystems.

India is the 15th largest producer of plastic. In 2019, the country produced approximately 24,940 tonnes of plastic per day, 40% remaining uncollected. (credible; trusted newspaper publishing) Plastic accounts for 8% of India’s solid waste produced annually. The uncollected trash often clogs sewers, water bodies and pipes. It’s mistaken as food and eaten by animals- hence why the municipal government burns the waste. The ingested plastic is life-threatening, it reduces fitness, nutrient uptake and efficiency in feeding- vital aspects of an animal’s survival.(credible; NGO regarding conservation of environment)

Ganges, a water body, is number two among rivers that dump the most plastic into the sea. In 2018, species like the Ganges dolphins, Indian skimmer etc, are threatened by extinction, pollution in the river being one reason. (credible; trusted newspaper publishing)

The dumping of plastic threatens 700 marine species that live in the Arabian sea. In Mangalore, a port city in India, a study found that there were nylon and plastic rope remnants in the guts of oil sardines and mackerels. The toxic organic pollutants in plastic latch onto microplastics and enter the food chain,(credible; published article) harming predators.

China, is the biggest contributor to plastic pollution. The country previously imported 45% of world’s plastic for recycling, but in 2018 this was banned. Allegedly, the imported plastic was poured into the water, instead of being recycled .(credible, reliable; renowned source of information) From China alone, 3.5 million tonnes of plastic is let into the water- a majority of this waste coming from single-use plastics. (reliable; consists data that is verified) In 2019, 200 million m³ of waste was found floating on the coastline. Sea creatures were found tangled in plastic bags, plastic nets and fishing rope, and the waste had managed to settle on the sea bed. (reliable)

The Yangtze river in China carries 33,30,00,000 Kg of plastic waste into the oceans, which results in depleting fish stocks. This occurred because China imported more plastic, marked recyclable, than what could actually be recycled, which led to incineration or dumping in the river etc. (reliable; author’s affiliated with subject)

Microplastics have been found in several water bodies in China, (credible; published journal) These are ingested by fish and consumed by other predators, making this infiltrate our food chain. These microplastics are also a threat to the coral reefs of China.

Indonesia’s the world’s second largest plastic contributor, with approximately 3.22 million metric tonnes of plastic waste thrown in the ocean. (reliable; data is backed with factual evidence) Indonesia is home to several marine animals like turtles, whales, dolphins, etc and the world’s largest tuna fishing nation. These plastics are eaten by fish, which are eaten by bigger predator fish. A sperm whale was found dead as it ingested 1000 plastic pieces. (credible, reliable; published journals) Ingesting plastic makes them feel less hungry, since it’s indigestible, causing these animals grow weaker, making them more prone to attacks. Researchers analyzed the faeces and vomit of manta rays, and it had 26 and 66 pieces of plastic respectively. The plastic damages their growth and reproductive systems, and since already endangered there is a bigger risk of extinction.

After reading the information above, I was incredibly saddened. Many don’t know the effects of these animals dying on our ecosystem. When a predator dies or goes extinct, there is an imbalance in the ratio of prey : predators and these high numbers of prey will feed on more plants/animals than can be supported by the food web, this also leads to fewer carcasses for scavenger animals to feed on.

Offshore drilling

Each drill rig used in offshore drilling uses around 8 to 12 anchors, these anchors are then dragged across the sea floor. Corals and marine animal habitats, which are fragile when too much physical force is applied, are disturbed and damaged, further endangering these communities. Rusting in pipes can result in reduced water quality, leaks in the same can cause water to become toxic and potentially undrinkable or unusable. Though oil drilling is beneficial for jobs increase and boosting the economy of the country, routine drilling can cause disturbances in terms of sound waves (used to find sediment and rock layers that have trapped oil) and physical disturbances (like anchors, drills, etc.) (credible, reliable; published journals)

The total refining capacity in India was 148.97 million tonnes, the production being only 34.0 million tonnes. (credible; ) India imports 82% of its oil needs. (credible, reliable) It had set the world record in 2013, for having the deepest water depth dug by an offshore drilling rig. (credible; though old it is by the government website) This gives access to a lot more crude oil/hydrocarbons but digging deeper depths can lead to higher oil spills risk, fires etc (reliable; contains factual data) While trying to search for oil, seismic waves are used- these are audible for 2,500 miles and has the ability to deafen and kill animals like whales and dolphins who rely on sound waves to locate their prey. (credible, reliable; government site) It completely drowns out vocalization making it harder for such animals to locate their prey. These waves kill zooplankton which are the foundation of the marine ecosystem, eaten by almost all predators, so a decrease in prey can affect the entire food chain.

Venezuela has the largest oil reserve in the world, with Orinoco containing an estimated 1.4 trillions of oil resources (reliable; factual data, can be verified). Due to oil development, rivers and lakes are becoming even more polluted and have to clean 15,000 oil pits which collect contaminated sludge from oil wells. (reliable)

PDVSA, the state owned oil company, has neglected its messes which resulted in busted valves, cracked pipes, etc which managed to pollute waterways. (credible, reliable; trusted publishing) Oil sticks to the fur/skin of animals, damaging the animals’ insulating and water repellency ability, which potentially could cause them to die of hypothermia. Oil is also ingested when animals attempt to clean themselves by licking their skin, thus poisoning them. The oil also affects survival chances of eggs and larvae, which if is a threatened species, could make them at risk of extinction.

Climate change

Climate change is the change in the climate patterns, globally. Oceans are getting hotter, an increase in temperature can lead to corals getting bleached, making their shells weak. The homes of marine animals also get damaged. (credible; international organization regarding conservation) The water is becoming acidic, as the escalating levels of atmospheric CO2 dissolves in the water, changing the water pH, resulting in thinner shells, threatening shellfish, as they become more vulnerable to predators. The changed pH levels affect the corals too, as it makes it difficult for them to make and maintain the skeletal structures that protects them and gives them support. (credible; government site)

The Indian Ocean is considered to be the warmest ocean out of the 5 oceans in the world and over the next 50 years, it is expected for the ocean temperature to increase by 1°C to 3°C. (credible; published report) As the temperature rises, microorganisms like the phytoplankton are reducing. These organisms are the base of the food chain, and has resulted in ripple effects in the food chain since less number of producers result in lesser food for primary consumers, causing low energy in these animals and animals who feed on them, which leads in more prey being hunted for more energy, creating an imbalance in preys and predator, leading to extinction of a particular species due to overhunting.

USA is the second most polluting country world wide. 105 marine animal species in the Northeastern part have moved farther away, as these animals prefer colder temperatures, which is currently contrasting the rising water temperatures. As more greenhouse gases are let into the air, this dissolves in the water making the water more acidic, resulting in coral bleaching and has killed valuable oysters (credible; by trusted scientists and journalists) As water gets more acidic, the amount of carbonate ions, required for the structures of sea shells and coral skeletons, reduce- making maintaining and building the structures for shell animals difficult.

A study on the ‘Sea butterfly’ was done, where its shell was put in water- which dissolved within 45 days. This species is eaten by various predators, but without its shell it is even more defenceless. (credible; government site)

Offshore drilling and climate change, both have serious repercussions, simply reading them is jarring. The damage done to these animals is irreversible. As the temperature increases or the water bed is increasingly drilled, these animals are the only one’s facing the consequences of the actions of humans, and they are defenceless to all that is going around them. Action towards regulating offshore drilling or improving the water quality isn’t done nearly enough and due to the blatant disregard and negligence of humans towards these animals, they may go extinct, further disrupting the ecosystem and the food chain.

Conclusion

Offshore drilling is not the biggest threat to marine animals, because it is only done in places where high amounts of oil is found, which are not many, hence making the area affected limited, compared to plastic pollution and climate change, where the effect is widespread and not focused on particular areas

Between plastic pollution and climate change, I can conclude after the above research that plastic pollution is the biggest threat to marine animals. When water temperatures change, these animals either move or adapt, which helps them survive, but when plastic invades their habitat these animals are unaware of plastic being indigestible or it being toxic and simply ingest it- causing their nutrition uptake to reduce and for them to eventually die of starvation.

Sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic need to be provided for, before they have been implemented, which are less polluting, damaging to the environment and cheaper. Stone bags and water dissolving bags are good alternatives, but needs to be more accessible to the layman. Proper waste legislation enforcement to be implemented ensuring recyclable materials are actually recycled.

After drilling for oil, a body needs to be appointed that checks the water and soil quality that meets with standards that are uniform globally, and in case the company fails to meet the required quality standards, the company should be fined and then be made to meet the standards.

Consequences of climate change needs more awareness, a global effort needs to be made to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and added incentive should be given to people/places that use renewable resources of energy rather than burning hydrocarbons, so that more people opt for more eco-friendly ways of utilising energy and the amount of CO2 in the air decreases.

I chose to explore the issue of plastic pollution. I think this issue is important because it has become one of the world’s most pressing environmental concerns. Plastic is a substance the earth cannot digest, however, due to the development of thousands of new products, plastic has transformed and revolutionised the modern age and nowadays, a society without plastic would be unimaginable. Although plastic has reformed aspects of life, the convenience of this material has led to a ‘throw away’ culture. Plastics have overwhelmed our world’s ability to deal with it despite the fact that many products have the lifespan of seconds to minutes yet they persist in the environment for centuries.

My documentary attempts to change and improve society’s use of plastics through highlighting the effects and consequences this issue places on us as a global society. I wanted my audience to understand why plastic pollution is an issue, how it is caused, the realism and severity of the issue and the ways in which we can fix this societal issue through lowering our plastic consumption and switching to other alternatives. My documentary explores the issue of climate change and through the techniques of image contrasts, interviews/ expert opinion, use of facts and statistics and music help encourage and promote action. I decided to use image contrast at the beginning of my trailer to immediately catch and engage the viewers attention towards understanding the severity about my chosen issue. By using an old recording of the first production of plastic contrasted against the devastating effects to current society highlights the contrast between the beauty and destruction of nature. These dramatic visuals are used in order to engage the viewer allowing them to create their first impression of the issue. Using news reports as expert opinion it gives the viewer a sense of realism showing that the thoughts shared by myself are mutually shared by others globally thus making plastic pollution more valid. Statistics play a vital role in presenting the data being used to draw the conclusion that this is an undeniable global concern and is in need of a solution. Using sad piano music in the background on my clip elaborates the reality of this issue causing the viewer to emphasize realising the effect human activity has on the environment. Creating the perfect atmosphere is crucial in order to influence and engage the viewer into the harsh truth.

I used exaggeration and sarcasm throughout my satire to criticise people who don’t care about my issue. By using these tools to exaggerate and encourage the disposal of plastics into the environment I wanted my audience to understand that this is a human caused issue that had the potential to be avoided. I also wanted my users to understand that the environment is not a landfill site and our rubbish shouldn’t be left here to pile up into mounds of plastic waste resulting in the death of both marine and land species and eventually contributing to the death of human existence. Through using exaggeration and sarcasm I was enlarging, increasing and representing plastic pollution beyond normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its results can be clearly seen. Exaggerating this issue evokes strong feelings and stresses on society needing to find a solution to the issue.