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You are going to read a text about the production of plastic. Scan the text quickly and match the headings with the correct paragraphs. One heading cannot be matched to any of the paragraphs in the text and should be marked 'not given'.
1
Alternatives to plastic
2
Are toxic chemicals a necessary part of our lives?
3
The switch to plastic
4
The dangers of the production process
5
Convenience at a high cost
In the years leading up to World War II, many of our household products - and the packaging they came in - were biodegradable. After the war ended, we began, collectively, to switch to plastic coverings, containers and packets for our day-to-day needs. There were, of course, many advantages of this manufacturing revolution. We were able to extend the lifespan of certain foods and produce items on a mass scale. We became less reliant on metals, and the adoption of plastic allowed us to create versatile and affordable items ranging from clothes to computers.
As the flames rose above East Palestine, Ohio, questions began to ripple through the community. Why was this happening? How dangerous were the burnings chemicals? What effects would the cloud of toxic smoke have on long term health? As officials struggled to give convincing answers, anger began to spread. For those living in the radius of the accident, it must have been difficult to understand why, in the twenty-first century, we still feel the need to transport materials that could cause such a huge risk to public health. Are these chemicals necessary components of our daily lives? Could we do without them?
The destruction wrought by plastic begins in the production stage. Chemicals used to create plastic include PFAs, a class of compounds that have earned the nickname "forever chemicals" due to their inability to break down over time. PFAs are used in all kinds of plastic manufacturing, including the creation of food packaging, raising concerns that they could be transferred into our ready meals or lunches. Once in the human body, such chemicals can accumulate and cause a variety of health problems, such as types of cancer and liver disease. Many of the risks caused by plastic production are still being studied, and the long-term effects of exposure to PFAs and microparticles remain unknown.
We are, at least, becoming aware of the damage we are causing to our planet - and our own species - through our plastic addiction. Governments around the world have began to restrict the use of items such as shopping bags and food packaging, Potential solutions to the plastic problem are being investigated, such as fungi that can break down manmade materials or bacteria that can eat PET, a type of plastic often used to manufacture bottles. Natural alternatives, such as seaweed, have also been put forward, allowing for the creation of edible food packaging. Perhaps the best way to reduce our dependence on plastics is to confront our way of living. Our disposable culture is unsustainable; sooner or later we will run out of natural resources. Instead of poisoning the planet - and ourselves - we should learn to live in harmony with the natural world, and confine plastic to the past.
The cost, however, has been high. Plastic is now so ubiquitous that it has entered our food chain. It can be found in the depths of the ocean, and even in space. Microplastics have been detected in our bloodstream and in our lungs. Larger pieces are responsible for the deaths of animals around the world, with seabirds becoming entangled in plastic beer rings and water-dwelling mammals, such as whales and dolphins, consuming bags and other debris. Once in the ocean, such items will eventually break down into microbeads, which can alter an animal's digestive system causing significant damage.
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