Plastics infiltrate every aspect of our lives. We use plastic in various products, such as pillows, toothbrushes, laptops, clothes and food containers. Surely, it is hard to go a day without coming into contact with plastic in some way. Human reliance on plastic eventually becomes a burden since plastic pollution is a type of pollution that endangers the lives of humans and other living creatures.
The history of plastic is extensive. The first manufactured plastic, parkesine was patented in 1862. By the 20th century, there had been a revolution in plastic production. In 1907, a Belgian chemist, Leo Baekeland invented synthetic plastic. In the contemporary world, polyethylene is the most widely used plastic. It is an inexpensive, easily manufactured, and moulded material that is robust, flexible and heat-resistant.
These benefits have made plastic highly popular and caused the demand for plastic to increase. Therefore, it is not surprising that plastic production has sharply increased over the last 70 years. In 1950, the world produced just two million tonnes. It now produces over 450 million tonnes.
Plastic has undoubtedly added significant value to our lives. However, there are certain concerns about the use of plastic. Many plastics are hazardous. Vinyl chloride (PVC) is a proven carcinogen, whereas bisphenol A (BPA) can affect endocrine function, cause insulin resistance and be linked to cardiovascular disease.
When plastic waste is not recycled, incinerated or stored in sealed landfills, it pollutes the environment. Plastics biodegrade slowly, perhaps over hundreds of millions of years. Waste generated by overusing plastics has become a global issue. Every year, around one to two million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans, damaging species and ecosystems. Massive islands of plastic rubbish have been observed to form in the North Pacific Gyre, the most well-known of which is the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch.
Malaysia, on the other hand, is the fifth-largest contributor to ocean plastic waste. Malaysia throws 2.29kg of plastic waste into the ocean per person each year. This information is based on a poll conducted by Utility Bidder, a UK-based energy service company. The report was released in 2023.
A study conducted by Xiang Zhao and Fengqi You, researchers at Cornell University (US), found far more concerning information. The study was published in the Environmental Science and Technology Journal in May 2024 and found that Malaysia came in first among 109 countries in terms of microplastic consumption and among the top ten in terms of microplastic particle inhalation. It is also revealed that Malaysians consume an average of 502.3mg of microplastics per day per person, with more than 50 per cent of this consumption coming from eating fish.
These alarming statistics highlight the need for urgent change to address today’s plastic pollution crisis. Human dependence on plastic must be reduced. In truth, what is more crucial is that modern society’s consumption habits shift towards simplicity. Simplicity is a moral demand since it educates individuals to reject a strictly materialistic lifestyle.
We need to understand our role on this planet. The aim of human life is more than merely accumulating material wealth. For Muslims, the objective of life is to be Allah’s best servant. Humans, as His Caliphs, are responsible for the well-being of the earth. The call to “prosper the Earth” in Islam differs from the modern sense, which associates success with monetary and material goods. In Islam, to “prosper” is intimately tied to the command that individuals fulfil and maintain the obligations that have been placed upon them. In this framework, obligations are classified into three types: religious, societal, and humanitarian. Thus, besides materialistic achievements, one of humanity’s responsibilities is to ensure the preservation of nature.
Nonetheless, the earth continues to “suffer.” The earth has manifested different indicators of its distress. There are signs all around us. Three fundamental issues (or signs) confronting life on Earth are described by a team of 17 researchers from the United States, Mexico, and Australia. These include a decline in biodiversity, overpopulation, and climate disruption. The study cites over 150 pieces of research to support their claim that these three crises put Earth in more harm than most people realise and may even endanger mankind as a whole. The study titled “Underestimating the Challenges of Avoiding a Ghastly Future” was published in Frontiers in Conservation Science in January 2021.
Therefore, we can no longer sacrifice the planet’s well-being for human pleasure alone. We cannot continue making such trade-offs. It is finally time for us to recognise that we have reached the limits of Mother Earth’s tolerance and that if we continue to disregard these warning signs and limits, we are going to experience environmental disasters that will be extremely costly, both in human and economic terms.