CHAPTER 2 –

DESIGN OF STUDY
PROCESS CYCLE OF POLYBAGS
 The government of Kenya has signaled that they support solutions to
problems caused by plastic waste. At the opening speech of the UNEP
Governing Council/Ministerial Environment Forum on Feb. 21, 2005,
Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki said: "In our major cities, plastic bags
are used in large quantities at the household level. However, these bags
are not disposed of in ways that ensure a clean environment. My
welcomes initiatives to address this problem."ProfWangarMaathai,who
is the country's deputy environment minister, supports the effort from
her official position. . This would make it possibleto address the
chronic fragmentation and the lack of global standards, to benefit the
development of effective markets. In such an initiative, consumer
goods companies, plastic packaging producers and plastics manu-
facturers would play a critical role as they define the products
and materials that are put on the market. Cities control the after-use
infrastructure in many places, andare often hubs for innovation.
Businesses involved in collection, sorting and
reprocessing are an equally critical part of the puzzle. Policy-makers
can play an important role in enabling the transition by realigning
incentives, facilitating secondary markets, de-fining standards and
stimulating innovation. NGOs can help ensure that broader social and
environmental considerations
are taken into account. Collaboration would be required to overcome
fragmentation, the chronic lack of alignment be-tween innovation in
the design and after-use stages, and the
lack of standards – challenges that must be resolved in order to unlock
the opportunities of the New Plastics Economy.
 The New Plastics Economy Demands a New
Approach

To move beyond small-scale and incremental improvements and

achieve a systemic shift towards the New Plastics Economy, existing
improvement initiatives
mprovements and achieve a systemic shift towards the New Plastics
Economy, existing improvement initiative
ould need to be complemented and guided by a concerted, global
collaboration initiative that matches the scale of the challenge and the
opportunity. Such an initiative does not exist today, and therefore
would need to be set up, driven by an independent coordinating
vehicle. The aim of such a vehicle would be to stimulate development
of a circular economy approach to plastics and plastic packag-ing as an
integral part of the future economy.It would also aim for positive
broader economic impacts and – directly or indi-rectly – to the
protection and restoration of natural systems. At the heart of the
vehicle’s design and set-up would be the recognition that innovation
for and transition to the New Plas-tics Economy must be driven by
joint, urgent, collaborative initiatives across industries, governments
and NGOs. . This would make it possibleto address the chronic
fragmentation and the lack of global standards, to benefit the
development of effective markets. In such an initiative, consumer
goods companies, plastic packaging producers and plastics manu-
facturers would play a critical role as they define the products and
materials that are put on the market. Cities control the after-use
infrastructure in many places, andare often hubs for innovation.
Businesses involved in collection, sorting and reprocessing are an
equally critical part of the puzzle. Policy-makers can play an important
role in enabling the transition by realigning incentives, facilitating
secondary markets, de-fining standards and stimulating innovation.
:Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or p
oly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic.[7] It is a polymer,
primarily used for packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and
containers including bottles, etc.). As of 2017, over 100 million tonnes of
polyethylene resins are being produced annually, accounting for 34% of the
total plastics market.[8][9]Many kinds of polyethylene are known, with most
having the chemical formula (C2H4)n. PE is usually a mixture of
similar polymers of ethylene, with various values of n. It can be low-
density or high-density and many variations thereof. Its properties can be
modified further by crosslinking or copolymerization. All forms are nontoxic
as well as chemically resilient, contributing to polyethylene's popularity as a
multi-use plastic. However, polyethylene's chemical resilience also makes it a
long-lived and decomposition-resistant pollutant when disposed of
improperly.[10] Being a hydrocarbon, polyethylene is colorless to opaque
(without impurities or colorants) and combustible.[11]Polyethylene was first
synthesized by the German chemist Hans von Pechmann, who prepared it by
accident in 1898 while investigating diazomethane.[12][a][13][b] When his
colleagues Eugen Bamberger and Friedrich Tschirner characterized the white,
waxy substance that he had created, they recognized that it contained long
−CH2− chains and termed it polymethylene.[14]
Apill box presented to a technician at ICI in 1936 made from the first pound
of polyethyleThe first industrially practical polyethylene synthesis
(diazomethane is a notoriously unstable substance that is generally avoided in
industrial syntheses) was again accidentally discovered in 1933 by Eric
Fawcett and Reginald Gibson at the Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) works
in Northwich, England.[15] Upon applying extremely high pressure (several
hundred atmospheres) to a mixture of ethylene and benzaldehyde they again
produced a white, waxy material. Because the reaction had been initiated by
trace oxygen contamination in their apparatus, the experiment was difficult to
reproduce at first. It was not until 1935 that another ICI chemist, Michael
Perrin, developed this accident into a reproducible high-pressure synthesis for
polyethylene that became the basis for industrial low-density polyethylene
(LDPE) production beginning in 1939. Because polyethylene was found to
have very low-loss
properties at very high frequency radio waves, commercial distribution in
Britain was suspended on the outbreak of World War II, secrecy imposed,
and the new process was used
to produce insulation for UHF and SHF coaxial cables of radar sets. During
World War II,
 OBJECTIVES

further research was done on the ICI process and in 1944, DuPont at Sabine
River, Texas, and Union Carbide Corporation at South Charleston, West
Virginia, began large-scale commercial production under license from ICI. [16]
[17]
The landmark breakthrough in the commercial production of polyethylene
began with the development of catalysts that promoted the polymerization at
mild temperatures and pressures. The first of these was a catalyst based
on chromium trioxide discovered in 1951 by Robert Banks and J. Paul
Hogan at Phillips Petroleum.[18] In 1953 the German chemist Karl
Ziegler developed a catalytic system based on titanium halides and
organoaluminium compounds that worked at even milder conditions than the
Phillips catalyst. The Phillips catalyst is less expensive and easier to work
with, however, and both methods are heavily used industrially. By the end of
the 1950s both the Phillips- and Ziegler-type catalysts were being used for
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) production. In the 1970s, the Ziegler
system was improved by the incorporation of magnesium chloride. Catalytic
systems based on soluble catalysts, the metallocenes, were reported in 1976
by Walter Kaminsky anHansjörg SinnThe Ziegler- and metallocene-based
catalysts families have proven to be very flexible at copolymerizing ethylene
with other olefins and have become the basis for the wide range of
polyethylene resins available today, including very-low-density
polyethylene and linear lodensity polyethylene. Such resins, in the form
of UHMWPE fibers, have (as of 2005) begun to replace aramids in many
high-strength applicationsProperties[edit]The properties of polyethylene
depends strongly on type. The molecular weight, crosslinking, and presence
of comonomers all strongly affect its properties. It is for this structure-
property relation that intense effort has been invested into diverse kinds of
PE.[7][19] LDPE is softer and more transparent than HDPE. For medium- and
high-density
polyethylene the melting point is typically in the range 120 to 130 °C (248 to
266 °F). The melting point for average commercial low-density polyethylene
is typically 105 to 115 °C (221 to 239 °F). These temperatures vary strongly
with the type of polyethylene, but the theoretical upper limit of melting of
polyethylene is reported to be 144 to 146 °C (291 to 295 °F). Combustion
typically occurs above 349 °C (660 °F).Most LDPE, MDPE,
and HDPE grades have excellent chemical resistance, meaning that t are not
attacked by strong acids or strong bases and are resistant to gentle oxidants
and reducing agents. Crystalline samples do not dissolve at room
temperature. Polyethylene (other than cross-linked polyethylene) usually can
be dissolved at elevated
temperatures in aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene or xylene, or in
chlorinated solvents sucas trichloroethane or trichlorobenzene.[7]Polyethylene
absorbs almost no water; the gas and water vapour permeability (only polar
gases) is lower than for most plastics. Oxygen, carbon dioxide and flavorings,
on the other hand, can pass it easily.paraffin (similar to candle flame). The
material continues burning on removal of the flamsource and produces a drip.
[20]
Polyethylene cannot be imprinted or bonded with adhesives without
pretreatment. High-strength joints are readily achieved with plastic
welding.Electrical[edit]Polyethylene is a good electrical insulator. It offers
good electrical treeing resistance; however, it becomes easily electrostatically
charged (which can be reduced by additions of graphite, carbon
black or antistatic agents). When pure, the dielectric constant is in the range
2.2 to 2.4 depending on the density [21] and the loss tangent is very low,
making it a good dielectric for building capacitors.
Optical[edit]Depending on thermal history and film thickness, PE can vary
between almost clear (transparent), milky-opaque (translucent) and opaque.
LDPE has the greatest, LLDPE slightly less, and HDPE the least
transparency. Transparencyreduby crystallites if they are larger than the
wavelength of visible light

SCOPE
The use of plastic bags has been gaining popularity since the 1970s
(Williamson 2003) among retailers and end-consumers. Globally,
plastic bags have a wide collection of sizes and prices. About 500
billion plastic bags are utilized worldwide yearly (Spokas 2008). The
plastic bags usage is because of the important signs of ease of use and
cheapness. Most plastic bags are discarded and thrown away as trash or
rubbish after a single use
.

The plastic bags presence in the environment is around 1000 years

approximately (Tudor et al 2018). It needs environmental degradation
and plastics dumping which is a major hurdle without sunlight or
bacterial degradation (Stevens 2002). The proliferation of plastic bags
causes various kinds of environmental pollution, which may be seen in
different ways. The most disturbing point is not the use of plastics; it is
much less of a problem which can be controlled to a greater extent;
improper dumping or waste disposal is the main problem. Around 80%
of water pollution is caused by plastics bags that come from the land
with around 267 species being affected as a whole and 1 lac marine
animals being killed every year due to this problem (Alam et al 2018).
As a consequence, degradation of the natural environment occurs
(Adane and Muleta 2011). Various other pretty common items
associated with plastic waste are the death of marine species, and
wild/domestic animals, etc. Closure of sewage systems is also a very
common problem that has arisen because ofplastic bags in urban areas
(Menicagli et al 2019).Currently, many countries imposed ban partially
or full on plastic bags usage. Others are finding alternatives to properly
manage plastic waste or use some other materials but still many
countries are using plastic and plastic bags in various commodities
especially food items (Wang and Li 2021). There is a dire need to
implement proper laws and regulations such as taxes and levies, fines
for the restriction of production, and plastic bags usage (Hasson et
al. 2007).
 For the reduction of plastic bags usage and problems due to natural
waste, voluntary tax and tax systems have been used in many
countries.Plastic bags are also too inexpensive for recycling. Thanks to
plastic bags the increase in the environment has replaced ridicule.
Various reports (Bjerkli 2005) have shown that plastic bags are causing
serious health damage to animals, humans, and also environmental
pollution. The reasons of this environmental degradation are waste
management system and lack of awareness for the potential negative
and harmful effects of plastic bags on the environment. In this regard,
the primary objective of this study was to explore the major harmful
environmental effects of the once-used polythene bags, and to explore
potential strategies and methods that could be employed to reduce
damage to the ecosystem.

Types of plastic: chemical nature and usage

In our ongoing efforts to give educational resources on plastic

sustainability and pollution, we would answer the most common
question: is plastic different?Nevertheless, it is perceivable that many
people think that it is one thing, everything is the same from top to
bottom. There are several types of plastics (also called polymers), but
only a few we regularly encounter (Table 1) .Polyethylene
terephthalate (PET or PETE)Table 1 Overview of plastic types and
their respective applications The basic blocks of PET are ethylene
terephthalic acid and glycol, joined to form a polymer series. PETlike
spaghetti-like fibers are extracted, cooled rapidly, and cut into small
pieces. Resin pellets are then heated to a melted liquid that may be
easily removed or formed into substances of any kind.PET was first
incorporated in 1940s by DuPont chemicals in North America seeking
new synthetic cables
. DuPont later renamed its PET fiber “Dacron.” More than half of the
ground-based fiber is composed of PET, known as “polyester,” when
used to enclose.The rapid inroad made by the retail industry in the fast

moving consumer segment has led to the proliferation of retail outlets

such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, and other convenience stores. The
soaring disposable incomes of the consumers across the globe
havspurred the demand for flexible and packaging materials for storage
and transportation of various goods

This in turn has stimulated the demand for cost-effective plastic bags
and sacks in a large number of retail outlets.Based on material type, the
global plastic bags and sacks market is segmented into biodegradable
and non-biodegradable. The biodegradable segment is further
segmented into polylactic acid (PLA) polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA),
and starch blend resins, while the non-biodegradable segment is further
segmented into low density polyethylene (LDPE
high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), linear low
density polyethylene (LLDPE), and polystyrene (PS).This report aims
to provide a comprehensive presentation of the global market for
Plastic Bags & Sacks, with both quantitative and qualitative analysis,
to help readers develop business/growth strategies, assess the market
competitive situation, analyze their position in the current marketplace,
and make informed business decisions regarding Plastic Bags & Sacks.

Report Scope

The Plastic Bags & Sacks market size, estimations, and forecasts are
provided in terms of sales volume (K Units) and revenue ($ millions),
considering 2023 as the base year, with history and forecast data for
the period from 2019 to 2030. This report segments the global Plastic
Bags & Sacks market comprehensively. Regional market sizes,
concerning products by Type, by Application, and by players, are also
provided.
For a more in-depth understanding of the market, the report provides
profiles of the competitive landscape, key competitors, and their
respective market ranks.
The report also discusses technological trends and new product
developments.
The report will help the Plastic Bags & Sacks manufacturers, new
entrants, and industry chain related companies in this market with
information on the revenues, sales volume, and average price for the
overall market and the sub-segments across the different segments, by
company, by Type, by Application, and by regions.
Market Segmentation
 THENIQUES

Here are some techniques related to polythene bags:

 Polybag technology

To use polybags for germination, place them on leveled

ground above the soil surface and mulch with dried cane

leaves or paddy straw. Lightly sprinkle dry loose soil over the

mulch to prevent it from being blown away by the wind. Water

the polybags daily or every other day with a rose-can, but

avoid water stagnation. After three weeks to one month,

depending on the temperature, the seedlings should be ready

for transplanting.

 Perforated LDPE bags

These bags are made of polyethylene and have holes in

them.
They can be used for storing, handling, and shipping goods

like food or chemicals, or for packaging diapers and other

hygienic products.

 Polythene bag production

 The process for making polythene film involves blending

granules with coloring agents and other additives, heating

the granules until they melt, forcing the molten granules

through a die, inflating the molten tube with air, cooling the

tube with cold air, and winding the flattened tube onto a core

This process involves inflating and stretching a tube to the

desired size and thickness, drawing the inflated bubble of

plastic up a tower to cool, feeding rolls of plastic tubing or

sheeting through a machine, placing a seal on the material,

and cutting it off to make an individual bag. Several design

options and features are available. Some bags have gussets to

allow a higher volume of contents, special stand-up

pouches have the ability to stand up on a shelf or a refrigerator,

and some have easy-opening or reclosable options. Handles are

cut into or added into someBags can be made with a variety of

plastics films. Polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE, etc.) is the most

common. Other forms, including laminates and co-extrusions

can be used when the physical properties are needed.

Plastics to create single use bags are primarily made with Fossil

fuels. International Plastic Bag Free Day is celebrated on July

3.Plastic bags usually use less material than comparable to

boxes, cartons, or jars, thus are often considered as "reduced or

minimized packaging".[2] In June 2009 Germany’s Institute for

Energy and Environmental Research concluded that oil-based

plastics, especially if recycled, have a better life-cycle

analysis than compostable plastics. They added that "The

current bags made from bioplastics have less favourable

environmental impact profiles than the other materials

examined" and that this is due to the process of raw-material

production.Depending on the construction, plastic bags can be

suited for plastic recycling. They can be incinerated in

appropriate facilities for waste-to-energy conversion. They are

stable and benign in sanitary landfills.[3] If disposed of

improperly, however, plastic bags can create unsightly litter and

harm some types of wildlife.[4][5] Plastic bags have low recycling

rates due to lack of separation ability. Mixed material recycling

causes contamination of the material.

However, plastic bags are reused before discard at a rate of 1.6

times.[1]Bags come with various features such as carrying

handles, hanging holes, tape attachments, and security

features. Some bags are designed for easy opening and have

reclosable press-to-seal zipper strips. This feature is commonly

found in empty kitchen bags and some food packaging. Some

bags are sealed for tamper-evident capability, including some

where the press-to-reseal feature becomes accessible only

when a perforated outer seal has torn away.

LIMITATIONS

Polyethylene bags, like other plastics, have many

limitations, including:

 Non-biodegradable

Polyethylene bags can take hundreds of years to break down

in landfills, contributing to plastic waste.

  Microplastics

As they break down, they can become smaller particles called

microplastics that can enter the food chain and potentially

affect human health.

 Environmental impact

If not disposed of properly, plastic bags can litter, block storm

drains, and harm animals. Animals can get tangled in the bags

and drown, or mistake them for food and consume them, which

can block their digestive systems

 Toxic chemicals

Plastic bags are made from petroleum products and can

contain toxic chemicals that can seep into food.

  Greenhouse gases

Producing polyethylene requires a lot of energy and releases

carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate

change.

 Recycling

Recycling plastic can be expensive and also produces toxic

gases and residues that pollute the air, water, and land.

 .Thermal stability

Polyethylene can melt at high temperatures, limiting its use in

some applications.

 Mechanical strength

Polyethylene may be less mechanically strong than other

plastics, so it may need additional reinforcement in some

constructions.
 To limit the use of plastic bags, you can:

 Use reusable bags or containers instead of disposable shopping

bags

 Reuse old plastic bags for multiple shopping trips

 Repurpose plastic bags as trash liners or pet waste bags

 Refuse a bag for easy-to-carry purchases

 Buy products in bulk

 ADVANTAGES

Here are some of the advantages of plastic bags:

 They are lightweight and easy to transport. This makes them
ideal for carrying groceries or other items that need to be moved
around.
 They are water-resistant. ...
 They are durable. ...
 They are inexpensive. ...

 They are recyclable.

 Cost-effective

Plastic is cheaper to produce than other materials like paper

and fabric, making poly bags a cost-effective packaging

solution.

 Durable

Polythene bags can withstand extreme weather, high

temperatures, and harsh chemicals.

 Lightweight

Polythene bags can reduce the need for additional packaging,

which can save businesses money.

  Reusable

Polythene bags can be reused, repurposed, or recycled,

making them more versatile and environmentally friendly than

other types of packaging.

 Weatherproof

Polythene bags can protect against dirt, dust, and moisture.

 Resistant

Polythene bags can be customized to withstand specific

chemicals and protect products from external influences.

Description:

Polyethylene (PE), usually recognized as polythene, is a normal

plastic utilized to build plastic packaging. PE is utilized to create

bags with different weight capabilities. PE bags are largely

transparent or translucent plastic for packaging and transporting.

They are a widespread packaging fabric largely due to their slim

body shape, smooth texture, reflective surface, and elasticity.For

most common applications, the typical width of a PE bag varies

from 1-6 mm, while they can be created thinner or thicker.

Specialty plastic constructions are also available for exceptional

packaging applications that need a fabric other than

polyethylene. Singhal Industries known to a leading PE bag

manufacturer in Ahmedabad.

Categories Of PE

Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is a stretchy plastic usually

utilized in creating food wraps and grocery bags. LDPE bags are

perfect for single-use products like grocery bags. Tougher

variants can form a diversity of flat and slotted bags, containing

FDA-compliant, food-safe variabilities.High-density Polyethylene

(HDPE) is a common fabric utilized to hold fluids such as

detergent jugs, juice and shampoo bottles, and, in some

regions, milk. It is also the same fabric utilized to manufacture

some grocery bags.

Due to its toughness, HDPE is also utilized in the construction of

strong plastic pipes or even buckets, and it is one of the greatest

recycled plastics. There are numerous Plastic bags

manufacturers in Gujarat and Singhal Industries is best

amongst all of them.

 ? Why are PE bags so widespread

Cost-effective PE bags are manufactured and utilized on a

broad scale since they are created from virgin PE or recycled

PE plastic. Hence, they are comparatively cheap, plentiful in

supply, stress-free to procedure to the needed shape, and

appropriate for firms, factories, and more.

 Suitability

All types of PE bags are stretchy, non-wearing, easy to

heat, acid and alkali resilient, attracts less dirt and other

organic components, and can withstand certain

temperatures. Therefore, they are so extensively utilized

today.

 Toughness

PE bags are utilized in the food enterprises because they

safeguard products from dirt and mold from the exterior

atmosphere, prevent dampness, and maintain item

quality for an extended period.

Due to their adaptability, toughness, tear confrontation, and

durability, PE bags are extensively utilized in food transport,

protection, farming, and electronics enterprises. To know the

best Plastic bag manufacturers in Ahmedabad you just need

to contact Singhal Industries.

Bulk packaging

Plain, thin bags are a profitable choice for vendors selling any
type of bulk item. Applications range from single-use bags for
bulk grocery buyers to tougher bags that carry kilograms of
goods.PE bags can also safeguard carries, and exhibit non-food
goods such as attire, office supplies, household items, and
more.Custom-printed PE bags permit brands to stand out by
containing lively graphics, logos, nutritional data, and other
specifications.
 METHODLOGY

Polythene bags are made by heating and pressurizing plastic pellets to

create a molten liquid, then forcing the liquid through a circular die to
form a thin, long tube of plastic. The tube is then inflated and stretched
to the desired size and thickness. The process is called blown film
extrusion and involves the following steps:

1. Extrusion: Plastic pellets, such as LDPE, HDPE, or LLDPE, are fed

into an extruder, which is a long tube with a helical screw called an
auger and heating elements along the barrel. The auger slowly moves
the pellets toward the die, where the heating elements melt them into a
molten liquid at around 500°F.

2. Film blowing: The molten plastic is forced through the die and
emerges as a continuous tube. Air is then pumped into the tube,
causing it to inflate into a thin, long balloon that can rise several
stories. As the bubble cools and expands, it passes through rollers that
stretch it into thin sheets, which will be the bag walls.

3. Flattening and cutting: The bubble is flattened, and the plastic film is
cut to size.Other processes: The film may be printed, sealed,
inspected for quality, and then packed.
Here at A-Pac manufacturing, we use a blown-film
extrusion process to manufacture the plastic that
makes poly bags. Once the plastic is formed and
wound on a roll, our poly bag manufacturing
machines seal and cut bags according to each
client’s custom poly bag specifications.

 STEP 01:

The Blown-Film Extrusion Process

The first step of making poly bags is the blown-film
extrusion process. The following occurs when
using this process:
 plastic pellets (called resin) are first melted
 down under controlled conditions, until they
become molten and pliable.
 Once resin pellets reach the desired level of
pliability, they are then pressed (extruded) through
a circular die gap to form a continuous tube of
plastic. In this molten state, the tube of plastic is
pinched off at one end, and then inflated and
stretched to the size and thickness of the desired
finished product.
 The inflated bubble of plastic is drawn vertically up
a tower so that it has a chance to cool before it is
flattened out and wound onto a roll.
 Once the plastic is on a roll, it can be cut to form
tubing, single-wound sheeting, or centerfold
sheeting. Most often, we transform the plastic into
poly bags.
  STEP 02:

Making Poly Bags from Plastic Rolls

After the blown-film extrusion process is
complete, we take those rolls of plastic and
transform them into poly bags by doing the
following:

 Rolls of plastic tubing or sheeting are first fed

through a machine that draws the material out to
the proper length.
 The machine then places a seal on the material at
the correct length and cuts it off to make an
individual bag.
 This process is then repeated until we have the
number of poly bags we need for an order.
METHOD TRANSCRIPT OF POLYTHENE BAGS

Green. It used to be just a color-- the color of fresh grass, trees, and
leaves. But during the past few years, green has become a buzzword
and a symbol. That single word is now shorthand for products and
technology that are advertised as environmentally friendly and
sustainable. Sometimes it seems as if everything is turning green, from
hybrid cars to eco-friendly laundry detergents to locally grown food.
Of the thousands of products we depend on every day, there's renewed
interest in developing greener plastics. Worldwide, almost 200 billion
pounds of plastic is manufactured every year. Within 10 years, 20% of
the world's plastic could be made up of an eco-friendly alternative
known as bioplastic.Many materials that we use every day are made of
plastic. But what makes up plastic? Like everything else in the world,
plastics are made from molecules-- groups of two or more atoms
bonded together. Plastics are molecular giants. They're made up of
many small molecules, called monomers, to form long chains, called
polymers. "Monomer" means "one part," and "polymer" means "many
parts."If you compare a paperclip to a monomer, then you could think
of a polymer as a million paper clips hooked together. Plastic, a type of
polymer, is a very long chain made by linking monomers in a process
called polymerization. The type of polymerization shown here is called
a condensation reaction. That's because a small molecule, water in this
case, is released each time a bond is formed between two monomers.
Polyethylene, a commonly used plastic found in grocery bags and
packaging, is formed by adding together molecules of ethylene in
another type of polymerization called an addition reaction.
Addition reactions happen between molecules that have double bonds
or triple bonds. In this case, ethylene contains double bonds. Today,
we get the monomers that are used to make plastics from crude oil. But
oil supplies are running out. Continuing to make plastics from crude oil
may not last and could lead to even more environmental pollution.
Those problems have sent scientists on a quest to develop a more
environmentally friendly plastic known as bioplastic.
You might say that bioplastic is a sweet solution. It's made from sugar
that comes from corn, sugar cane, or sugar beets. These natural,
renewable sources of monomers make bioplastic production more
environmentally friendly than traditional plastics manufacturing. PLA,
or polylactic acid, is one kind of bioplastic. A company called
NatureWorks makes the largest amount of PLA in the United States.
Let's find out a little bit more about the chemistry behind PLA.
Lactic acid is essentially a building block for PLA. But lactic acid
cannot be converted directly into PLA because the chemical reaction
that links to molecules of lactic acid together also generates water. The
water molecules prevent the growing lactic acid chain to stay together.
So instead of a long chain of lactic acid molecules, many small chains
are formed. Scientists have found a way to use these small chains to
make PLA.The small chains, called polylactic acid oligomers, are
combined in a chemical reaction that forms molecules called lactide.
The chemical reactions also produce water, which is later eliminated.
The lactide molecules act as the building blocks, or monomers, that are
polymerized into PLA.NatureWorks produces small pellets of PLA,
which they call Ingeo, and sells them to plastic and fiber products
manufacturers. Like conventional plastics, the pellets can be melted
and reshaped into sheets to make bags, cups, and food containers. The
pellets can also be molded into thicker items, such as plastic knives,
spoons, and forks. PLA can even be stretched into fibers to knit hats,
socks, carpeting, T-shirts, and even diapers.Are plant-based plastics
really a dream come true? Some ads for bioplastic make it seem so,
especially when they suggest that bioplastic production generates no
waste or air pollution. But let's examine the facts. Bioplastic may, for
instance, be harmful to the environment. Growing corn and other crops
involves the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, which can
contribute to water pollution. Motor vehicles needed for planting,
cultivating, harvesting, and shipping crops use gasoline made from
crude oil and release carbon dioxide-- a gas that traps heat and causes
climate change.And don't be too quick to believe another claim-- that
making bioplastic doesn't require the use of fossil fuels including oil,
natural gas, and coal. Although you don't need fossil fuels as raw
material to make bioplastic, factories that manufacture bioplastic use
electricity usually generated with fossil fuels. In fact, producing
bioplastic often requires nearly as much energy as producing
conventional plastics.
Another concern is the risk of using too much farmland or crops to
make bioplastic instead of feeding people. It's not yet clear how big the
risk is, but some experts claim that diverting farmland and crops for
purposes other than food could lead to a food crisis. Clearing land,
especially the jungles in South America, to grow crops for non-food
uses may also cause long-term damage environment.Like leaves and
garden waste in a backyard compost pile, these plastics break down
into an organic material that can be used to enrich the soil. That
process, however, may not be an ideal waste disposal solution.
Composting releases carbon dioxide-- a gas that causes climate change.
Unfortunately, most communities don't have composting facilities, so
most compostable bioplastic ends up in municipal landfills instead of
being composted. And like other plastics, bioplastic can remain intact
for years when buried in a landfill. Scientists worry that in a landfill,
bioplastic will slowly decompose, giving off methane, a gas that traps
heat and contributes to climate change. For example, PLA would be
decomposed by micro-organisms, which would produce methane and
carbon dioxide.So why not recycle bioplastic with other plastics?
That's not as easy as it sounds. When different types of plastics are
melted together, they tend to form a mixture that's brittle, leading to
less durable plastic products. Also, various plastic types have different
melting points, so recycling a mixture of plastic types is not possible.
PLA is a giant step forward in society's quest for greener and more
sustainable plastics. But it's only the first step. Chemists are already
busy developing the next generation of bioplastic. They may have the
strength and durability of conventional plastics, while being more
environmentally friendly. And maybe the bioplastic of the future will
be produced in factories powered by wind, the sun, biofuels, and other
renewable energy sources, further shrinking their impact on the
environment.
 RESEARCH OF POLYTHENE BAGS

Research on polyethylene bags, also known as plastic bags,

has found that they can have many negative environmental and
health effects:

 Environmental effects

Plastic bags can take hundreds of years to break down in

landfills, and they can contaminate soil and water. When they
break down, they can release toxic substances into the soil and
air, and they can also block drains and sewerage pipes. Plastic
bags can also litter agricultural lands, canals, rivers, and
oceans, and they can reduce soil fertility and obstruct water
seepage.

 Health effects

Plastic bags can be dangerous to animals and wildlife,

including birds, sea turtles, and fish. Birds can mistake
shredded plastic bags for food, and sea turtles can't tell the
difference between jellyfish and floating plastic bags. Fish eat
thousands of tons of plastic each year, which can then be
passed up the food chain to larger fish and marine
mammals. Humans can also consume microplastics, which are
smaller particles that plastic bags break down into, through
food and the air. These microplastics can potentially affect
human health.

 \Other effects
Plastic bags can also be a breeding ground for mosquitoes
when rainwater collects in them, which could worsen the
situation of malaria in areas where it's already endemic.
Additionally, packing hot food items in plastic bags can cause
harmful chemicals to migrate into the food, including styrene, which
is carcinogenic, and phthalates and bisphenol A, which can cause
heart and liver disease and diabetes.
In Delhi the quantity of solid waste generation has been increased over
the last few years in a galloping speed. Over the years rapid growth in
population, construction and development activities, mass migration of
labour from rural areas to metro cities, and change in lifestyle of
people contributed a lot towards environment pollution. In Delhi, on an
average over 10.000 tons per day (TPD) garbage is produced and all
most 8000 TPD garbage is dumped in three major landfill ground at
Bhalswa, Okhla and Ghazipur. But the actual waste generation of this
city is much higher than the recorded one and a major chunk of it is
managed by the rug pickers of the city who are more than 15000 in
numbers. The picture become more gloomy when we find that these
three landfill grounds are not prepared as per the norms and guidelines
of solid waste management rules, 2016. According to the report of
„Master Plan for Delhi-2021‟, these sites have already exceeded their
capacity way before 2008. Most of these sites are polluting the flora
and fauna of surrounding areas. According to Union Ministry of Urban
Development‟s most recent draft manual on urban solid waste
management, three million tons of waste can be accommodated on 40
hectors of land (remembering that a landfill exists 20 years). Delhi
needs 800 hectors of land, which would cost Rs 80,000 crore if
evaluation is done on existing circle rPlastic is non biodegradable in
nature and it takes more than 1000 years to decompose in soil. The key
input to produce plastic are petroleum and natural gas, which are non
renewable in nature. High Density (HD), Low Density (LD) and Linear
Low Density (LLDPE) are the varieties of polyethylene that used as a
major input to produce plastic bags. All the cloth shops, supermarkets
and malls generally used shopping bags that are produced with linear
low density polyethylene (LLDPE) to get the desired thickness and
glossy look. For regular use thin bags (Pnni) low density polyethylene
(LDPE) is used. People generally preferred to used plastic bags just
because of its easy and cheap availability and convenience to carry.
Overused and careless disposal of plastics items are the main reasons
of plastic pollution. Plastic don‟t decomposed naturally and when burn
in air it will pollute the environment with toxic elements. When
plastics is dumped in lamdfills it interacts with water and form
hazardous chemicals. When these chemicals seep underground, they
degrade the ground water quality. Wind carries and deposits carry bags
from place to another resulting land litter and blockage of sewer
system of thRe

 Rsearch Objectives

In this research major research objectives are as follows: 1. To identify the

ways the people are using and reusing the single used plastic carry bags in
their daily purchase. 2. To find out the level of awareness among common
people about the negative impact of single used plastics on environment.

 Research Methodology

The research is based on both primary as well as secondary data. Published

works and Govt. web sites are the main source of secondary data. Primary
data was collected from different areas of Rohini, Delhi with the help of
questionnaire. The responses of nature of use of plastic carry bags basically
driven from different age, qualification, professional back ground people. So
the out come of the study is important to get a perceptional difference
amongst different groups of people. The respondents were selected
randomly and one member from each household had been selected and
questions were asked related to usage patter of plastic carry bags. Results &
Discussion Data were collected randomly from 100 respondents consisted
45% males and 55% females. All most all respondents are well aware about
the fact that plastic is not good for environment. The following Table-1
shows the demographic profile of respondentse cities.ate!
 DATA INTERPRETATIONS

Infrared Spectrum,
Landll, Plastic Waste,
Polyethylene
Introduction
Plastic is an essential
material in many areas of
everyday life, whose
production has grown
exponentially since the
1960s. World plastic
production was
estimated at 335 million
tonnes in 2016, 3.8%
higher
than production in 2015.
Europe is currently the
world's third largest
producer of plastics,
with 19% of production
[1]. This translated
into 60 million tonnes of
plastic produced in
2016. Spain is among
the top ve countries
in Europe in terms of
plastic consumption,
reaching 3.8 million
tonnes in 2015 [2].
Today, the most
demanded polymers by
society belong to the
polyolen group, and
are high density
polyethylene (HDPE),
low
density polyethylene
(LDPE) and
polypropylene (PP).
These three
polymers account for
55% of total global
plastic demand [3]. The
most acclaimed sectors
by industry for the use of
these polymers are
packaging sector,
construction, automotive,
electronics or agriculture
[4]. In Europe,
packaging sector
accounts for
approximately 40%
of the plastic used,
followed by
construction (20%),
automotive
(9%) and electronics
(6%). In Spain the trend
is similar, although
more plastic is used for
packaging (48%) and
agriculture (6%) [3].
In packaging sector, we
must highlight the
production of single-use
plastic bags, which are
dispensed daily in shops
around the world
and are used in
households in the most
developed countries.
According to the amount
of plastic produced, large
amounts of waste
are generated and often
managed incorrectly. In
2015, approximately
300 million tonnes of
plastic waste were
generated worldwide
with
polyethylene waste
being the most abundant
[5, 6]. In Europe, the
amount of plastic waste
generated in 2014
reached 25.8 million
tonnes [3]. Currently,
80% of the European
populations dispose of
all
their waste in the same
container, without
separation. This fraction
is
known as municipal
solid waste, and most of
the exible packaging
(including plastic bags)
ends up in this waste
stream. Approximately
40% of municipal solid
plastic waste is exible
packaging.
Plastic waste can
follow three different
paths: mechanical
recycling, whereby
waste is transformed
back into a usable
product
similar to the original
one; energy recovery,
which consists of
the incineration of waste
for energy; and
nally landlls,
where
waste that is not
recycled, accumulates
[7]. In 2016, mechanical
recycling rate in Europe
reached 31%, energy
recovery 42% and
land lling
approximately 27%.
These percentages vary
according
to the infrastructure
available in each
country and its
economic
and political situation.
For example, the amount
of plastic waste
deposited in landlls in
Spain in 2016 was well
above the European
average, approximately
45%. Therefore, almost
half of the plastic
waste generated in Spain
ends up in landlls [1].
Flexible packaging
(including plastic bags)
is one of the most
difcult materials to
recycle. It tends to be
problematic during
collection and sorting
because of its low
weight/volume ratio, and
presents difculties to
be handled in recycling
facilities [8]. This
makes it uneconomic for
companies to invest in
collection and
recycling. In addition,
the properties of the
recycled product such
as colour, mechanical
properties or impact
resistance are sometimes
not the most suitable for
certain applications. The
main objective of
this article is, therefore,
to analyze the physical-
chemical properties
of plastic bags in order
to obtain information
that will allow the
improvement of
recycling facilities and
machinery, as well as to
70 years. In 1950 the world produced only 2 million tonnes per
year. Since then, annual production has increased by nearly
200-fold, reaching 381 million tonnes in 2015. For context, this
is roughly equivalent to the mass of two-thirds of the world
population”. An estimated 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been
produced since the 1950s — that’s equivalent to the weight of
more than 800,000 Eiffel Towers. And only 20% of it has been
recycled.

 Data Description

The data is “The global plastic production has mushroomed over

the past collected from Science Advances published by Geyer in

2017 and Jambeck in 2015. After merging the datasets and doing
some feature engineering, the variables in the dataset, shown as
below, include country, population, coastal population, economic
development, etc.:Mismanaged waste from material that is either
littered or inadequately disposed of could eventually enter the
ocean via inland waterways, wastewater outflows and transport by
wind or tides. Inadequately managed waste indicates the waste
that is not formally managed, which includes disposal in dumps or
open, uncontrolled landfills where it is not fully contained. Both
types can end up polluting rivers and oceans.

 Data Analysis and Visualization

As you can see from the picture below, I first explored all the
variables by country on a map and bar chart and attached the
corresponding finding.

Here are the observations I got from the exploration:

  Coastal countries with a large population have higher
plastic waste generation. The top 2 countries are China and
the United States.
 5 out of the top 8 countries that have the highest per capita
plastic waste are small island countries. The other 3 top
countries are high-income countries. Based on these
observations, geographical features (inland or coastal) and
economic level(GDP Per Capita) appear to be factors that
influence plastic pollution. They should be further
discovered.
 The top 8 countries with the highest mismanaged plastic
waste are all developing countries.
 Developed countries have noticeably lower mismanaged
plastic waste per person and share.
 Developing countries have a significantly higher share of
inadequately managed plastic waste, which has the highest
risk of pollution.

Based on the observations above, I did a further analysis with an

emphasis on the variables of plastic waste, mismanaged plastic
waste, and coastal population and geographical features.

 Data on Per Capita Plastic Waste

As can be seen from the graph below, GDP per capita has a
positive linear relationship with Plastic Waste Per Capita, which
implies that Plastic waste tends to increase as people and
countries get more productive / richer. The converse also
hold: per capita plastic waste in low-income countries is
noticeably smaller.The plastic waste per capita in developed
countries is significantly higher than in developing countries,
as shown below.

 Per Capita Mismanaged Plastic Waste

As demonstrated in the plot blew, per capita mismanaged plastic

waste tends to be higher in industrialized middle-income and
fast-growing developing countries.Likely this happens because
these countries' waste management infrastructure cannot to keep
pace with their rapid industrial and manufacturing growth. The
problem is compounded by imported massive quantities of plastic
trash from developed countries.

The result is that y developed countries have a small amount of

mismanaged plastic waste combined with a significant amount of
plastic waste.Therefore, the development of sufficient waste
management infrastructure in middle-income and growing lower-
income countries is crucial to tackling the issue of plastic
pollution.As shown below, in contrast to the per capita plastic
waste, the per capita mismanaged plastic waste in developing
countries is significantly higher than in developed countries.As
demonstrated from the plot below, I engineered an economic
growth variable by the average per capita GPD growing rate of the
country. I measured the per capita mismanaged plastic waste
against it. It seems that fast-growing countries have less
mismanaged plastic waste on average. That might be because the
most fast-growing countries are either landlocked oil-rich
countries or low-income countries whose demand has not surged
yet. I will take a closer look at it in future work.

 Mismanaged Plastic Waste by Costal population and

Geographical Features

As can be seen in the plot below, the coastal population has a

positive correlation with mismanaged plastic waste across
counties,
might because the waste generated in the coastal region has a
higher risk of entering the ocean and producing severe
environmental damage.Note: Coastal population measured as the
population within 50 kilometers of a coastlineAs shown below,
coastal countries have much higher mismanaged plastic waste per
person than landlocked countries.Therefore, the coastal countries
need more help in building effective plastic management systems
due to their higher risk of producing mismanaged plastic waste,
especially in developing countries.The governance of plastic
pollution has become the problem that brooks no delay and can be
issued starting from ourselves.