Previously, I discussed the problem of plastic pollution from the point of view of history. The approach helped to understand how the issues developed to understand what the central reasons for the emergence of the plastic problem were. Historical analysis helped to understand that the central problem for the emergence of the problem was the failure to acknowledge the problem at the point of time when plastic started to be widely used. When the harms of plastic were realized, it was too late, as addressing the problem of plastic pollution became a problem of economics.
When analyzing the problem through the lens of social sciences, it becomes clear that the problem of plastic pollution is complicated. Today, the problem of plastic waste is mostly economic, as it is a material used by major industries. Almost 75% of plastic demand is generated by packaging needs (40%), building and construction (20%), automotive industry (10%), and electronics (5%) (Gomez & Rima, 2019). The central problem is that economics does not view plastic as a major pollutant. Instead, economics views plastics as durable, cheap, and easy-to-produce material (Gomez & Rima, 2019). Turning to eco-friendly materials may lead to a decrease in the economic growth of food companies, as the packaging cost would increase, while the quality of packaging and life of the product would decrease. In other industries, using substitutes of plastic or recycled plastic will also mean a revision of the supply chain, which is associated with additional costs (Gomez, F., & Rima, 2019). There are few economic incentives to resolve plastic pollution, as the central solution to it, recycling, is not economically advantageous. Thus, the analysis of plastic pollution through the lens of social sciences confirmed and enriched the conclusions made during the historical analysis of the problem.
Reference
Gomez, F., & Rima, S. (2019). Setting the facts straight on plastics. World Economic Forum. Web.