RECYCLED MATERIALS: PROJECT TABLE-LASTIC

Chapter 1
Introduction

Plastic is one of the most significant problems in our environment, which having a

disadvantages and advantages in our surrounding and also to all living organism.

The rapid increase of plastic pollution causes various problems. Today, we all

know that plastic takes more than hundreds of years to decompose, but research shows

that it can never fully decompose and turn into microplastics. Microplastics are tiny

particles from larger plastic waste that have a great impact not only on humans but

affecting both land and water living organism.

This study has an objective to lessen the negative effect of those plastics in the

society. The researcher of this study created a solution about how to address and

minimize plastic garbage in the environment through Project: TABLE-LASTIC. This

project can help to reduce the problem regarding plastics.

1.1 Background of the study

The Philippines in the third-largest producer of plastic garbage in the world,

behind China and Indonesia, according to research by Jambeck et al.,(2015). In 2015, the

Philippines produced 2.7 million metric tons of plastic garbage, according to estimates.

Plastic are one of the most significant particles that cause sever damage to fresh

water and marine ecosystems (Gallow, et al., 2017). In the ocean alone, the economic
damage due plastic pollution is estimated as high as 21 billion euros (Beaumont, et.al,

2019). In spite of great scientific effort to tackle this problem worldwide, our knowledge

is still deficient on how to reduce plastic pollution.

According to Smith (2019), when plastics were not properly disposed, it can end

up in our oceans and rivers harming marine life. It can also end up in landfills, where

decomposing takes centuries.

In addition, the Philippines generates an estimated 43, 684 tons of garbage daily,

including 4, 609 tons of plastic waste, according to government data. According to

Sarmiento, (2018) The trash is piling up on land, clogging coastlines, spilling into the sea,

and traveling to remote corners of the globe as the country fails to meet targets for

improved waste management that is signed into a law 18 years ago.

To reduce problem of plastic pollution, the researcher proposes a PROJECT

TABLE-LASTIC, a project that would recycle plastics into table in order to reduce plastic

waste that caused pollution.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

recycling materials called Project Table-Lastic.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. How does the researcher’s residence manage their plastic usage?

2. Is plastics at home can be a substitute material for making table?

1.3 Objective

The main objective of this study is to reduce plastics garbage at home.

Since its popularization in the 1950s, plastic use has skyrocketed due to its benefits to

societal health, safety, and energy (Andrady & Neal, 2009). However, due to plastics’ longevity

and resistance to decomposition (Andrady, 2015), their widespread use has led to an epidemic of

mismanaged waste. Over 7,800 million metric tons (MMT) of plastic resin and fibers have been

produced since 1950, with over half of that plastic being produced from 2004 to 2017 (Geyer et

al., 2017). By 2015, annual plastic production had approached the combined weight of the

human population (Worm et al., 2017), and it is estimated that 150 MMT of plastic were

circulating in the marine environment as of 2016 (World Economic Forum, 2016). Furthermore,

experts estimate that up to 10% of plastic debris produced will enter the sea (Thompson, 2006)

and that plastics will outweigh fish in the ocean by 2050 (World Economic Forum, 2016).

Plastics have deleterious effects on the environment by destroying habitat (Sheavly &

Register, 2007), entangling marine animals (Gall and Thompson, 2015, Kühn et al., 2015, Lusher

et al., 2018), facilitating the transport of invasive species across habitats (Kiessling et al., 2015),

and depositing in sediments, leading to potential impacts on the animals that live and forage in

the benthos (Brandon et al., 2019). When consumed by marine animals, plastic can have both

physical and chemical impacts. In addition to entanglement, physical impacts include blockages

in the digestive tract when plastic is consumed by marine animals (de Stephanis et al.,

2013, Laist, 1987, Ryan et al., 2016), which can lead to false satiation. A review of 340 original

publications found that at least 690 different species have been impacted by marine debris (92%

of which is plastic) (Gall & Thompson, 2015).

concern (Brennecke et al., 2016, Karbalaei et al., 2018, Karbalaei et al., 2019, Karbalaei et al.,

2020, Luo et al., 2020, Teuten et al., 2009, Turner, 2018). Plastics may serve as efficient delivery

systems of toxic pollutants, like plastic additives from the manufacturing process (e.g., heavy

metals, plasticizers) or chemicals that have adsorbed to plastic from the surrounding environment

(e.g., heavy metals) (Gallo et al., 2018, Turner, 2016, Turner, 2018). For example, some

microplastics have been shown to contain additives that are known reproductive toxins,

carcinogens, and mutagens (Wright & Kelly, 2017). These chemicals may bioaccumulate up

the food chain through ingestion at multiple trophic levels, and the implications for food webs

are not yet fully understood (Carbery et al., 2018, Farrell and Nelson, 2013, Lusher et al., 2018).

Plastic additive leaching has been shown in studies on barnacles, anemones, and Japanese

medaka, along with an avian physiologically-based model (Diana et al., 2020, Li et al.,

2016a, Turner, 2018, Zhu et al., 2020). This is a potential human health hazard, because humans

consume an estimated 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles per year from food and beverages

alone (Cox et al., 2019). As plastics enter the human food chain, they carry additives from the

manufacturing process, chemicals adsorbed to the plastics, and pathogens or parasites that may

be on the plastics (Barboza et al., 2018, Vethaak and Leslie, 2016, Wu, 2017). However, despite

this, most countries continue to classify plastics as harmless solid waste (Lechner and Ramler,

2015, Rochman et al., 2013).

In light of the growing concern about the negative impacts of plastics on environmental

and human health, some governments are increasingly responding to this problem at the local,

national, and international levels (Adam et al., 2020, Karasik et al., 2020, Schnurr et al.,

2018, Xanthos and Walker, 2017).

ranking contributor to plastic pollution in the world, with at least 2.7 million metric tons of

plastic waste generated every year (Braganza 2017). Of this plastic waste, 20% is estimated to

leak into ocean environments (Braganza 2017; Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey 2015). About

74% of plastics that leak into the ocean were initially collected but escaped from open landfills

that are located near vulnerable waterways (World Wildlife Fund [WWF] 2018). Likewise, the

proliferation of the sachet economy, where many consumer goods are imported, packaged, and

sold in single-use containers that are difficult or impossible to recycle (Galarpe et al. 2021;

Posadas 2014), has exacerbated the plastics pollution problem in the Phillipines. Reports

estimate that almost 60 billion sachets are used per year in the Philippines (SEA Circular 2020;

GAIA 2019)

Plastic pollution has had major consequences on the Philippine environment. Waterways

and drainage systems quickly become clogged by waste runoff, threatening the livelihood and

sanitation of residents (Braganza 2017), particularly during heavy periods of rain. Boracay, a

popular tourist island in the Philippines known for its pristine beaches and water activities, was

closed for six months in 2018 to allow a period of rehabilitation from high levels of pollution

(SEA Circular 2020). According to government projections, there was an 18–20 billion

Philippine peso ($360–400 million USD) loss of potential gross revenue due to this closure

(Iglesias et al. 2018). In terms of employment, an estimated 36,000 jobs were lost as a result of

the closure (Domingo 2018). Unlike other countries with significant plastic leakage, plastic-

waste leakage in the Philippines primarily originates from local consumption, not outside

markets (McKinsey Center for Business and Environment 2015). In fact, the Philippines was a
significant exporter of waste to China prior to its plastic waste import ban (McKinsey Center for

Business and Environment 2015; Liang et al. 2021).

Although this recycling technology could be an answer to ongoing plastic waste problem

for consumers and firms, environmentalist and co-convenor of War on Waste Negros Oriental,

Merci Ferrer, thought otherwise. “No, it's not a solution… it actually encourages companies to

create more (plastics),” she said, adding that the initiative was only handling the problem “from

the end of the pipe.” For her, it was important to consider the bigger picture. “We need to think

of that on a bigger, broader environmental, sustainability issue. The toxicity of a certain material

should be one of the top considerations,” Ferrer said, explaining that more studies should be

done on the emissions brought about by melting plastics of different types.

Research Design

The researcher used quantitative research design in recycling plastic material and turned it into

tables.

Procedure

The paper focuses on challenges and limitations to increase recycling of plastic waste sorted and

collected from the researcher’s household. Household plastics were sorted and cleaned.

Mechanical recycling is being used in the study. Mechanical recycling is by far the most

prevalent recycling of plastic. It is the traditional method that has been in use for decades,

responsible for the vast majority of plastic recycling around the world. Mechanical recycling

uses grinding, washing, sorting and reprocessing to repurpose plastic material. The plastic

recyclate can then converted into plastic tables substituting for the use of virgin plastics. This

research deals primarily with how plastic is collected, sorted and reprocessed via the traditional

mechanical recycling route.

Risk and Safety

For risk and safety, the researcher considers the following risks in recycling plastics at home.

A wide variety of plastics are commercially available and their sorting is difficult in recycling

processes. Contaminants in plastic and rubber wastes. The content of the post-consumer wastes.
Degradation products of polymers, additives and contaminants. Microbial growth and activity.

Uncontrolled conditions in plastic and rubber recycling in third countries. New materials,

additives and processing methods were added.