In 1907, plastic was invented. After this invention, plastic has become the most essential thing in our life. A lot of things are made up of plastic. However, because of plastic, a lot of problems like environmental pollution are happening. Especially, microplastic is the most dangerous. It can damage not only nature but also humans.

Seoul Public Health and Environment Research Institute gathered some floating matters in the air. As a result, people were able to find 20 microplastics in the house. The microplastics size was 166 micrometers, three times bigger than that of hair thickness. If microplastics get into our bodies, it can affect our health. Especially, plastics can damage our lungs. As the plastics become smaller, we can get more damages. Moreover, researchers can find some microplastics in the rain. It means microplastic can damage nature.

▲ The picture of microplastics

Then, how to solve this problem? The most important thing is reducing plastic usage. To reduce plastic usage, we should use things that can be used many times, not disposable things. Also, we should do recycling to reduce environmental pollution. Moreover, the government should push some policies. In reality, Gyeongsangnam-do Province pushed ahead a policy, "Great Transformation of Reducing Disposable Plastic." The goal of the policy is to increase recycling and reducing the usage of plastic. Also, through this policy, the province employs a 'recycling guide' and makes some jobs. Also, the research institutes should do more research to solve this problem.

▲ The policy, ˝Great Transformation of Reducing Disposable Plastic˝

These days, the usage of plastic is soaring because of the increasing of delivery food. However, if we do not reduce the use of plastic, we can get more damages because of microplastic. We should make the earth clean for the next generation.

2021, 5, 22

By Kim Yu-chan