While plastic is a cheap, durable, and versatile material, the overuse of plastic to the mismanagement of plastic waste is leaving a strain on the environment. The mismanagement of plastic waste is mainly due to the waste management system being overwhelmed with plastic disposal. 

 

From piling up in landfills to ending up in the ocean and harming wildlife, plastic has become a detriment to our planet and our species. The mismanagement of plastic waste is the contributing factor to plastic waste contamination in the environment and this is due to the trash system being overworked caused by the overuse of plastic items. One of the environment that is known to be impacted by plastic waste contamination are marine habitats. Plastic can get caught in animals' limbs and neck impeding their ability to move, to the animals dying from eating plastic. Due to plastic's durability and long shelf life, it can remain in the environment for 1000s of years.

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Thus we need to consider the consequences of our own plastic consumption and in the end we need to consider what is actually a grosser outcome, cutting open a fish that is filled with plastic or interacting with worms and mushrooms that can biodegrade plastic.