Problems With Polymers
Chemistry: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 15.6.4
Problems With Polymers
Polymers can cause many wastage problems because they do not biodegrade (break down naturally).
Landfill sites
- When plastics are added to a landfill site, the land becomes polluted.
- We have to make new sites to bury plastics all the time.
Combustion
- When we combust (burn) plastics to generate energy, many toxic and acidic gases are released into our atmosphere.
- For example, carbon dioxide is produced, which contributes to global warming.
Difficulty recycling
- Plastics can be difficult to recycle. There are many types of plastic and, before they can be recycled, they must be sorted in to their different types.
- Once they are sorted, they can be melted down and reshaped.
Expensive
- All of these processes can be costly.
Biopolyesters
- There is a specific type of polymer called a biopolyester that is biodegradable.
- The polymers are produced using amide, ester and their functional groups, which allows them to biodegrade.
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Polymers do not...
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