PU, PGI experts warn of multiple health hazards

Chandigarh: Environmentalists believe that the use of plastic products in daily life has increased the quantity of plastic waste generation, making it a major environmental and human health concern worldwide.
“The raw material for plastic production comes from fossil fuels and it also contains toxic and cancer-causing substances. Plastics adsorbs other hydrophobic pollutants and act as a vector for illness-causing bacteria and viruses when dumped in the open environment. The problem of plastic pollution has emerged due to the unscientific disposal of plastic waste,” said Dr Suman Mor, department of environment studies, Panjab University (PU). Single-use plastic has spread in water bodies, which have entered the food chain as well.