Country IPL is in full swing at this time. You too must have seen your favorite cricketer chewing gum on the ground during the match. It is believed that this helps players to focus on the game. That’s why not only cricket, players are seen chewing gum in most of the sports. Seeing them, you too might have bought chewing gum and chewed it for a long time. After this, you might have enjoyed making bubbles. But, have you ever thought that after doing all this, the chewing gum that was thrown away remains in the same condition till the time your great grandchildren grow up? This causes severe pollution.
Often people, after chewing gum, either stick it somewhere or the other. Chewing gum thrown here and there gets stuck in people’s footwear and travels from one place to another, but it does not end. According to statistics, people around the world chew about 1,00,000 tons of chewing gum every year. In ancient civilizations, people chewed the resin of trees like chicle. But, by the 1950s, it was replaced by synthetic gum. Modern chewing gums with this gum base contain softeners such as vegetable oils, emulsifiers, which reduce viscosity. Fillers like talc are also added to it. Apart from this, different flavours, sweeteners, preservatives and colors are also added to it.
When was chewing gum first made?
Synthetic gums are generally not biodegradable. In some cases they can be recycled to make new plastic products. However, now biodegradable chewing gums are also being made. Bubble gum first came into the market during 1928. Walter Diemer was the first to launch a pink colored bubble gum. This bubble gum was softer and more flexible than other chewable items. This quality made children crazy about it. Not only this, children also enjoyed making bubbles from it. Since the advent of bubble gum in the market, there have been many changes in the form, color and taste of chewing gum. Now chewing gums are easily available in the market in many colors, flavors and sizes.
Walter Diemer was the first to launch a pink colored bubble gum.
Also read – Which entire city is housed in just one building? Once there was an army barrack here, now every public facility is here.
What are the other side effects of chewing gum?
The pollution caused by the remaining part of chewing gum after chewing is called ‘gum pollution’. Every year hundreds of tons of plastic waste is generated just from chewing gum. This non-biodegradable plastic waste of chewing gum becomes the cause of pollution in the environment. Instead of being thrown in the dustbin, chewing gum thrown on the road collects toxic substances and reaches water sources. Let us tell you that chewing gum is made from the base of a synthetic polymer called polyisobutene.
Also read – What is insulin, where and how is it produced in the body? When to take insulin in case of diabetes?
What is the harm to humans and animals?
Polyisobutene used in chewing gum is a type of synthetic plastic material, which helps in making chewing gum more flexible. When this chewing gum reaches the river, pond or sea, the fishes swallow it. Along with the chewing gum, all the toxins accumulated on it also enter the stomach of the fish. Later people use this fish as their food. Due to this, people may have to suffer dire consequences. At the same time, animals can eat chewing gum thrown on the road. Chewing gum can cause harm by reaching their respiratory tract or intestines.
Since the first chewing gum came into the market, there has been a lot of variation in its form, color and taste.
How is it harmful for the earth?
The biggest problem of chewing gum is that it harms the environment by remaining in its final state for years. It is considered the second most polluting thing in the world after cigarette buds. According to an estimate, gum creates 250,000 tons of waste in the Earth’s landfills. That is why some countries like Singapore have started cracking down on chewing gum. In these countries, only those who have a medical reason for chewing gum are allowed to chew it. Currently, some companies are working with scientists to make biodegradable chewing gum.
,
Tags: Cricket, IPL 2024, plastic waste, Pollution, water pollution
FIRST PUBLISHED: April 23, 2024, 12:45 IST