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emissions from the incineration of electronic Up next, Speaker Chuan touched on the
Earth Day Themed Webinar products are carcinogenic. It can destroy the various ways of handling the three types of
human nervous system, circulatory system and pollutants (microplastics, rubber, electronic

kidney. products). For microplastics and rubber, humans
Invest in Elastic loobs in our masks and tyres are recycle) and to not dispose of them as one pleases.
should implement the 3R’s (reduce, reuse and

Our Planet common rubber-made products in our daily For electronic products, we are encouraged to
life. If waste tyres are not handled well, they will purchase high energy efficiency products with
Jointly reported by: Goh Li Lian Sr2ScA, Grace Low Shing Wei Sr2ScA collect rainwater. As a result, mosquitoes breed in 5-star labels. These include fridges, washing

the waste tyre and thus lead to various mosquito- machines and microwave ovens. Another way
In conjunction with Earth Day, Kuen Cheng

High School Environmental Society organised a Furthermore, a tiny but deadly cigarette borne diseases. Additionally, refining oil from is to utilize solar-powered gadgets such as solar-
waste tyres is also an unwise act. The process powered calculators and electrical chargers.
webinar on 16th April 2022. The speakers of the butt can pollute the environment badly. You releases large amount of toxic gasses, whereas
webinar were Woon Wei De from Sr1ComE and might be wondering how the tiny cigarette butt disposal of solid waste and waste oil by the factory She shared that although old phones are
Chuan Dick Yee from Sr1ScF. does so. As far as we are concerned, cigarette destroys the organic substances in the soil and small in size, they contain around 10 rare metals.

butts are the most dumped rubbish by citizens. A
Earth day was first celebrated in 1970 and cigarette butt will be broken down into thousands affects agriculture. In 2006, the Japanese recycled 6.622 million old
falls on the 22nd of April every year. The 53rd Earth of microplastics and they are sent into the
Day in 2022 was themed “Invest in Our Planet”. environment. Consequently, microplastics seep

The theme for 2022’s Earth Day is to encourage into the aquatic ecosystem and will be consumed
youth to take much more responsibilities and care by marine animals. As a result, the microplastic
for our planet. “Invest” has the meaning of being will end up in our food.
more mindful of the Earth’s overall condition

and willing to take personal action to combat In a recent research done in Poland, 17
environmental and sustainability challenges. out of 22 healthy participants were found to have
2022’s Earth Day also put emphasis on solutions microplastic in their veins. Microplastics were even
to various environmental issues including climate found in human placenta. How do microplastics

change, plastic pollution, protect and conserve enter our body? Microplastics are found in the
biodiversity. air, along with our drinking water and food. A
study from Austria’s Medical University of Vienna
Firstly, Speaker Woon introduced us to revealed that people are eating the equivalent of

microplastics. Microplastics are plastic debris one plastic credit card every week in their diet.
that are less than 0.5cm in diameter. It is the main As a result, it may change the composition of the
environmental concern in plastic pollution. He gut microbiome, which is made up of trillions of
explained that microplastic pollution was the useful bacteria.

second most environmental problem in 2016.
Then, he shared the daily products we use that Moreover, Speaker Woon explained
consist of microplastics such as toothbrushes, about the disadvantages of rubber and electronic
plastic bottles and scrubbing cream. It was products to the environment if they are not

terrifying to find out that some toothpaste, facial handled properly. When electronic products are
cleanser and shower gel contain microplastics buried, the poisonous lead element will seep into
because the toxins in plastic might link to cancers. the soil and cause pollution. On the other hand,

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