IGCSE FLE Narratives & Sample Responses

The Usage of Polythene

Polythene, a plastic form, is one of the most important and useful inventions of the last century. It was created from hydrocarbons and is mainly used for packaging. It is tough, durable and light, making it extremely useful for industrial and commercial use. However, it has its drawbacks and adversely affects the environment.

A big advantage of using polythene is that it is extraordinarily durable and light, making it easy to use. If you look at the properties of the form of plastic, you can see that while it has low strength, hardness and rigidity, it has a high impact strength and low friction. That means that while it is not very heavy or rigid, it can withstand high impacts and doesn't drag. It also has strong chemical resistance, which means that they are resistant to gentle oxidants and reducing agents. It is also a good electric insulator and can be easily repaired from damage.

All these properties are useful because polythene is mainly used in industrial and commercial use. It is used in products such as toys, automobile parts and waterproof ware. It can also be used to store highly corrosive substances, which not a lot of other plastics can do. It's also not very costly at all, making it easy to mass-produce. Going on with that, it is so mass-produced that the current global demand for the material generates around 45 million tons annually.

On the other hand, polythene has some disadvantages. Polythene is indestructible, which means it cannot decay, decompose, or burn and the bags are often littered on streets. Animals that might come upon them might end up eating them and die a painful death. The bags could also end up in sewer systems causing water logging and other unhygienic conditions.

Polythene can also pose a threat to marine species and environmental pollution. The bags could find their way into rivers and endanger marine life such as turtles. If you try to burn it, you release toxic gasses into the air which causes air pollution and since it's impermeable, it makes the soil infertile.

For what I think, I believe that while polythene has some benefits, such as its durability, it has more downsides regarding the environment. It would be better to find an alternative packaging method, such as fabric that has little or no environmental disadvantages.