Plastic is a wonderful thing.

You probably didn’t expect me to say that but it is true. Due to it’s light weight, plastic has allowed shipment of products long distances which has made many more things accessible to people in all locations and of all socioeconomic statuses. It is strong and flexible. We no longer have to worry about our children dropping dishes or a shampoo bottle slipping out of your hands in the shower. Plastic repels and contains liquids, which makes it a very good storage vessel. It is a component of electronics, cars/planes, clothes, and any other product imaginable. Plastic has literally saved lives with its use in medical devices. Really, plastic has catapulted us into modern day living in a very short time span.

Awesome things made from plastic

The dark side of plastic

So, now we come to the reality of plastic that isn’t so fun. The plastic problem. Aside from allowing the invention of those really annoying electronic toys that my kids play with, there are several other reasons why plastic is a drag on our environment, society, and economy. The number one reason is the shear amount of plastic that has been created since about 1950. And a close second is that ultimately we are unable to dispose of the plastic in a way that doesn’t harm the environment. I would argue that plastic has lead to the fall of manufacturing jobs in America since products from overseas can be produced and shipped so cheaply. Plastic has allowed us to become a fast food society and one that is focused on consumerism. This is the dark side of plastic. So please read ahead for a primer on the history of plastic, the problem with plastic, and what we can do about it.

Here are the main problems that I see with plastic:

1. Plastic is made primarily from oil and natural gas
2. Since 1950 there has been a plastic revolution with over 322 million tons currently produced annually
3. About 95% of plastic ever produced has not been recycled
4. In 2018, China stopped accepting and recycling discarded plastic from other countries which has halted plastic recycling around the world
5. If plastic is not recycled it is either burned (air pollution) or sent to the landfill, or unfortunately dumped into the ocean or littered across the world.
6. It takes a minimum of 450 years for plastic products to fully decompose and some types may never break down
7. Wind and wave action break down items into microplastics, which are small pieces of plastic that make their way into our soil and water systems, harming animals and becoming part of our food chain
8. Chemical additives to plastic can be toxic to us and the environment

The History of Plastic

Plastic was first invented in the 1930’s by DuPont. One of the first examples of plastic is nylon used for women’s stockings. The use of plastics really took hold during and shortly after World War II. At that time only a few million tons of plastic were produced worldwide. Fast forward to 2015 when 322 million tons of plastic were produced globally that year.

You may be thinking, so what if all this plastic was created? Well, as mentioned above, these plastics are derived primarily from hydrocarbons extracted from oil and natural gas.  These rich carbon sources are removed from underground and brought to the surface, polluting our environment during the entire production and disposal process.  Additionally, large amounts of water are necessary to make this happen.  And the biggest problem of all is that almost none of the plastic is ever used again and can take centuries (if ever) to break down and return underground.  The Greenpeace Report of 2022 has found that recycling is getting worse and now 95% of all plastic that has ever been produced has never been recycled!! 

So, although you may faithfully stock your blue recycling bin every week with empty water and soda bottles, shampoo bottles, yogurt containers, food packaging, cleaner containers, and other plastics, they never actually make it through the expected cycle and back into other products.  The 9% that do get recycled most likely will only be used one additional time because they are often used to make products with multiple types of plastic that are near impossible to recycle again.  Essentially, by throwing your plastics into the recycling bin, you are throwing them away.                               

 95%: the proportion of plastic waste that has never been recycled.

– Greenpeace Report 2022

It may come as a surprise to you that China was instrumental to our recycling system.  Yes, the majority of products we now consume come from China, but the United States and most other developed countries send back a large portion of the plastic waste for recycling.  This stopped in January 2018 when the National Sword Policy took effect in China and the country severely restricted the plastic and paper that it would accept for recycling.  Since that time, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam have tried to pick up the slack, but unfortunately these countries do not have developed waste management systems and the plastic is piling up, resulting in garbage problems in the countries and worse – dumping plastics into the ocean. 

You can read about the situation in China and the impact it has had on other countries here.  And check out this article about the trickle down effect in the US, including the health hazards from increased burning of plastics. 

Microplastics – found in soil, sand, and the ocean

Is There a Solution?

Does this mean that we need to eliminate all plastic from our lives? Of course not. You can drive yourself crazy trying to replace everything in your home that is plastic. Believe me, I have been there. This article is meant to inform, not to incite guilt.  Remember, my Green Life Philosophy is to make healthy, environmentally conscience living fit into your everyday life.  

While my family has taken great strides to eliminate plastic from our food chain, we still use it in many other ways throughout our home.  I’m not going to throw away plastic items that are perfectly useful to me just to claim that I have a plastic free life.  I believe that there is a place for plastic (like a plastic bucket; those metal buckets are heavy!!), but I now make an effort to at least avoid single use plastics and refuse most other plastics from entering my house.  I have made many small changes over years of time. 

I think the key is awareness so that every single person recognizes the problem and can contribute to the reduction of plastic use.    This problem will take a combination of both personal changes and much larger system wide changes from corporations.  In the absence of government regulation, corporations will not seek change without demand from consumers.  That is why your individual voice and action are so very important!!

I believe we are a world full of good, caring people who by and large want to do the right thing.  Take a look at your habits and determine where you can make a difference.  We should work on using what we already have and consuming less.  We also need to get away from the “single use” idea and that everything is disposable.  My grandmother grew up during the Great Depression.  This was a time when nothing was wasted.  She scraped out the insides of eggs and made due with whatever she had to raise her four children.  We are a much wealthier country now, but my grandmother’s thoughtful way of life still makes sense.  The number one principle in my Green Life Philosophy is Reduce, Reuse, Reduce.  Save the recycling as a last resort.  

Want to know more? Check out The Plastic Problem: Part 2

GLP Challenge:

Find one source of plastic (bonus points if it is single use) that you can stop buying, taking, or using. For example, stop using plastic straws. Refuse them at restaurants and don’t use them at home. You could consider purchasing a metal, reusable straw, but this is not necessary.  Try to eliminate your use of plastics labeled #3 to #7 as they are much harder to recycle than #1 and #2 plastics.  Focus on a different product each month for 1 year.  Low hanging fruit includes: shopping bags (take those reusables to the store), disposable cutlery (refuse from fast food restaurants and use your own at home or carry some with you in your purse), cling wrap (use containers with a built-in cover or try Bee’s Wrap or silicone covers), floss (believe it or not you can buy silk floss in a glass container), toothbrushes (buy bamboo, they are actually just as cheap), the options are endless because practically everything is either made of plastic or packaged in plastic these days!  Let me know what plastic swaps you are making.  

 

Sources:

1. http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/7/e1700782.full
2. https://theconversation.com/the-world-of-plastics-in-numbers-100291
3. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/reports/circular-claims-fall-flat-again/
4. https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/1131131088/recycling-plastic-is-practically-impossible-and-the-problem-is-getting-worse#:~:text=While%2052%25%20of%20recycling%20facilities,is%20put%20into%20a%20landfill.