The Plastic Problem – Part 2

It seems like every time I scroll through my Twitter feed or turn on the TV these days, there is a new report about plastic. The information has really accelerated over the past few years and I’m grateful that the media is finally shining light on the topic. But, I worry that it is too much for most people to take in. When I get bombarded with so much information on one topic, sometimes I tune it out. The overarching theme is usually that plastic is everywhere and it is bad. I don’t think all plastic is bad, but I think we have a serious plastic problem on our hands that has now become a global issue and we all need to pay attention. Don’t tune out yet!

I would like to help clearly define the problem and also thought it would be helpful to clarify some of the common terms that are used in the environmental world that can be confusing or maybe you haven’t heard before.

A few months ago I posted part 1 of this series that focused on the history of plastic, the amount of production, and why it is a problem. Here is a recap:

• 322 million tons of plastic are produced annually since about 1950 (1)
• 95% of all plastic has never been recycled (2)
• China stopped accepting recycling materials from other countries in 2018 and most countries have no viable alternative so the amount of recycled plastic will decrease even more
• Large amounts of plastic are now in our oceans, waterways, and soil.

Now you know what the main problem is, but there is so much more to know. Please keep reading!

Definitions

Microplastics: plastic debris that is less than 5 millimeters in length, often the result of breakdown from a larger piece of plastic, although many are manufactured in tiny particles for various purposes. (3) Plastic does not biodegrade like organic matter, it just gets smaller. These particles can pass through water filtration systems and end up in the ocean and waterways and eventually our food and water supply. The environmental impact of these small particles is not fully known. Check out this article showing that microplastics are now found in the deepest parts of the ocean. And check out this article that reports that plastic has now been found literally snowing from the sky in the Arctic!!

Microfiber: a very fine polyester fiber, weighing less than one denier per filament, used especially for clothing. (4) FYI polyester = plastic. These fibers break off of larger fibers when clothing is washed or damaged. Like microplastics, they are often too small to be filtered out of our water systems. Sometimes the fibers are intentionally produced as small particles and weaved into cloths that are effective for cleaning. Most fibers used to make clothes these days are plastic.

Single Use Plastic: a piece of plastic that is only used once and then is discarded. Typically single use plastics refer to items that cannot be recycled, but sometimes the term is used for any plastic that is tossed after just one use. Examples include plastic wrap, plastic straws, coffee stirrers, plastic bags, food packaging, plastic cutlery, cigarette butts (the filters are plastic), ear buds, balloons, and diapers. Often these plastics are used for mere seconds before getting tossed into the garbage!

Garbage patches: this definition comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. ” Garbage patches are large areas of the ocean where litter, fishing gear, and other debris – known as marine debris – collects. They are formed by rotating ocean currents called “gyres.” You can think of them as big whirlpools that pull objects in. The gyres pull debris into one location, often the gyre’s center, forming “patches.” ” (5) There are now 5 known garbage patches in the ocean, the largest is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is between Hawaii and California and is more than twice the size of Texas. You can read more here about garbage patches and their impact on marine life.

Wish-cycling: the act of placing items in the recycling bin with the hopes that they will be recycled when, in reality, most plastics cannot and will not be recycled. Unfortunately, this practice has led to large batches of recycling to be thrown away as plastic is considered contaminated when mixed with items that are not recyclable. Wish-cycling actually leads to less recycling. If you can’t be sure that an item can be recycled, than you should either reuse it or throw it into the garbage.

Types of Plastic

Now I’m going to move onto the different types of plastic, where they are found, and if they can be recycled. Beware! This is confusing and inconsistent across the US.

Plastic Number	Name	Examples	Can it be recycled?*
	PET = polyethylene terephthalate	Soft drink and water bottles, peanut butter jars, carpet	Yup **
	HDPE = high density polyethylene	Shopping bags, milk jugs, shampoo bottles, detergent bottles	Yup **
	PVC = polyvinyl chloride	Cosmetic containers, plumbing pipes, garden hose, shoe soles	Nope
	LDPE = low density polyethylene	Cling wrap, garbage bags, sandwich bags, squeeze bottles, Tetra pak containers	Once in a blue moon
	PP = polypropylene	Yogurt containers, potato chip bags, straws, microwave dishes, packaging tape, plastic diapers, prescription bottles	Once in a blue moon
	PS = polystyrene	Plastic cutlery, foam cups, takeaway clamshells, foam meat trays, packing peanuts, disposable coffee cups	Nope
	OTHER = various plastics and could be combinations of above plastics in multi-layer materials	LOTS of food packaging, plastic CDs or DVDs, baby bottles, eyeglasses	You’re dreaming***

*The only way you can know if something can truly be recycled is to check with your local municipality

**Exception: Most plastics smaller than 2 inches cannot be recycled

***It is nearly impossible to separate out multi-layer materials into products that can be recycled.

Solutions

Of course, once you educate yourself and define the problem, then it is time to think about our own role and what can be done. We need manufacturers and corporations to participate in the change, but we cannot rely on them to take the lead on this issue. They are interested in one thing, and one thing only – their bottom line. Solving the plastic problem thus far has been a grassroots effort from caring people who create demand for change. Hopefully you’ve learned a thing or two from this article, or at least have a handy reference for recycling. If any of the information resonates with you and you want to help make change in our world, I have a lot of ideas of what you can do. You can work on them all a little bit at a time, or focus on just one.

1 – Read my weekly meal plans! Every week I post a tangible tip you can use to help your health or the environment, or both.

2 – The kitchen is the number one place in your household where plastic waste is created. Cut back on processed and packaged foods.

3 – Find substitutes for single use plastic items, or just don’t use them at all.

4 – When shopping, choose glass or aluminum containers as they are truly full circle recyclables.

5 – If you do buy plastic items, make an effort to seek out things that are made of plastic #1 or #2, which are more easily recycled.

6 – Check with your recycling company to find out exactly what is accepted, including what size and condition (does it need to be rinsed?)

7 – If you are not 100% sure that your recycling company will accept an item, throw it in the garbage or find another place that you can be confident will recycle it. Which brings me to…

8 – Terracycle.com. This company takes products that you can’t normally recycle and finds ways to break them down and repurpose them. I use this heavily while I transition away from plastic products in the first place. I have set up a recycling station in my garage for various items and when a box is full, I mail it to Terracycle.

9 – Most importantly: think twice before buying anything. Do you really need it? Do you have something already that serves the same purpose? Sometimes, yes you really do need or want something, but a lot of time you can go without. Every time you pause to think, you help shift our societal norm of consume, consume, consume.

Did you miss part 1 of the Plastic Problem? Check it out here.

GLP Challenge:

One person cannot change a household on their own. It is crucial to get the whole family involved. Sixty minutes just aired a great piece on plastic and garbage patches and the efforts to clean them up. This is worth a share with the whole family. It is 26 minutes and even kept my 3 year old entertained. My challenge to you is to watch this with your family and if you find it informative and useful, share with others. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-cleaning-up-the-plastic-in-the-ocean-60-minutes-2019-08-18/

References:

1. http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/7/e1700782.full
2. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/reports/circular-claims-fall-flat-again/
3. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfiber
5. https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/patch.html