How To Reduce Single-Use Plastics
Plastics Toxicity
Plastic is made from fossil fuels and its toxic to the environment and human health. Every day, we learn more about plastics' long-term impact on our bodies and our environment. News articles have informed us that plastics can be found in seafood, in soils in the Great Lakes, rivers, oceans, and even in the air we breathe. Plastics can be harmful to us even before breaking into microplastics in the environment. Certain plastics like polystyrene (Styrofoam) are known for their high toxicity. According to the World Health Organization, styrene, the building block of polystyrene, is a probable human carcinogen. Some studies suggest that microplastic leaches from plastic bottles into water. Considering the numerous ways we are exposed to plastic, we are estimated to consume the equivalent of a credit card's weight of plastic per week.
Given these potential risks, reducing our use of plastics is even more crucial, particularly those that come into contact with our food and drinks. We cannot recycle our way out of the plastics crisis. We need to eliminate single-use plastic by developing policies that limit the use of plastic, require manufacturers to take responsibility for their packaging and its health impacts, and shift our investments towards reusable alternatives.
What About Bioplastic?
In the race to reduce plastic waste, bioplastics have become a popular substitute, but is it better? "Additives used in bioplastics have similar hazards to conventional plastics, and there is a lack of transparency regarding the types, amounts, and hazards of additives used in bioplastics. Bioplastics can also contaminate recycling streams, reduce the quantity of mixed recyclable materials, and still contribute to plastic pollution." (Source: Break Free From Plastic). Further reading from Beyond Plastics about demystifying compostable and biodegradable plastics.
Biodegradable plastic does not fully biodegrade in real world environments like your back yard compost and can remain intact for years before fragmenting into microplastics. (Source: UNEA publication packet)
Be an advocate for change. Recycle Ann Arbor works to move towards a plastic free future. The focus should be on plastic reduction and reuse rather than substituting single-use items with other single-use bio-based options.
How Can We Reduce Plastic Waste?
It can be hard for consumers to distinguish genuine recycling efforts, which is why we need truth-in-labeling policies to provide clarity. For instance, the recycling arrows with numbers 3, 4, 6, and 7 plastics are misleading consumers and polluting our environment. While we often come across tips for reducing personal plastic waste, it's important to realize that individual efforts alone won't solve the plastic problem. To bring about the necessary change, we need to focus on reducing plastic use rather than just recycling it. Michigan, along with other states, is beginning to address these issues through legislation called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Some EPR legislation aims to pressure producers to reduce toxins and prohibit the use of non-recyclable plastics, while others only focus on funding recycling programs and reducing associated costs. At Recycle Ann Arbor, we believe that focusing on money alone will not give us the results we want. Whether Michigan will take a tough stance on plastics is up to us. Although no legislation has been introduced yet, RAA is engaged in EPR and will provide updates on any developments. In the meantime, you can watch a recent discussion on EPR with Kerrin O’Brien from Michigan Recycling Coalition and on WCMU Public Media, Pressing Matters program at this link.
Although individual actions can only go so far, choosing to eliminate single-use plastics in our daily lives, reducing our consumption, and switching to reuse whenever possible can have a lasting impact on our health and the health of our community.
Tips for Reducing Single-Use Plastics
Single-use disposable items have become increasingly popular because of their convenience, but that doesn't mean reusable alternatives are inconvenient - they just take some getting used to! The chart below offers some simple and practical tips for reducing commonly used single-use plastics. Embracing reuse can be as easy as using a reusable water bottle, opting for a reusable shopping bag, and bringing your own refillable cup to the coffee shop. Over time, gradually phasing out single-use plastics from your lifestyle can help conserve natural resources and protect the environment from plastic pollution.
Check out these local Ann Arbor restaurants offering reusable to-go packaging!
