I want to say one word to you, Benjamin. Just one word. Plastic. There is a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?”
The Graduate
The Top Five Reasons Why We Need To Reduce Our Use of Plastic
Plastic seems like the miracle product. It’s everywhere. It has made our lives easier; our cars lighter; our groceries easier to carry. But there are serious downsides to plastic and hidden costs.
The first reason we must reduce our use of plastic is that it is made from fossil fuels, specifically oil and fracked shale gas and contributes to carbon emissions throughout its lifecycle. The carbon footprint of plastics was estimated at 4.5 percent of carbon emissions in 2015. Plastic production impacts the climate at every step, from the fossil fuels used to make the plastic and the high temperatures needed to refine and manufacture it to incineration or degradation in landfills or elsewhere in the environment after it has ended its useful life.
Plastics are loaded with all sorts of toxic chemicals such as bisphenols, alkylphenols, phthalates, perfluorinated compounds, brominated flame retardants, dioxin and UV stabilizers, all of which leach into landfills and waterways. There is a growing body of research that links certain types of plastic with cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive effects. Petrochemical plants are frequently located in poor Brown and Black communities. There is an area in Louisiana situated between Baton Rouge and New Orleans that has been dubbed “Cancer Alley” because of the higher rates of cancer among residents living near the petrochemical plants bordering the Mississippi River that emit these toxic chemicals.
While recycling sounds like an environmentally friendly way to dispose of plastic products, only 5 percent of plastic is actually recycled. About 85 percent of it ends up in landfills and the other 10 percent is incinerated. Only a few types of plastic are actually recyclable. The recycling icon you see on the bottom of that plastic container is more marketing hype than an actual indicator of recyclability. For the few recyclable products such as PET plastic bottles, about a third of the material is discarded during the recycling process. Moreover, plastic degrades during the recycling process so that it can only be recycled once or twice and then it goes to the landfill.
Plastic is not biodegradable. It breaks down into micro-fragments, or tiny particles called microplastics. Microplastics are also added to cosmetics or even to toothpaste as an abrasive. The particles then enter our rivers and streams, the soil, the air we breathe and finally, they enter us. Wastewater treatment plants can’t filter all of the microplastics out of the water. Microplastics also move up the food chain through the fish we eat or through wildlife that have eaten the fish. There are concerns that the plastics we have ingested may release industrial chemicals in our bodies and cause cancer or reproductive issues.
Plastics are a forever product. That Styrofoam cup will last about 50 years in the landfill. A plastic bottle will take almost half a millennium to degrade. Some plastic products have ended up in the ocean forming part of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the North Pacific Ocean.
And lastly, plastic poses a danger to our wildlife. Who hasn’t seen a video of a whale or dolphin entangled in fishing nets and lines? Or the sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose? Sea birds and other marine creatures often mistake plastic bags and bottle caps for food. When eaten, these plastic products will cause internal blockage, lacerations or even starvation.
What actions can we take to reduce our exposure to plastic? There are personal micro-actions and there are global macro-actions. Personal actions are helpful and inspiring. By being conscientious consumers we can reduce both our waste and exposure to plastic.
Strategies include:
- Select products, especially produce, with little or no packaging and where possible opt for more recyclable packaging (paper, metal, or glass) over plastic or bring your own lightweight produce bags.
- Opt for reusable items for cleaning, storing, and eating on the go
- Consider making your own cleaning products, personal care items, and cosmetics
- Here are some additional tips for reducing single use plastics
But to really bring about change, we also need to go macro. At the federal level, we can let our legislators know that we support Senator Jeff Merkley’s bill S.984 – Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021. This bill uses both carrots and sticks to reduce the production of plastics and increase efforts to collect, recycle or compost products and materials. Be proactive. Tell your grocery store managers that you won’t buy produce wrapped in unnecessary plastic packaging. Consume less. Think before you buy. Join a Buy Nothing group. Bring plastic bags you can’t avoid back to the grocery store so they can be recycled.
This content originally appeared The EcoAdvocate newsletter produced by the EcoAction Arlington Advocacy Committee. For more information about the Advocacy Committee, please visit ecoactionarlington.org/get-involved/ecoaction-arlingtondvocacy/