Single-use Plastic is Harming Children, People and Planet. We must do Better.

You’ve likely heard that researchers estimate there’ll be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050, if we don’t do something drastic.

That’s only 25 years away. Scary.

Plastic pollution can feel like an insane, impossible problem to solve, given it’s enormous scale and how reliant we’ve become on many plastic products.

But, as is typical of problems, this one definitely won’t go away unless we face it. The damages – from negative health impacts (which particularly affect children), to economic, environmental and ecosystem impacts – are escalating daily.

The good news is that there are TONS of people who want to solve the plastic pollution problem. Millions of people who care, all working on a wide range of solutions at various scales.

This group includes you. And us.

A good example of this is the Global Plastics Treaty; an international agreement currently being negotiated by around 175 countries to end plastic pollution at every stage of the material’s lifecycle. (Of course, there are many powerful plastics industry lobbyists working to dilute the treaty too.) But, let’s focus on all those working to make a positive impact.

There are countless governments, NGOs, scientists, researchers, schools and universities, businesses, communities and individuals taking initiative to reduce plastic pollution and create sustainable solutions.

And, while more data is always needed, there’s a solid set of existing research that provides guidance towards solutions.

For instance, studies show that packaging is one of the types of plastic most likely to end up as plastic pollution, contributing around 40% of total plastic waste. Packaging also tends to have a very short useful life.

This means reducing plastic packaging will have a big impact on plastic pollution.

We can’t recycle our way out of the problem

Recycling has been sold as a solution to plastic packaging pollution, and as a reason to keep using plastic. However, evidence does not support its efficacy.

Firstly, recycling is no match for rampant plastic production. There is far too much plastic being produced. And many plastics simply don’t have value in the recycling system.

Secondly, both plastic recycling and recycled plastics pose risks. Studies show that recycled plastic contains high concentrations of harmful chemicals, it can be more toxic than virgin plastic. So recycled plastic may not be safe and may concentrate harmful chemicals.

The stark reality is that only 9% of global plastic is recycled, and only a fraction of that recycled more than once. A much higher percentage of plastic, nearly one quarter, is mismanaged or littered, and about half goes straight to landfill.

Takeaways don’t need to be served in plastic

Here at GREEN HOME, our focus is packaging for takeaway food. And, when it comes to avoiding plastic, this sector is the low hanging fruit. There are lots of plastic-free, plant-based solutions for takeaway drinks and meals.

Choosing compostable food packaging allows restaurants, cafes, canteens , events and festivals to avoid contributing to plastic pollution.

Indeed, some of the world’s largest festivals, like Glastonbury and Coachella have strict policies ensuring food is served in compostable, or reusable, packaging. Many other sustainability minded festivals have also gone compostable, including Øya in Norway, and MTN Bushfire in Eswatini. (Glastonbury also banned single-use plastic drinks bottles back in 2019, eliminating another enormous quantity of plastic waste.)

Unfortunately, there are many common takeaway food packaging items that still use plastic. Such as plastic-lined coffee cups and Kraft containers, clear PET lids and plastic utensils and polystyrene containers (the latter two items have been banned in many places, but not in SA.)

There are plant-based solutions for all of these products. And, there are many benefits to using them.

Plant-based products tend to have a lower carbon footprint, and they avoid the harms caused by plastic production, including fossil fuel extraction, and toxic refineries and manufacturing plants.

They can also be turned into soil after use with composting.

The benefits of composting are well documented. For a quick, insightful explainer, we love The Compost Story from Kiss the Ground:

Compostable packaging, like all natural organic and plant-based materials, can biodegrade and function within the regenerative cycles of nature – which produce no waste. (Plastics are at odds with these same cycles, because they’re not biodegradable.)

Replacing plastic packaging products with plant-based compostable products can aid us in creating a system that works with nature. And produces no waste, like nature.

It’s about time we started treating the planet as though we’re planning to stay. If we all play our part and do what we can, we can make a big, collective difference.