by Elisa Thelvarik

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$$ \large \utilde{ \color{rosybrown} Evolution\ of\ Plastic } $$

Plastic wasn't always a terrible thing. When it was first invented in 1907, it was used as a substitute for ivory which helped to slow down the poaching of elephants. As time went on though, many began to realize this revolutionary new product had terrible implications. The harmful effects of plastic were first discovered in the 1960s and have only continued to compile.

Even after the discovery of the harmful effects, corporations continued to use these products at a higher rate creating a battle between convenience and sustainability.

Buying plastic products is inevitable. It is embedded into our everyday life, from the saran wrap we use in the kitchen to the plastic containers used for household cleaning supplies. We can, however, control the amount of plastic we use and what we can reuse.

$$ \large \utilde{ \color{rosybrown} All\ Plastics \ Aren't\ Equal} $$

[Video Credit [Description: Video from the Essential Plastics Coalition explaining the several types of single-use plastic and what they do]](https://youtu.be/QYqURIrRVoM)

Video Credit [Description: Video from the Essential Plastics Coalition explaining the several types of single-use plastic and what they do]

In my light research, I found the Essential Plastics Coalition, founded in 2020 to defend essential consumer products from unnecessary restrictions. They bring up massive points about single-use plastic:

Not all single-use plastic is the same.

Plastic pollution has always been under fire for obvious reasons, but legislation has tried to solve the problem by banning or restricting plastic products like straws and cutlery. These products are small and easily replaceable with more sustainable options like bamboo or metal straws.

The Essential Plastic Coalition's whitepaper talks about low-value single-use plastics as the primary culprit of big waste.

However, there are high-value single-use plastics that are necessary for food storage, healthcare, and crises.

For instance, plastic water bottles are of high value because they are easily storable water that can be distributed to millions during water contamination crises. A huge example of this was the Flint, Michigan instance where citizens had contaminated tap water and needed fresh bottled water to survive. I agree that plastic bottles can be needed in areas without the proper filtration for water, however, buying a case of water for convenience is a completely different story. If you can, choose to use a reusable water bottle that can be washed and utilized every day.

Another example of essential plastic products include N95 masks which are rapidly produced in the healthcare industry to protect workers. These are needed to take care of COVID-19 patients. It is vital for healthcare workers to have access to PPE, and there is no negotiating when it comes to the "reuse" of contaminated equipment. ****

<aside> 👉 If you would like to explore this healthcare sustainability issue, check out my other article on this very topic!

</aside>

The final plastic of high value that I want to hit on is the use of packaging in the food industry. Without this packaging, food would spoil faster, and grocery stores would face two problems. They would have a higher turnover of food because of food rotting at a quicker pace. Due to this they would buy less food at a time to keep from wasting product leading to food shortages.

Image Credit [Description: Image of the different values of plastics- High-value plastics, moderate-value, and low-value]

Image Credit [Description: Image of the different values of plastics- High-value plastics, moderate-value, and low-value]

$$ \large \utilde{ \color{rosybrown} Breakdown\ of\ Plastics} $$

$$ \substack{ {\normalsize It\ is\ one\ world.\ }\\ {\normalsize And\ it’s\ in\ our\ care. }\\

{\normalsize For\ the\ first\ time\ in\ the\ history\\ \ }\\ {\normalsize of\ humanity,\ one\ species\ has\ the\ \ }\\

	{\\normalsize future\\ in\\ the\\ palm\\ of\\ its\\ hands.\\ }\\\\

{\normalsize \color{tan} — David\ Attenborough}\\

} $$

I understand where they are coming from with the high-value plastics, but my concern is that more plastic companies would exploit this hierarchy of single-use plastics and make sure their products are always labeled as "high-value plastics."

Healthcare products like saline bags, tubing for blood transfusions, and needles should be exempt, but things like food storage plastics could be replaced in the future. I do not think they should be "exempt" per se but kept under special considerations. There is always room for innovations and ground-breaking technologies, so it would be inappropriate to leave them out of environmental research.

However, we need to reduce low to moderately valued items first before we start cracking down on the vital products used for times of emergency and out of necessity.

Image Credit [Description: Image of trash on a beach]

Image Credit [Description: Image of trash on a beach]

$$ \substack{ {\normalsize We\ don't\ need\ a\ handful }\\ {\normalsize \ of\ people\ doing\ zero-waste}\\

{\normalsize \ \ \ \ \ perfectly.\ We\ need\ millions\ \ \ }\\

{\normalsize \ of\ people\ doing\ it\ imperfectly.\ }\\

{\normalsize \color{tan} — Anne\ Marie\ Bonneau}\\} $$

Image Credit [Description: Chart of global plastic waste by disposal from 1980 to 2015]

Image Credit [Description: Chart of global plastic waste by disposal from 1980 to 2015]

$$ \large \utilde{ \color{rosybrown} The \ Core \ of \ Recycling} $$

The concept of recycling has always been an optimistic and hopeful one. If we all recycle our plastic containers, then we can save the planet. That is fantastic! Everyone working together for a better world, but that's not why companies started pushing the idea of recycling so heavily.

While looking more into plastics, I found this documentary from PBS Frontline called Plastic Wars. This documentary covers the plastic industry's further expansion even after protests and bad reputations like no other. They also explore the "new" and "improved" ideas on recycling plastics that have been advertised and sold to the public.

Plastic Wars

[Plastic Wars (full film) Credit [Description: PBS documentary on the plastic industry and plastic pollution]](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/2e4833c3-beed-4f66-a9d2-c46e8e068bd8/Plastic_Wars_(full_film)___FRONTLINE.mp4)

Plastic Wars (full film) Credit [Description: PBS documentary on the plastic industry and plastic pollution]

Plastic industries have thrived in the controversy because they use protests to their advantage. This makes me the most furious. Plastic corporations have turned the issue of plastics onto the consumer. The plastic industry gaslights consumers. That's the bottom line.

Plastic industries used their money and power to show advertisements of communities picking up trash, people littering, and so much more to manipulate the public into thinking the plastic waste is the fault of their own, but it is not.

To fix our plastic waste problem, corporations need to stop avoiding the problem and own up to their actions.

Feeling guilty about the plastic you use is not solving anything. Taking action will and that includes policymakers, industries, and consumers.

I highly suggest watching this documentary because it highlights some examples of charged advertising towards consumers to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Recycling takes a lot of time, money, and labor. For products to be recycled, they must be sorted correctly, packed into barrels, and sold. Even after proper sorting, diverse types of plastic sell better or worse per barrel, which means mixed plastics are harder to recycle. Mixed plastics are usually sent to landfills since it is costly to recycle and almost impossible to sell. They go into greater detail on this part at 3:03.

Some examples of mixed plastic:

The recycling logo and numbering system also bring confusion. Most consumers believe that if there is a recycling logo, that plastic product is recyclable. However, according to the Natural Society, only numbers 2, 4, and 5 are considered the safest plastic to recycle. This is also mentioned in the documentary about the problems with recycling.

Image Credit [Description: Image of the different recycling symbols]

Image Credit [Description: Image of the different recycling symbols]

$$ \large \utilde{ \color{rosybrown} Takeaways} $$

I've learned that recycling is much harder than companies let on, and that recycling is not a "catch-all" term. To save the planet, we need to reduce overall use of plastic, not just recycle.

Now, I'm not saying what can be recycled shouldn't be recycled or that governments and corporations should leave things the way they are.

Whether consumers like it or not, plastics are not going to go away anytime soon, but we can do our part to understand the process of recycling and what we should avoid altogether. It is also important to understand the marketing tricks that many companies use to make their products look "greener" or more sustainable. Getting involved includes education, spreading the word, and advocacy. This is a group effort.

$\colorbox{lightgrey}{$\substack {\color{black}\text{🛑 DISCLAIMER: We are not sponsored by Essential Plastics}\\ \color{black}\text{ Coalition in anyway. We advise you to learn more and use this }\\ \color{black} \text{information as a jumping off point to develop your own}\\ \color{black}\text{conclusions and research! 🛑}}$}$

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