Over the last three weeks, we’ve been looking at the role of plastic in our daily lives. We’ve discussed how plastic is highly versatile and possesses a number of qualities which often make it the most appropriate and environmentally sustainable choice for a huge variety of needs. Well designed plastic is not only essentiWe’ve also looked at where it has a place om ur society and how, when designed well, it plays a critical role in supporting and creating a number of economic opportunities and jobs.
In a healthy circular economy, well designed plastics play a critical role in improving our lives and creating jobs whilst remaining out of the environment
Nevertheless, plastics can, and do, pose a problem when poorly designed. So what do we mean when we refer to certain plastics as problematic?
- It is not reusable, recyclable (technically and/or economically not recyclable) or compostable.
- It contains, or its manufacturing requires, hazardous chemicals that pose a significant risk to human health or the environment.
- It hinders or disrupts the recyclability or compostability of other items.
- It has a high likelihood of being littered or ending up in the natural environment.
What are problematic plastics that we need to address?
- Unnecessary plastics that do not serve any additional function
- Plastics that often leak into the environment
- Plastics that are not recyclable
Many of these kind of items are non-essential and as a consumer, you have the power to refuse these items. Some others may still be important in our daily lives, but there are usually alternatives which can be reused or are made from different materials.
An example of a problematic plastic is plastic cutlery. Plastic cutlery is typically designed for ingle use. Plastic cutlery items are seldom recycled because they are small and difficult to collect. Consequently, they regularly end up in the environment. There are also perfectly suitable alternatives; both when considering reuse and different materials.
So, what can you do?
The South African Plastics Pact members have published a list of 12 problematic and unnecessary plastic items for phasing out. As a consumer, you can support the members by phasing these items out of your consumption patterns as well, thereby supporting the work of the Pact. The 12 items are:
- Oxo degradable plastic
- PVC bottles, palette wrap and labels
- PVC shrink sleeves
- Plastic stickers on fruit and vegetables
- Barrier bags at fruit and veg stands
- Barrier bags at tills
- Plastic straws
- Plastic stirrers
- Single use plastic cutlery, plates and cups
- Earbuds with plastic stems
- Lolipops with plastic sticks
- Microbeads in cosmetics
This post is the fourth part of the SA Plastics Pacts #ResponsiblePlasticJuly campaign. To read the other parts of this campaign, click on the links below:
