Ways to Reduce Single Use Plastics
Single use plastics: it’s out of sight, out of mind for many of us who have our trash and recycling picked up on a regular basis. But the harsh reality is that the plastics we use end up in landfills and that plastic doesn’t break down for 20 to 500 years (depending on the plastic). Of all discarded plastic, 12% has been incinerated, only 9% has been recycled, and the remainder has either been disposed of in landfills or released into the environment.
Even worse, the plastic that does eventually break down ends up in our waters as microplastics. What this means is that microplastic is floating around in our water and acts as an environmental toxic substance that gets absorbed by humans and animals which can cause a variety of diseases including disruption of the endocrine system and the reproductive system. The full impacts of this has further research, yet to be uncovered.
The fact of the matter is, single use plastics have become the conventional way of “doing business” in the world and this has been normalized in our modern culture. Yet, this needs to change. On an individual level, we produce 500lbs of plastic, per person, per year alone.
While many throw in the towel and say — “what’s the point — it’s everywhere”, there are some shifts that can be made on a micro level and on a macro level. Change has to happen somewhere, right? The reality is, change happens where consumers are the most willing to spend their money. If the demand is there in dollars, the supply comes shortly after.
Here are some changes that you can incite in your every day routine that can help:
Refillable Water Bottles
There was the Stanley Cup wild rush earlier this year in 2024 that moved consumers to buy these large 40oz tumblers. To whatever marketing genius that was behind this campaign…thank you. I saw something on social media that said that many of these tumblers will end up at Goodwill or in landfills, BUT, statistically the reduction of single use plastics is significant when using reusable bottles for beverages.
For the single plastic water bottles that do get used, 80% end up in landfills. By using a refillable reusable bottle (even if it’s plastic) saves 3.3 lbs of plastic and 156 single use plastic bottles from going into landfills per year, per person. It also saves the average consumer around $309 annually by switching from single use plastics to reusable plastics when it comes to drinking water.
Refillable Cleaning Products
As many as 2.5 billion plastic cleaning bottles end up in landfills, yearly. This includes cleaning products — everything from laundry detergent to toilet bowl cleaner to dishwashing liquid.
There have been a number of refillable cleaning products that have emerged on the market in the recent years. But the big question that consumers have been asking is — does it work?
As we move away from conventional methods of cleaning products, there’s been a lot of “throwing spaghetti at the wall”, so to speak. Cleaning brands are ideating concepts that aren’t necessarily based in actual cleaning experience. The Tidy People is the FIRST cleaning product line that teaches people how to clean, based in 15 years of pro cleaning experience.
There are a number of refillable products out there on the market — I recommend steering away from powder based formulas when it comes to the majority of household products unless it’s for laundry or porcelain. Super concentrated liquids can easily dilute with tap water (or distilled water if you live in an area with hard water).
image by Lisa Fotios
Non-Packaged Foods
Non-packaged foods are not a new concept. It just takes a bit more planning around meal preparation and food storage. You can find non-packaged foods in the produce section of the store or in the bulk section. While it’s not always preventable to go entirely plastic-free when your favorite products are packaged in plastic, there is the option to prioritize things such as purchasing oatmeal in the bulk section vs. packaged oatmeal.
Most grocery stores have yet to provide compostable bags and jars. Opt for bringing reusable produce bags vs. using plastic bags in the produce section at the store.
Reusable Grocery Bags
Speaking of plastic waste, there are some states in the US and some countries that have banned plastic bags in stores. But there are only a few. There are so many fun grocery bags available that can be kept on hand.
Keep a system on hand where you store a few reusable grocery bags in your car for trips to the grocery store. I personally forget sometimes, so I work to make a habit of making the trip back to my car after unloading the groceries at home to replace the grocery bags in my car.
image by Anna Tarazevich
Shop at Refilleries
Refilleries are popping up everywhere. It’s not a new concept, but there’s been a big shift in consumer demand for unpackaged goods in the US. These refilleries are following suit from European refilleries that have been around for much longer. Also, if you look at history, this is actually where we started before single use plastics even existed.
If you’re new to the concept, how it works is you either bring your own containers or buy containers at the refillery. Depending on what your local refillery has in stock, you can fill anything in your containers from pantry staples such as flour and rice to cleaning products such as dish soap, all purpose spray, dishwasher tablets, and so on. Goods are typically stocked in large clear containers (in bins or in bottles with big pumps). Your purchase price typically will depend on weight or quantity. For weight, you weigh the container first to “tare” the scale to zero and then add the product.
Refilleries are proving that there’s a better way to approach the environmental impact of single use plastics and packaging going into landfills by giving the power back to consumers with unpackaged goods. Search for your local refillery to try it out.
image by Markus Spiske
Petition CPG Brands
There are so many alternative options for CPG (consumer packaged goods) brands now that’s biodegradable and made from organic matter. For example, without even making the switch away from plastic, there’s a material called PLA (polylactic acid) which is usually made out of corn starch and sugar cane. It uses 65% less energy than producing conventional plastics, generates 68% less greenhouse gasses, and contains no toxins. It can be composted, recycled, or incinerated without toxic effects to the environment. The degradation in landfills is slow, making this the last best option for its end of life cycle, but it also doesn’t produce toxic microplastics in our water, once broken down.
There are materials made out of glass, bamboo, avocado…the list goes on. This brand, Guacamole Airplane, has a sustainable packaging guide with many options for better packaging.
Sign Up for a Plastic Recycling Program
Ridwell is a great option for ongoing plastic recycling needs. All it takes is having a box on your doorstep and their service will pick up any items that you have placed in the box. You can recycle everything from plastic film, batteries, clothes, shoes, textiles, plastic clamshells, and so on. They’re only available in select metropolitan cities right now, but are growing. Check to see if they’re available in your city.
Terracycle provides zero-waste boxes that get sent directly to you and you can load up everything from cleaning supplies, to Taco Bell hot sauce packets (random, but hey, it’s waste). They have a network of free recycling programs that are sponsored by a number of companies as well as a list of drop off locations.
