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How has the service been?

This service has been extremely enriching. It, for one, has been a very enjoyable experience, as I have learned a new skill (which I now consider a proficiency) and made new friends with peers along the way. Secondly, I think I successfully educated myself about the environment and sustainability and how to think sustainably when presented with a dilemma that could have a negative impact and a positive impact, no matter the size, I really think that boomerang bags helped me realize which path I want to take.

What have you done in/contributed to the service?

I think that I have been a valuable member of the boomerang bag community as I have completed numerous amount of bags as well as helped with intercommunication during brainstorms, whether being about the future of the service or just a simple group project. I have reached the goals I have set and maybe exceeded them. I still think that I could be more committed and prioritize this service above other commitments, this will ensure greater efficiency in the workplace as well as higher morale.

Why is the service important?

This service helps provide bags and storage for a number of communities, including urban gardening, the library, and the herb garden. Personally, this service is important as it aligns with my values and integrates the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainability into its agenda.

What will you improve in this service

I am not sure what I can do to further improve, but I am willing to give effort into improving the service holistically.

What may be some solutions?

I think just increasing the member count would speed up a lot of things in the service, including; the amount of product produced, the progress community-wise and impact it would have on the environment, and maybe even the outreach to other communities.

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I have been in the service for 2 seasons now and have helped sew more than 10 bags. It has been fun and we've seen some of our efforts already in action in the primary and high school libraries. I think everyone's sewing has gotten much better and that skill could prove to be useful in other aspects of our lives. I also learnt more about how we affect the local communities and businesses we work with and am more aware of what I can do to help with the plastic crisis.
We've also made more goals and reflected on our successes and failures for the next seasons of service to follow and refer to. The main strength we came up with was the many opportunities we have to expand in the future. The main weakness was that we didn't get as much done as we planned to and would've wanted to, because of lack of people showing up and problems with the sewing and sewing machines. Overall we still managed to get something done that overtime could collectively have a good and significant impact in several communities.

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I have enjoyed the service this year, i enjoy the sewing and relaxed environment. So far this year i have mainly just done sewing that finalises bags to be ready to give out. This service is important because its making environmentally friendly bags more convenient that plastic bags for others. Some issues we have are not enough workforce and mistakes are often made which slow down the production. What we can do is teach everyone what to do at the same time so everyone is on the same page and there isn't any missed information.

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For these past two seasons, I have really enjoyed participating in this service because it has allowed me to sew some bags with my friends and it was fun as we attempted to try to sew bags while making mistakes and learning from our mistakes. In the service this year I have been trying to help sew as many bags as possible as well as managed to help others with their bags whether it was just cleaning the bag up and removing some easy mistakes or just helping people fix the machine when they were having problems. I think that the service is important because it's essential for people to be able to have access to a supply of sustainable bags instead of always having to use plastic bags as well as having the ability to not only choose the portable and reusable bags but have an option to choose a bag that is made out of sustainable materials as well. I think that in the future of this service we should try to find ways to spread awareness of the service to people in the school, perhaps but informing the student council or the student voice so that they can incorporate our service into some of their weekly slides or even just presenting to the school how to use a sewing machine to make them interested and to inform them that our service is not all paperwork but practical work as well.

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- How has the service been?
- What have you done in/contributed to the service?
- Why is the service important?
- What will you improve in this service? What may be some solutions?

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I joined this service because I want to explore new interests, it is a unique option while also focusing on environmental initiatives. I want to get more involved in helping better the environment and love to do this in a unique was.

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I learnt how Boomerang Bags are trying to stop or cut down on single-use plastic, more specifically, plastic bags. I wanted to join this service because it looked like the most interesting among all the other services, I want to make a difference as much as I possibly can.

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I joined this service because it seemed like the most interesting one. So far i have learnt how the service originated and that at the moment it isnt a direct service.

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For my service this year I have decided to join boomerang bangs I choose this service because I felt like it would be an interesting service to choose compared to the other ones and I was curious to how the activity would work in school. After watching the video about boomerang bangs Im excited to see what we will do for these 2 seasons.

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start of s3 - i've learnt that the service is about reducing single use plastic bags by recycling waste materials to make reusable bags. i learnt the processes of bag making and got to know the people in my service.

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I learnt how boomerang bags are helping the environment a lot as they are reusing bags and trying to stop the use of so much plastic. We are an indirect service and we are making bags but not passing them out ourselves so it isn't direct.

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I learn't that a lot of plastic is wasted every year and that by using a boomerang bag we can prevent that by a lot. I also learnt that it is a in direct service because they haven't found ways to distribute the bags yet.

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In these 2 seasons, I've learned many new skills as well as developed past ones. Some of these skills include collaboration and communication. with my team members. Furthermore, I have developed my critical thinking when faced with challenges such as sewing. Lastly, I've become more self-aware about the action I can take to reduce my plastic consumption.

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Today is the end of the season and end of boomerang bags for this year. What I have learnt this year is probably the same thing I learnt last year. This year some strengths or skills that I have acquired are my sewing skills. I have become more confident using the equipment to make these sustainable bags. Another thing this service has taught me is my awareness to plastic consumption. Some weaknesses are still being unsure in certain parts of making the bag, but I am hoping in the future to consolidate my bag making!

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I perservered when I couldn't figure out how to use the sewing machines by finding another useful job to do; ironing. I managed to make myself useful and have learny new skills from my time at boomerang bags. I'm excited to actually learn how to sew today so that I could maybe continue sewing in my free time.

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For the past few weeks, I have been applying skills to make more bags but also to repair bags that had flaws in their making. Although we have been doing less research on conscious consumption, it was a nice way to wrap up this season. Through collaboration and communication we allocated tasks to work efficiently as a group. Towards the beginning, we were focused on learning skills and information and also organising ourselves but through the course of the service we have gotten better at sewing (and required skills), more educated on the topic, and have been able to contribute more.

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We believe the journey of boomerang bags has been great. We have really developed our thinking and self-awareness on plastic usage in Singapore and the rest of the world. Overall we felt pretty successful in learning to sew and make the bags. Our collaboration was good therefore we were productive in every session. People in the service also enjoy doing different parts of the process so we got to learn each skill and do what we wanted every week as long as we were productive. I appreciated the experience a lot!

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We believe that the service went pretty well. I have developed my collaboration and communication skills by talking to both the students and the leaders. I believe that I challenged myself throughout the course of the service. I have learned a lot about sewing and the environment. I got better at sewing and I feel more confident now.

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Throughout this year, I have enjoyed bring a part of this service because I felt that I actually did something useful unlike other services where it's mostly conversation based. I also liked how we got to learn new skills and use them every week. I also used collaboration in service because the jobs were split up between everyone and I was able to help people at my table.

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Overall I feel like I improved a lot on my sewing skills. I feel that I got confident in the process of making a bag and all of the steps involved. I enjoyed this service as it was more hands on than previous services i've been in before wich made me actually feel like I was doing something. I also gained more awareness about plastic over use and waste.

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https://portfolios.uwcsea.edu.sg/boomerangbags/

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Last week we focused on sewing the bags, as we had a…

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Today was the start of season two and we were sewing the handles. Daiki and I encountered some difficulties with the machines but we were able to fix it at points and sew some handles. At the end we were able to complete them so that they ready to be used for the bags. It was an enjoyable experience and I hope to do more of this and next time work on a different part of the process so I get to do a little bit of everything. For the next season I hope to specifically raise awareness about the service since I don't have any  ideas on how to expand the service in other ways. This would help us get more people to use less plastic and make a difference.

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We didn't really do anything in season one due to covid restrictions. We did, however, learn to cut fabric which I found to be interesting as it was completely new to me. The start of season two has been fun so far, I have managed to sew a whole bag, and am excited to learn how to sew bags quickly and efficiently without having to rethread each time.

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I think that throughout season 1 I have learned more about reducing plastic usage and I think that it was also fun to make the bags today. I think something that would help this service is fixing the sewing machines because it slowed a lot of people down and took up a lot of time.

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Overall I think that I have learnt stuff about helping reduce plastic, today I was not super efficient in sewing for the first time in this service but now that I have learnt the process and the steps I think that in the coming lessons I can be fast and get multiple bags done. so far I have enjoyed this service.

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I thought that it went well for season 1 because it was a slow start however I think I will need some practice with setting up the sewing machine because the thread kept jamming. I will probably give my bag to my mom and the rest of my family.

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- Track how much plastic you use regularly
- Bring your own reusable shopping bags/straws/coffee cups.
- Pick up trash in your neighborhood
- Recycle old plastics

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Skip to Content

End Plastic Pollution

Ready to help us in our global campaign to end plastic pollution? Learn more with our Plastic Pollution Primer and Action Toolkit, then follow the suggestions below.

Reduce

Reduce your own plastic waste. Start by using our plastic calculator to track how much you use - then you can take steps to reduce your use and waste.

Reuse

Bring your own reusable shopping and produce bags to markets, and avoid using single-use plastic bags.

Bring your own reusable coffee cup when going out to get beverages.

Like sipping through straws? Get a reusable stainless steel, glass, or bamboo one to use instead of wasteful plastic ones.

Instead of buying water in plastic bottles, invest in a water filter and reusable water bottle(s). Bonus: it's cheaper in the long run.

Make your own reusable cloth bags from old t-shirts, using basic sewing skills (or no sewing at all). ( Find simple instructions online).

Choose clothing and other personal items made from earth-friendly materials instead of microfibers and other synthetic fibers, which pollute our water. (Even more ways to green your style.)

Bring a reusable container to a restaurant with you when you expect to have leftovers.

Refuse

Refuse straws: It's as simple as adding, "No straw, please" when requesting beverages at restaurants or cafes.

Refuse beverage tops. (Are you really going to spill?)

Remove

Pick up trash in your neighborhood and when visiting parks and beaches.

Recycle

Recycle the plastics you use and no longer need.

Return single-use bags to grocery stores for them to recycle.

Rally

Does your city or state have bans on single-use plastics? Send a letter or call your local elected leaders, urging them to ban plastic bags and other single-use plastic items.

Share our Plastic Toolkit and Primer and plastic calculator with your friends.

Vote for candidates committed to protecting and improving our environment.

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What You Can Do to End Plastic Pollution - Earth Day

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Ready to help us in our global campaign to end plastic pollution? Learn more with our Plastic Pollution Primer and Action Toolkit, then follow the suggestions below. Reduce Reduce your own plastic waste. Start by using our plastic calculator to track how much you use - then you can take steps to reduce your use [...]

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Tips to reduce your plastic consumptions 

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Tips to reduce your plastic consumptions 

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This article talks about the day to day things that humans do that use a lot of plastic. Many of these are things that us as individuals can change. For example, reducing your need for straws or bringing an alternative to plastic, for example metal. It mentions other things such as saying no to cutlery and cling wrap, etc. -Isla

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Eight million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans every year, killing and harming marine life and pollution the ocean.

We're supporting Sky Ocean Rescue 's #PassOnPlastic campaign to tackle the plastic pollution crisis that's choking our seas - and you can help! Together, we can help to reduce plastic pollution by cutting out small, everyday plastic use. Here are ten tips to help reduce your plastic waste:
1. Fix your caffeine fix
Carry a reusable coffee cup or flask. Every year, around 2.5 billion coffee cups are discarded in the UK-that's seven million a day-contributing to the plastic pollution problem. Less than 1% of these can be recycled, meaning most spend up to50 years in landfill, after lasting just minutes in your hand. Lots of coffee outlets offer a discount when you use your own cup and there are many eco-friendly options out there.

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Eight million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans every year, killing and harming marine life and pollution the ocean. We're supporting Sky Ocean Rescue 's #PassOnPlastic campaign to tackle the plastic pollution crisis that's choking our seas - and you can help!

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Individuals can reduce their consumption of disposable products by adopting reusable items. They can also avoid purchasing products with excess or unnecessary plastics or plastics that cannot be recycled.

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People can bring their own water bottles instead of using plastic ones. You can also bring your own shopping bags when you go to the grocery store. Also, you can buy in bulk to reduce plastic packaging.

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Say no to disposable plastic cutlery and other single-use plastics. Bring reusable bags when shopping at supermarkets.  Just in general start using plastic things that are reusable

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- Remember to bring your own bags when you go shopping
- Buy in bulk and buy fewer packaged products
- Avoid using products with microplastics

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- Banning single use plastics (example - PM Justin Trudeau)
- More than 60 nations have taken steps to reduce single-use plastics by imposing bans or taxes

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This article was created in partnership with the National Geographic Society.

Canada aims to ban single-use plastics by 2021

June 10, 2019

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that in addition to banning single-use plastics, his government would take other, unspecified steps to reduce plastic pollution.

Trudeau did not specify the products to be banned, but said likely candidates include plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates and stir sticks "where supported by scientific evidence and warranted."

"You've all heard the stories and seen the photos," he said. "To be honest, as a dad it is tough trying to explain this to my kids. How do you explain dead whales washing up on beaches across the world, their stomachs jam packed with plastic bags?

"How do I tell them that against all odds, you will find plastic at the very deepest point in the Pacific Ocean?"

Canada, which has 151,019 miles of coastline-the world's longest-and a quarter of the world's fresh water, joins a growing list of nations taking steps to reduce the use of disposable plastics. More than 60 nations have taken steps to reduce single-use plastics by imposing bans or taxes, according to a United Nations report published last year. In March the European Union's parliament voted to ban the top 10 single-use plastic items found on European beaches by 2021. The EU measure also calls for 90 percent of plastic bottles to be recycled by 2025. Member states must work out the details of bans before the 2021 deadline.

India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, who was overwhelmingly reelected last month to a second five-year term, declared in 2018 that India would eliminate all single-use plastic by 2022, an ambitious plan for the world's second most populated country.

Trudeau made his announcement at the Gault Nature Reserve outside Montreal. He noted that Canada recycles less than 10 percent of its disposable plastics, and is on track to throw away $11 billion worth of disposable plastic by 2030 unless things change.

He said the federal government will work with provinces and territories to introduce standards and targets for plastics manufacturers and retailers so they become more responsible for their plastic waste. Trudeau said he also supports efforts by Canada's minister of environment to create a nationwide strategy for zero plastic waste.

"This will be a big step but we know we can do this for 2021," Trudeau said.

Peru restricts single-use plastic

Visitors will no longer be allowed to carry in single-use plastics into Peru's 76 natural and cultural protected areas, from Machu Picchu to Manu to Huascarán, or national museums. This ban is now going into affect and was announced as a Supreme Decree by Peru's Environment Minister, Fabiola Muñoz, and signed by President Martín Vizcarra, back in November.

The decree says the goal is replacing single-use plastics with "reusable, biodegradable plastic or others whose degradation does not generate contamination by micro-plastics or dangerous substances."

At world-famous Machu Picchu, tourists produce an average of 14 tons of solid waste per day, much of it plastic bottles and other single-use packaging.

In December, Peru's Congress had also passed a law to phase out single-use plastic bags across the country over the next three years. According to Peru's Environment Ministry, the country uses 947,000 tons of plastic each year, while 75 percent is thrown out and only 0.3 percent is recycled.

San Diego Bans Styrofoam Food and Drink Containers

San Diego has joined a growing number of cities to ban containers made of polystyrene, better known as Styrofoam-the Dow Chemical trademark name for extruded polystyrene. The ban includes food and drink containers, egg cartons, ice chest coolers, aquatic toys for swimming pools, and mooring buoys and navigation markers. The ocean-side city is the largest in California to ban polystyrene.

Polystyrene's popularity as a container stems from its low cost, strength, insulation, and feather-weight buoyancy. Those properties also made it a scourge of plastic waste because it easily breaks into tiny, often airborne particles that are difficult to clean up and is generally rejected by recycling centers as too much trouble to recyclable.

The San Diego City Council voted 6-to-3 on January 8 to approve the ban, despite objections from owners of small restaurants who complained that the costs of using environmentally degradable containers, such as cardboard or compostable paper, could be double. The council first approved the ban last October for a trial period. This week's vote made the ban permanent.

D.C. Plastic Straw Ban Begins

One New Year's resolution, to use less plastic, is no longer optional for restaurants and other service businesses in Washington, D.C., as of January 1. By July, businesses in the district will begin receiving fines if they continue to offer plastic straws.

A number of local businesses have already started switching to reusable, washable straws or disposable ones made from paper or hay.

The law follows Seattle's ban earlier in 2018 and aims to reduce the impact of plastic straws as litter. More than 4,000 of the disposed items were found in a recent cleanup of the Anacostia River in D.C. Straws are known to hurt wildlife and are difficult to recycle, often ending up as litter. They make up only a tiny fraction of the total marine plastic pollution problem, leading some critics to say they are a distraction, while others say they are an easy place to start.

(Learn about the travel industry's war on straws and where plastic straws came from in the first place.)

Plastic Fact Named Stat of the Year

This week, Great Britain's Royal Statistical Society announced its statistic of the year. It's 90.5%, the estimated amount of plastic waste ever made that has never been recycled. Estimated at 6,300 million metric tonnes, scientists calculated that around 12 percent of all plastic waste has been incinerated, while roughly 79 percent has found its way into landfills or become litter.

That fact comes from a study published in Science Advances, "Production, Use, and Fate of all plastics ever made," by scientists Roland Geyer, Jenna Jambeck (a National Geographic Society fellow on plastic pollution) and Kara Lavender Law.

"We all knew there was a rapid and extreme increase in plastic production from 1950 until now, but actually quantifying the cumulative number for all plastic ever made was quite shocking," Jambeck, a University of Georgia environmental engineer who specializes in studying plastic waste in the oceans, previously told National Geographic.

"I am grateful to the Royal Statistical Society for the acknowledgement of the impact of this statistic, and while sobering, I am glad that it helps to spread awareness about the plastic waste management issues I see on the ground around the globe," Jambeck said in December.

"It's very concerning that such a large proportion of plastic waste has never been recycled," Royal Statistical Society President Sir David Spiegelhalter said in a statement announcing the winning fact. "This statistic helps to show the scale of the challenge we all face."

"Single-Use" Named Word of the Year

Collins Dictionary named "single-use" their word of the year in 2018, citing a four-fold increase in usage since 2013. The term means "made to be used once only" and refers to "items whose unchecked proliferation are blamed for damaging the environment and affecting the food chain," according to a press release from the dictionary's publisher.

Single-use is most often associated with the plastic pollution crisis. Some 40 percent of all plastic produced is used for packaging, much of it used only once and thrown away.

Many efforts to curb the plastic litter crisis are taking aim at single-use plastics, with the goal of encouraging more durable, reusable items.

Aquariums band together for "No Straw November"

November is the month of not shaving facial hair, and now thanks to a new conservation campaign, the month of not using straws.

Branded as "No Straw November," the campaign is a push to eliminate single-use plastic. The effort is led by the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP), comprising 22 aquariums in 17 different states. They're pushing 500 businesses to commit to only serving plastic straws upon request. Already, the ACP has worked with large businesses like United Airlines, the Chicago White Sox, and Dignity Health hospitals.

They hope to commit the additional 500 by Earth Day, April 20, 2019.

The No Straw November campaign is also lobbying cities and regional governments to pass ordinances that encourage businesses to use fewer straws. Individuals are also being asked to sign an online pledge to limit their own personal single-use plastic. The efforts are part of what ACP is labeling a joint "#FirstStep" to plastic-free waterways.

Images of marine animals wrapped in plastic or caught with items like straws in their noses have been widely shared, raising awareness of the public. Aquariums have been leaders in phasing out plastic items at their own facilities.

In an interview discussing plastic straws with National Geographic earlier this year, David Rhodes, the global business director for paper straw manufacturer Aardvark Straws, said some of Aardvark's earliest clients were zoos, aquariums, and cruise ships looking to promote an eco-friendly image to their customers.

The ACP says their efforts to reduce dependence on plastic have already eliminated the need for five million straws over the past year.

Earlier this week, the ACP, partnering with the U.N. and European Commission, announced plans to create a global coalition of 200 aquariums that will campaign against plastic.

250 groups launch massive global plastic partnership

Two hundred and fifty organizations responsible for 20 percent of the plastic packaging produced around the world have committed to reducing waste and pollution.

The initiative is called the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, and it includes a diverse group of members including the city of Austin, clothing company H&M, Unilever, PespsiCo, L'Oreal, Nestle, and Coca-Cola.

The Global Commitment touts a number of high-profile partnerships. It's a collaboration with the United Nations and is being led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Other partners include the World Wide Fund for Nature, the World Economic Forum, the Consumer Goods Forum, and 40 academic institutions.

Ultimately, it's working to promote a circular economy for plastic, a concept that entails reusing or repurposing plastic instead of letting it sit in a landfill. The shift would require building or improving collection and processing facilities, and five venture capital firms have pledged $200 million toward the initiative.

Recycling used items into new products is one of the three targets set by the commitment. Corporations joining the commitment must also phase out single-use plastic packaging and ensure it can either be reused, recycled, or composted by 2025.

"While elements of the EMF Global Commitment are moving in the right direction, the problem is that companies are given the flexibility to continue prioritizing recycling over reduction and reuse," said Ahmad Ashov from Greenpeace Indonesia in a press release. "Corporations are not required to set actual targets to reduce the total amount of single-use plastics they are churning out."

Every 18 months, the targets will be reviewed, and participating businesses must publish data on their progress each year.

Governments that join the commitment are pledging to create policies that help support a circular economy.

EU Parliament approves single-use plastic ban

The European Parliament voted 571-53 this week to approve a measure to slash single-use plastic across the continent. The bill still needs to pass additional procedural measures before it can go into effect, but observers say its chances look good and could begin enforcement as early as 2021.

Citing a need to protect the ocean from a deluge of plastic pollution, the bill calls for a European ban on plastic cutlery and plates, cotton buds, straws, drink-stirrers, and balloon sticks, as well as reductions in other types of single-use plastics like food and beverage containers.

The bill was first proposed in May (see below). Great Britain has a similar effort underway (also see below).

The list of plastic items targeted was carefully selected to include items that already have ready alternatives, supporters say. Items with less available alternatives, such as cigarette filters, are being targeted for a more gradual reduction.

Belgian MEP Frédérique Ries, who proposed the bill, called it "a victory for our oceans, for the environment and for future generations," according to the BBC.

Consumer companies invest in waste collection

To keep plastic pollution from entering waterways, manufacturers either have to stop making it or make sure it's collected at the end of its life. But in some developing nations, that waste collection infrastructure is insufficient or nonexistent.

Circulate Capital, a New York City-based investment firm started in 2018, says they have raised $90 million to invest in this issue in Southeast Asia, a move endorsed by conservation group the Ocean Conservancy. CEO of Circulate Capital Rob Kaplan says this investment will go toward improving plastic waste collection on the ground and creating markets for collected material.

PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Procter and Gamble, Danone, Unilever, and Dow are committed to funding the $90 million investment, and Circulate Capital says a deal will be inked by early 2019. The firm says they are also working on ways for medium and small companies to invest.

"While we are working hard to ensure our packaging is designed to be circular, the reality is that it cannot be reused, recycled or composted without effective waste management systems in place," said Danone's Katharina Stenholm in a press release. She was referring to the concept of a circular economy, in which any waste materials in an industry, such as packaging, are reincorporated into new products.

The majority of the world's ocean plastic comes from 10 rivers, eight of which are in Asia, and Circulate Capital is working with scientific advisors, including National Geographic explorer Jenna Jambeck, to pinpoint where their investments can be the most effective.

Plastic bottles, for example, can be collected by small local companies and sold to manufacturers to make new products. Though discarded plastic is often of lower quality, some projects already underway have proved the model can function, and Circulate Capital hopes its investment can lead to new innovations. ( Read about an effort to recycle stranded fishing nets into carpet.)

"There's no silver bullet to stop plastic pollution," says Kaplan. "We're not going to be able to recycle our way out of the problem, and we're not going to be able to reduce our way out of the problem."

But, he hopes Circulate Capital's investments can serve as one piece of the puzzle. He estimates more than a billion dollars would be needed to really build out more efficient waste infrastructure in Southeast Asia. Circulate Capital hopes to bump their commitments to at least $100 million over the next few year as a move in that direction.

Redirecting plastic streams away from the sea

Major companies have been taking steps to eliminate the amount of plastic waste they produce, but what about plastic already in rivers or on beaches that could easily enter the ocean?

That's where NextWave, a coalition founded by companies including Dell and an environmental group called the Lonely Whale, comes in. By employing people living in coastal regions, the group collects discarded plastic within 30 miles of waterways to prevent it from making its way to the sea. So far, NextWave has focused on two types of plastic commonly found in marine environments: Nylon 6 and polypropylene.

This reclaimed plastic is then shipped to manufacturers who reuse it in lieu of producing new plastic. Plastic collection sites are chosen based on where cleanup could have the biggest impact and where the plastic could more easily be taken to an existing recycling facility. These location decisions are informed by science from chemists Jason Lochlin and Jenna Jambeck, a National Geographic explorer.

Today, computer company HP announced it would be joining the NextWave coalition. Since 2016, HP has been working with locals in Haiti to collect a total of 550,000 pounds of plastic that the company has since used to create ink cartridges. According to a press release, HP partnered with a non-profit called the First Mile Coalition, aimed at improving Haitian labor conditions, to create up to 600 jobs collecting plastic bottles.

Along with HP, Ikea has announced that it, too, will partner with NextWave. In addition, the furniture company has committed to phasing out single-use plastics from its stores by 2020, and to designing more sustainably sourced products, including more items made with recycled plastics, by 2030.

Ten companies are now members of NextWave, and they plan to source reclaimed plastics from Indonesia, Chile, the Philippines, Cameroon, and Denmark. NextWave does not yet have numbers for how much plastic they could potentially keep out of the oceans in total, but their website highlights that their partnership with Dell alone kept a total of 3 million pounds of plastic from entering the ocean over the past five years.
Correction: This story has been updated to note that HP worked with the First Mile Coalition in Haiti and to clarify the types of plastic NextWave works with.

American Airlines cuts plastic from lounges

After announcing this summer that they would ban plastic straws and stirrers on their flights (see below), American Airlines now says they will phase out single-use plastic in their lounges.

The airline has lounges in the U.S. and around the world. A representative from the company says the lounges won't serve drinks with straws, and plastic won't be used for flatware. Plastic water bottles will no longer be served, and reusable bags will be given to customers taking food to-go.

Changes to the airlines' lounges are currently going into effect, and onboard straws will be eliminated by November 1. Straws will be available for those who request one, and drink stirrers will be replaced by bamboo sticks.

Cumulatively, the company says their changes will eliminate 71,000 pounds of plastic waste annually.

Foodservice companies phase out single-use plastic

Some 13,000 schools, workplaces, and venues will be plastic bag and stirrer free by 2019, thanks to a new sustainability push by foodservice company Sodexo.

The company provides cafeteria-style meals and concessions to many such clients. Among them is National Geographic's Washington, D.C. headquarters, where compostable utensils and plant-based menus are offered.

Sodexo follows in the footsteps of other foodservice giants, Aramark and Bon Appétit Management, which announced similar sustainability measures this past summer (see below).

In addition to bags and stirrers, Sodexo plans to phase out polystyrene foam (colloquially called Styrofoam) containers by 2025. Plastic straws, a controversial item, will now only be available by request, which the company hopes will cut down on customer usage.

The move, says a representative from the company, will eliminate 245 million single use items that would have otherwise been used at its locations.

The decision is being applauded by environmental groups like Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, who say that reducing consumption is a key step toward preventing plastic from entering landfills and marine environments. These non-profit groups are increasingly imploring food servers to cut back on the single-use plastic items they buy and sell to customers.

"As a company serving consumers in universities, workplaces, hospitals, schools, stadiums, and so many other venues, we understand both the potential impact we can make through a commitment to reduction and the real benefit that some of these products bring to people every day," Sodexo's vice president for corporate responsibility, Ted Monk, said in a press release.

President Trump Signs Bill to Clean Up Ocean Plastics

President Trump called out other nations, including China and Japan, for "making our oceans into their landfills" when he signed legislation last week to improve efforts to clean up plastic trash from the world's oceans.

"As president, I will continue to do everything I can to stop other nations from making our oceans into their landfills," Trump said at a White House signing ceremony. "That's why I'm please-very pleased, I must say-to put my signature on this important legislation."

The law, passed with bipartisan support, amends the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Debris Act and funds the program through 2022. The law fosters efforts to clean up plastic trash from the world's oceans and encourages federal trade negotiators to prod "leaders of nations responsible for the majority of marine debris" to improve management of waste that ends up in the oceans.

Trump agreed with Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, one of the bill's co-sponsors, that trade talks with the Philippines should include plastic waste. "We're okay with that," he said. "I understand. A lot comes from there."

Trump also blamed other unnamed countries that "abuse the oceans" and whose trash floats to the West Coast of the United States," creating, he said, "a very unfair situation."

"It's incredible. It's incredible when you look at it," Trump said. "People don't realize it, but all the time we're being inundated by debris from other countries."

Comparatively, the beaches of the United States are among the world's cleanest. Kamilo Beach in Hawaii, which faces the Pacific gyre, where ocean trash collects, is the exception. But most of the world's plastic trash collects in coastal regions and on beaches in developing nations that lack adequate municipal waste collection systems.

Japan has had for years one of the world's highest recycling rates and earlier this year, China stopped buying the world's trash. The United States was one of the top sellers of recycled plastic to China.

The president's full remarks are here, and the text of the Save Our Seas Act is here.

Red Lobster Phasing Out Plastic Straws

The world's largest seafood restaurant company, Red Lobster, announced Monday that it will begin only offering plastic straws upon customer request starting this November in its 700 restaurants. By 2020, the company plans to only offer a more eco-friendly alternative to plastic straws.

The company says the shift should eliminate more than 150 million plastic straws per year, with the goal of reducing the marine plastic pollution problem.

"We are proud to be the first large casual dining restaurant company to make a commitment to eliminate plastic straws from our restaurants," Kim Lopdrup, CEO of Red Lobster, said in a statement. "This is a meaningful step in our long-standing commitment to protect and preserve the world's oceans and marine life. We hope our work helps raise awareness around the issue of plastic straws and encourages other businesses to make similar changes."

Red Lobster says it is looking into alternatives to plastic straws that will still meet the needs of customers with disabilities. (Learn more about plastic straw bans and how the travel industry is cutting back on plastic straws.)

California Approves Bill to Limit Straw Use in Restaurants

California has become the first state to implement a partial ban on plastic straws. Dine-in restaurants will no longer be allowed to automatically provide customers with straws. Instead, customers who need plastic straws will have to request them.

Restaurants that violate the ban will receive warnings first, and repeat offenders will be fined at a maximum of $300.

"Plastic has helped advance innovation in our society, but our infatuation with single-use convenience has led to disastrous consequences. Plastics, in all forms-straws, bottles, packaging, bags, etc.-are choking the planet," California's governor Jerry Brown said in a statement.

The new ban comes on the heels of previous plastic straw bans from companies and cities. Earlier this year, Seattle become the first large municipality to ban plastic straws in restaurants. Large corporations like United Airlines and Disney have also announced this year that they intend to phase plastic straws out of their offerings to customers. Many of these businesses and cities have said they will retain a stock of plastic straws available to customers upon request.

While some environmentalists applaud the move to reduce single-use plastic-plastic that's used once and then thrown away-bans on plastic straws have been met with some controversy.

Republican lawmakers in California opposed the ban, saying it would burden small business and do little to fight the larger plastic pollution crisis. Plastic straws make up less than one percent of the plastic found at sea.

Disability advocates also say straw bans place an unfair burden on people who have conditions that don't allow them to easily drink without straws. Some alternatives like paper fall apart and metal harm the inside of a person's mouth, they say.

Although California isn't the only region moving to limit single use plastic, the state has often tried to lead the nation in environmental legislation, particularly after what Gov. Brown says is a vacuum left by the Trump administration's decision to leave the U.N. Paris Climate Agreement.
Read the brief history of how plastic straws took over the world.

Giant Trash Collector Heads to Pacific Garbage Patch

The campaign to rid the world's oceans of plastic trash marks a turning point on Saturday as a giant, floating trash collector steams out of San Francisco on a mission to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Over the course of the next year, the device will undergo the ultimate tests and face some tough questions: Can technology prevail over nature? Did the engineers at The Ocean Cleanup in the Netherlands invent the first feasible method for extracting large amounts of plastic debris from the sea? Or will the wilds of the open Pacific tear it to shreds, turning the cleaner itself into plastic trash? Alternately, even if a Pacific storm does not devour the device, will it attract marine animals such as dolphins and turtles and fatally entangle them?

"I don't think it's going to work, but I hope it does," says George Leonard, the Ocean Conservancy's chief scientist. "The ocean needs all the help it can get."

United Airlines Bans Plastic Straws from Flights

United Airlines today joined others in the travel industry by banning plastic straws and cocktail picks on their flights.

The airline will instead use a biodegradable bamboo alternative, starting in November.

Alaska and American airlines moved to ban plastic straws earlier this year, and some cities, like Seattle, have outlawed their use entirely.

As one of the reasons for switching to a more sustainable form of straw, United cited this alarming fact: "Because straws don't biodegrade and are nearly impossible to recycle, it's likely that every straw ever used still exists on our planet."

"It's a small, but meaningful step to help minimize the impact plastic products have on our environment," the company said in a press release.

Carlsberg Beer Dumps Plastic Can Rings

Danish brewer Carlsberg will become the first beer producer to ditch those evil plastic multipack rings that hold beer and other cans together for holders made of recyclable glue, according to a company press release.

Carlsberg also says it will cut the amount of plastic used in its traditional can holders by 76 percent.

Here's how the glue-packs work: A drop of super-strong, temperature-tolerant glue is stuck on the side of a can, connecting it to the can next to it. If you want a beer, snap off a can. The glue will be recycled along with the can when it's recycled.

Carlsberg described the move as a "world first for the beer industry."

Disney Announces Ban on Plastic Straws

The Walt Disney Company announced a ban on single-use plastic straws and stirrers at nearly all its theme parks and resorts. The policy, which is set to be in place by mid-2019, will cut down on the upwards of 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers that are used at these locations each year.

Paper straws will be available upon request and, for guests with disabilities, the company is developing alternative options for traditional plastic straws. Disney will also eliminate polystyrene cups at its parks and cut down its reliance on single-use plastic bags. Instead of disposable bags, guests will have the option to buy reusable shopping bags.

Additionally, the company will reduce the amount of plastic in guest rooms by 80 percent. Over the next few years, Disney will transition to refillable amenities in hotels and on cruise ships. When single-use plastics cannot be reduced, Disney will continue to recycle and properly dispose of waste, the company says.

Disney has other conservation measures in place. In Orlando at Disney's Animal Kingdom, plastic straws and cup lids have been banned since the park opened in 1998.

Other theme parks, including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Sesame Place, have announced initiatives to phase out straws and other single-use plastics. Earlier this month, Seattle banned plastic straws, and San Francisco is working to ban straws and other plastic items starting July 1, 2019.
In July 2018, Disney was approved to purchase 21st Century Fox, the parent company of National Geographic.

National Geographic Travel Partner Bans Single-Use Plastics

On July 25, Lindblad Expeditions, an adventure cruise company that has teamed up with National Geographic Expeditions, announced it had become 100 percent free of single-use plastics. Now, disposable plastic bottles, cups, straws, and stirrers are entirely banned from the fleet's 13 ships.

"The ocean is under major assault on so many fronts, and its protection is both a business mission and a personal passion," Lindblad Expeditions CEO Sven Lindblad says in a press release. "The health of our planet is dependent on our oceans, and it is essential that we change our behavior with regard to plastics."

Lindblad is known for its trips all over the world, particularly to places like Alaska and the Galápagos Islands. The company began working toward this plastic-free goal in 2007 when it banned single-use water bottles from its ships. Instead, it gave guests stainless steel bottles that could be refilled at filtered water stations on the ships. According to a study by the Adventure Travel Trade Association and the nonprofit Travelers Against Plastic, the average adventure travel operator uses nearly 30,000 single-use plastic bottles each year.

About 80 percent of tourism takes place near coastal areas, putting our oceans at a higher risk of plastic pollution. When packing for air travel, consider using three-ounce reusable containers for your toiletries and load them into a durable transparent washbag instead of a plastic bag. On flights, bring your own earphones and turn down "comfort bag" items wrapped in plastic. Bring your reusable water bottle with you and fill it up when you can.

For more tips, read how one of our writers attempted to explore Belize plastic-free.

Big Companies Take Aim at Plastic Straws

Retail, restaurant, and consumer-facing companies could potentially make a big impact in the fight to reduce plastic straw use. They drive much of the demand for straws from plastic manufacturers.

But these businesses are increasingly responding to consumer pressure.

Starbucks is among the most recent companies to announce they'll ditch plastic straws-in this case by the end of 2020. Instead of getting sucked up through a straw, their cold drinks will be served in containers with special plastic lids. Those lids are less likely to get stuck up a turtle's nose and should prove more recyclable than straws, but the company has still received some pushback because the lids are still made of plastic.

McDonald's is also planning to phase out plastic straws at their UK and Ireland locations, coinciding with UK and EU proposals to cut down single-use plastic.

Among the other companies that have moved to reduce how much they use plastic: Bacardi Rum plans to cut their straw usage over the next two years by a billion, food service management giants Bon Appétit Management and Aramark plan to reduce their single-use plastics by 2019 and 2022, respectively, Alaska Airlines will begin phasing out plastic straws this summer, and American Airlines will begin phasing out plastic straws this summer.

It remains to be seen if companies follow through on their goals, and it's clear that banning plastic straws is not going to solve the whole pollution problem. Supporters say reducing our use of straws is an easy first step, while detractors say it could distract from more important issues. In either case, taking aim at plastic straws has become rather fashionable this summer.

Chile's Ban on Retail Plastic Bags Stands

Chile's Constitutional Court ratified a bill that bans retail use of plastic bags across the country on July 6, ruling against an appeal that had been filed by the plastics industry. In June, Chile's Congress had unanimously approved the new ban, citing concerns of plastic pollution in the ocean and on land.

The country's Association of Industrial Plastics had sued to block the new law on constitutional grounds. But the court rejected their arguments.

Large retailers will have six months to phase out single-use plastic bags, while small businesses will have up to two years. The ban builds on a law passed under the previous president that had called for a prohibition on plastic bags along the country's 4,000-mile coastline.

In announcing the new ban, Marcela Cubillos, Chile's environment minister, told the New York Times, "We are convinced that our coast imposes an obligation to be leaders in cleaning up our oceans."

Chile's ban is the first country-wide one in the Americas. Similar bans have been passed in China, Kenya, France, and elsewhere. Many regional and local areas have bans or other restrictions, including taxes or fees aimed at discouraging the use of single-use plastic bags.

Seattle Becomes First U.S. City to Ban Plastic Straws and Utensils

In an attempt to reduce the amount of plastic waste polluting the land and water, Seattle banned the use of plastic straws and utensils in bars and restaurants starting July 1.

The roughly 5,000 eateries in the city are being encouraged to eschew providing straws or disposable utensils, or at least to switch to paper alternatives. A less green but still legal option, according to the city, is compostable plastic straws or utensils.

"Plastic pollution is surpassing crisis levels in the world's oceans, and I'm proud Seattle is leading the way and setting an example for the nation by enacting a plastic straw ban," Seattle Public Utilities General Manager Mami Hara said in a statement.

A similar ban that was proposed for Hawaii was defeated by opposition from industry. Other proposed bans are being debated in San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C., among other places.

Some advocates for the disabled have warned that straw bans need to take into account special needs. ( Learn more about the history of plastic straws and other efforts to remove them.)

<p>A whale shark swims beside a plastic bag in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen. Although <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/facts/whale-shark">whale sharks</a> are the biggest fish in the sea, they're still threatened by ingesting small bits of plastic.</p>

EU, UK, and India Propose Plastic Bans

In draft rules released May 28, the European Commission proposed a ban on 10 common items that it says make up about 70 percent of the litter in EU waters. This includes plastic straws, drink stirrers, plates, and more.

The rules would still need approval from member states and the European Parliament to move forward. They would likely not go into effect for several years.

The proposed law would also mandate that EU countries collect and recycle 90 percent of plastic bottles by 2025. Plastic producers would be on the hook for most of the expense of waste management and cleanup efforts.

In April, British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her intent to establish a ban in her country on sales of single-use plastics, including straws and cotton swab handles.

Calling plastic waste "one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world," May said she would work with industry to develop alternatives. An estimated 8.5 billion plastic straws are tossed out in the U.K. every year.

On June 5, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his intent to eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022. With a fast-growing economy and population of 1.3 billion, India struggles to manage its vast waste stream, and is a significant contributor to global ocean plastic.

"Let us all join together to beat plastic pollution and make this planet a better place to live," Modi said.

Experts caution that Modi's goal is far from being realized, and would likely take significant changes and investment from industry and the public. Already, industry lobbyists have taken aim at the efforts. The state of Maharashtra, home to megacity Mumbai, eased a ban on single-use plastic just a week after it unveiled the plan this summer. The state is working on a number of exemptions, for plastic of a certain thickness, products of a certain size, medical equipment, and other uses.

National Geographic is committed to reducing plastics pollution. Learn more about our non-profit activities at natgeo.org/plastics. This story is part of Planet or Plastic?-our multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic waste crisis. Learn what you can do to reduce your own single-use plastics, and take your pledge.

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A running list of action on plastic pollution

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This article was created in partnership with the National Geographic Society.

Canada aims to ban single-use plastics by 2021

June 10, 2019

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that in addition to banning single-use plastics, his government would take other, unspecified steps to reduce plastic pollution.

Trudeau did not specify the products to be banned, but said likely candidates include plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates and stir sticks "where supported by scientific evidence and warranted."

"You've all heard the stories and seen the photos," he said. "To be honest, as a dad it is tough trying to explain this to my kids. How do you explain dead whales washing up on beaches across the world, their stomachs jam packed with plastic bags?

"How do I tell them that against all odds, you will find plastic at the very deepest point in the Pacific Ocean?"

Canada, which has 151,019 miles of coastline-the world's longest-and a quarter of the world's fresh water, joins a growing list of nations taking steps to reduce the use of disposable plastics. More than 60 nations have taken steps to reduce single-use plastics by imposing bans or taxes, according to a United Nations report published last year. In March the European Union's parliament voted to ban the top 10 single-use plastic items found on European beaches by 2021. The EU measure also calls for 90 percent of plastic bottles to be recycled by 2025. Member states must work out the details of bans before the 2021 deadline.

India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, who was overwhelmingly reelected last month to a second five-year term, declared in 2018 that India would eliminate all single-use plastic by 2022, an ambitious plan for the world's second most populated country.

Trudeau made his announcement at the Gault Nature Reserve outside Montreal. He noted that Canada recycles less than 10 percent of its disposable plastics, and is on track to throw away $11 billion worth of disposable plastic by 2030 unless things change.

He said the federal government will work with provinces and territories to introduce standards and targets for plastics manufacturers and retailers so they become more responsible for their plastic waste. Trudeau said he also supports efforts by Canada's minister of environment to create a nationwide strategy for zero plastic waste.

"This will be a big step but we know we can do this for 2021," Trudeau said.

Peru restricts single-use plastic

Visitors will no longer be allowed to carry in single-use plastics into Peru's 76 natural and cultural protected areas, from Machu Picchu to Manu to Huascarán, or national museums. This ban is now going into affect and was announced as a Supreme Decree by Peru's Environment Minister, Fabiola Muñoz, and signed by President Martín Vizcarra, back in November.

The decree says the goal is replacing single-use plastics with "reusable, biodegradable plastic or others whose degradation does not generate contamination by micro-plastics or dangerous substances."

At world-famous Machu Picchu, tourists produce an average of 14 tons of solid waste per day, much of it plastic bottles and other single-use packaging.

In December, Peru's Congress had also passed a law to phase out single-use plastic bags across the country over the next three years. According to Peru's Environment Ministry, the country uses 947,000 tons of plastic each year, while 75 percent is thrown out and only 0.3 percent is recycled.

San Diego Bans Styrofoam Food and Drink Containers

San Diego has joined a growing number of cities to ban containers made of polystyrene, better known as Styrofoam-the Dow Chemical trademark name for extruded polystyrene. The ban includes food and drink containers, egg cartons, ice chest coolers, aquatic toys for swimming pools, and mooring buoys and navigation markers. The ocean-side city is the largest in California to ban polystyrene.

Polystyrene's popularity as a container stems from its low cost, strength, insulation, and feather-weight buoyancy. Those properties also made it a scourge of plastic waste because it easily breaks into tiny, often airborne particles that are difficult to clean up and is generally rejected by recycling centers as too much trouble to recyclable.

The San Diego City Council voted 6-to-3 on January 8 to approve the ban, despite objections from owners of small restaurants who complained that the costs of using environmentally degradable containers, such as cardboard or compostable paper, could be double. The council first approved the ban last October for a trial period. This week's vote made the ban permanent.

D.C. Plastic Straw Ban Begins

One New Year's resolution, to use less plastic, is no longer optional for restaurants and other service businesses in Washington, D.C., as of January 1. By July, businesses in the district will begin receiving fines if they continue to offer plastic straws.

A number of local businesses have already started switching to reusable, washable straws or disposable ones made from paper or hay.

The law follows Seattle's ban earlier in 2018 and aims to reduce the impact of plastic straws as litter. More than 4,000 of the disposed items were found in a recent cleanup of the Anacostia River in D.C. Straws are known to hurt wildlife and are difficult to recycle, often ending up as litter. They make up only a tiny fraction of the total marine plastic pollution problem, leading some critics to say they are a distraction, while others say they are an easy place to start.

(Learn about the travel industry's war on straws and where plastic straws came from in the first place.)

Plastic Fact Named Stat of the Year

This week, Great Britain's Royal Statistical Society announced its statistic of the year. It's 90.5%, the estimated amount of plastic waste ever made that has never been recycled. Estimated at 6,300 million metric tonnes, scientists calculated that around 12 percent of all plastic waste has been incinerated, while roughly 79 percent has found its way into landfills or become litter.

That fact comes from a study published in Science Advances, "Production, Use, and Fate of all plastics ever made," by scientists Roland Geyer, Jenna Jambeck (a National Geographic Society fellow on plastic pollution) and Kara Lavender Law.

"We all knew there was a rapid and extreme increase in plastic production from 1950 until now, but actually quantifying the cumulative number for all plastic ever made was quite shocking," Jambeck, a University of Georgia environmental engineer who specializes in studying plastic waste in the oceans, previously told National Geographic.

"I am grateful to the Royal Statistical Society for the acknowledgement of the impact of this statistic, and while sobering, I am glad that it helps to spread awareness about the plastic waste management issues I see on the ground around the globe," Jambeck said in December.

"It's very concerning that such a large proportion of plastic waste has never been recycled," Royal Statistical Society President Sir David Spiegelhalter said in a statement announcing the winning fact. "This statistic helps to show the scale of the challenge we all face."

"Single-Use" Named Word of the Year

Collins Dictionary named "single-use" their word of the year in 2018, citing a four-fold increase in usage since 2013. The term means "made to be used once only" and refers to "items whose unchecked proliferation are blamed for damaging the environment and affecting the food chain," according to a press release from the dictionary's publisher.

Single-use is most often associated with the plastic pollution crisis. Some 40 percent of all plastic produced is used for packaging, much of it used only once and thrown away.

Many efforts to curb the plastic litter crisis are taking aim at single-use plastics, with the goal of encouraging more durable, reusable items.

Aquariums band together for "No Straw November"

November is the month of not shaving facial hair, and now thanks to a new conservation campaign, the month of not using straws.

Branded as "No Straw November," the campaign is a push to eliminate single-use plastic. The effort is led by the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP), comprising 22 aquariums in 17 different states. They're pushing 500 businesses to commit to only serving plastic straws upon request. Already, the ACP has worked with large businesses like United Airlines, the Chicago White Sox, and Dignity Health hospitals.

They hope to commit the additional 500 by Earth Day, April 20, 2019.

The No Straw November campaign is also lobbying cities and regional governments to pass ordinances that encourage businesses to use fewer straws. Individuals are also being asked to sign an online pledge to limit their own personal single-use plastic. The efforts are part of what ACP is labeling a joint "#FirstStep" to plastic-free waterways.

Images of marine animals wrapped in plastic or caught with items like straws in their noses have been widely shared, raising awareness of the public. Aquariums have been leaders in phasing out plastic items at their own facilities.

In an interview discussing plastic straws with National Geographic earlier this year, David Rhodes, the global business director for paper straw manufacturer Aardvark Straws, said some of Aardvark's earliest clients were zoos, aquariums, and cruise ships looking to promote an eco-friendly image to their customers.

The ACP says their efforts to reduce dependence on plastic have already eliminated the need for five million straws over the past year.

Earlier this week, the ACP, partnering with the U.N. and European Commission, announced plans to create a global coalition of 200 aquariums that will campaign against plastic.

250 groups launch massive global plastic partnership

Two hundred and fifty organizations responsible for 20 percent of the plastic packaging produced around the world have committed to reducing waste and pollution.

The initiative is called the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, and it includes a diverse group of members including the city of Austin, clothing company H&M, Unilever, PespsiCo, L'Oreal, Nestle, and Coca-Cola.

The Global Commitment touts a number of high-profile partnerships. It's a collaboration with the United Nations and is being led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Other partners include the World Wide Fund for Nature, the World Economic Forum, the Consumer Goods Forum, and 40 academic institutions.

Ultimately, it's working to promote a circular economy for plastic, a concept that entails reusing or repurposing plastic instead of letting it sit in a landfill. The shift would require building or improving collection and processing facilities, and five venture capital firms have pledged $200 million toward the initiative.

Recycling used items into new products is one of the three targets set by the commitment. Corporations joining the commitment must also phase out single-use plastic packaging and ensure it can either be reused, recycled, or composted by 2025.

"While elements of the EMF Global Commitment are moving in the right direction, the problem is that companies are given the flexibility to continue prioritizing recycling over reduction and reuse," said Ahmad Ashov from Greenpeace Indonesia in a press release. "Corporations are not required to set actual targets to reduce the total amount of single-use plastics they are churning out."

Every 18 months, the targets will be reviewed, and participating businesses must publish data on their progress each year.

Governments that join the commitment are pledging to create policies that help support a circular economy.

EU Parliament approves single-use plastic ban

The European Parliament voted 571-53 this week to approve a measure to slash single-use plastic across the continent. The bill still needs to pass additional procedural measures before it can go into effect, but observers say its chances look good and could begin enforcement as early as 2021.

Citing a need to protect the ocean from a deluge of plastic pollution, the bill calls for a European ban on plastic cutlery and plates, cotton buds, straws, drink-stirrers, and balloon sticks, as well as reductions in other types of single-use plastics like food and beverage containers.

The bill was first proposed in May (see below). Great Britain has a similar effort underway (also see below).

The list of plastic items targeted was carefully selected to include items that already have ready alternatives, supporters say. Items with less available alternatives, such as cigarette filters, are being targeted for a more gradual reduction.

Belgian MEP Frédérique Ries, who proposed the bill, called it "a victory for our oceans, for the environment and for future generations," according to the BBC.

Consumer companies invest in waste collection

To keep plastic pollution from entering waterways, manufacturers either have to stop making it or make sure it's collected at the end of its life. But in some developing nations, that waste collection infrastructure is insufficient or nonexistent.

Circulate Capital, a New York City-based investment firm started in 2018, says they have raised $90 million to invest in this issue in Southeast Asia, a move endorsed by conservation group the Ocean Conservancy. CEO of Circulate Capital Rob Kaplan says this investment will go toward improving plastic waste collection on the ground and creating markets for collected material.

PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Procter and Gamble, Danone, Unilever, and Dow are committed to funding the $90 million investment, and Circulate Capital says a deal will be inked by early 2019. The firm says they are also working on ways for medium and small companies to invest.

"While we are working hard to ensure our packaging is designed to be circular, the reality is that it cannot be reused, recycled or composted without effective waste management systems in place," said Danone's Katharina Stenholm in a press release. She was referring to the concept of a circular economy, in which any waste materials in an industry, such as packaging, are reincorporated into new products.

The majority of the world's ocean plastic comes from 10 rivers, eight of which are in Asia, and Circulate Capital is working with scientific advisors, including National Geographic explorer Jenna Jambeck, to pinpoint where their investments can be the most effective.

Plastic bottles, for example, can be collected by small local companies and sold to manufacturers to make new products. Though discarded plastic is often of lower quality, some projects already underway have proved the model can function, and Circulate Capital hopes its investment can lead to new innovations. ( Read about an effort to recycle stranded fishing nets into carpet.)

"There's no silver bullet to stop plastic pollution," says Kaplan. "We're not going to be able to recycle our way out of the problem, and we're not going to be able to reduce our way out of the problem."

But, he hopes Circulate Capital's investments can serve as one piece of the puzzle. He estimates more than a billion dollars would be needed to really build out more efficient waste infrastructure in Southeast Asia. Circulate Capital hopes to bump their commitments to at least $100 million over the next few year as a move in that direction.

Redirecting plastic streams away from the sea

Major companies have been taking steps to eliminate the amount of plastic waste they produce, but what about plastic already in rivers or on beaches that could easily enter the ocean?

That's where NextWave, a coalition founded by companies including Dell and an environmental group called the Lonely Whale, comes in. By employing people living in coastal regions, the group collects discarded plastic within 30 miles of waterways to prevent it from making its way to the sea. So far, NextWave has focused on two types of plastic commonly found in marine environments: Nylon 6 and polypropylene.

This reclaimed plastic is then shipped to manufacturers who reuse it in lieu of producing new plastic. Plastic collection sites are chosen based on where cleanup could have the biggest impact and where the plastic could more easily be taken to an existing recycling facility. These location decisions are informed by science from chemists Jason Lochlin and Jenna Jambeck, a National Geographic explorer.

Today, computer company HP announced it would be joining the NextWave coalition. Since 2016, HP has been working with locals in Haiti to collect a total of 550,000 pounds of plastic that the company has since used to create ink cartridges. According to a press release, HP partnered with a non-profit called the First Mile Coalition, aimed at improving Haitian labor conditions, to create up to 600 jobs collecting plastic bottles.

Along with HP, Ikea has announced that it, too, will partner with NextWave. In addition, the furniture company has committed to phasing out single-use plastics from its stores by 2020, and to designing more sustainably sourced products, including more items made with recycled plastics, by 2030.

Ten companies are now members of NextWave, and they plan to source reclaimed plastics from Indonesia, Chile, the Philippines, Cameroon, and Denmark. NextWave does not yet have numbers for how much plastic they could potentially keep out of the oceans in total, but their website highlights that their partnership with Dell alone kept a total of 3 million pounds of plastic from entering the ocean over the past five years.
Correction: This story has been updated to note that HP worked with the First Mile Coalition in Haiti and to clarify the types of plastic NextWave works with.

American Airlines cuts plastic from lounges

After announcing this summer that they would ban plastic straws and stirrers on their flights (see below), American Airlines now says they will phase out single-use plastic in their lounges.

The airline has lounges in the U.S. and around the world. A representative from the company says the lounges won't serve drinks with straws, and plastic won't be used for flatware. Plastic water bottles will no longer be served, and reusable bags will be given to customers taking food to-go.

Changes to the airlines' lounges are currently going into effect, and onboard straws will be eliminated by November 1. Straws will be available for those who request one, and drink stirrers will be replaced by bamboo sticks.

Cumulatively, the company says their changes will eliminate 71,000 pounds of plastic waste annually.

Foodservice companies phase out single-use plastic

Some 13,000 schools, workplaces, and venues will be plastic bag and stirrer free by 2019, thanks to a new sustainability push by foodservice company Sodexo.

The company provides cafeteria-style meals and concessions to many such clients. Among them is National Geographic's Washington, D.C. headquarters, where compostable utensils and plant-based menus are offered.

Sodexo follows in the footsteps of other foodservice giants, Aramark and Bon Appétit Management, which announced similar sustainability measures this past summer (see below).

In addition to bags and stirrers, Sodexo plans to phase out polystyrene foam (colloquially called Styrofoam) containers by 2025. Plastic straws, a controversial item, will now only be available by request, which the company hopes will cut down on customer usage.

The move, says a representative from the company, will eliminate 245 million single use items that would have otherwise been used at its locations.

The decision is being applauded by environmental groups like Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, who say that reducing consumption is a key step toward preventing plastic from entering landfills and marine environments. These non-profit groups are increasingly imploring food servers to cut back on the single-use plastic items they buy and sell to customers.

"As a company serving consumers in universities, workplaces, hospitals, schools, stadiums, and so many other venues, we understand both the potential impact we can make through a commitment to reduction and the real benefit that some of these products bring to people every day," Sodexo's vice president for corporate responsibility, Ted Monk, said in a press release.

President Trump Signs Bill to Clean Up Ocean Plastics

President Trump called out other nations, including China and Japan, for "making our oceans into their landfills" when he signed legislation last week to improve efforts to clean up plastic trash from the world's oceans.

"As president, I will continue to do everything I can to stop other nations from making our oceans into their landfills," Trump said at a White House signing ceremony. "That's why I'm please-very pleased, I must say-to put my signature on this important legislation."

The law, passed with bipartisan support, amends the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Debris Act and funds the program through 2022. The law fosters efforts to clean up plastic trash from the world's oceans and encourages federal trade negotiators to prod "leaders of nations responsible for the majority of marine debris" to improve management of waste that ends up in the oceans.

Trump agreed with Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, one of the bill's co-sponsors, that trade talks with the Philippines should include plastic waste. "We're okay with that," he said. "I understand. A lot comes from there."

Trump also blamed other unnamed countries that "abuse the oceans" and whose trash floats to the West Coast of the United States," creating, he said, "a very unfair situation."

"It's incredible. It's incredible when you look at it," Trump said. "People don't realize it, but all the time we're being inundated by debris from other countries."

Comparatively, the beaches of the United States are among the world's cleanest. Kamilo Beach in Hawaii, which faces the Pacific gyre, where ocean trash collects, is the exception. But most of the world's plastic trash collects in coastal regions and on beaches in developing nations that lack adequate municipal waste collection systems.

Japan has had for years one of the world's highest recycling rates and earlier this year, China stopped buying the world's trash. The United States was one of the top sellers of recycled plastic to China.

The president's full remarks are here, and the text of the Save Our Seas Act is here.

Red Lobster Phasing Out Plastic Straws

The world's largest seafood restaurant company, Red Lobster, announced Monday that it will begin only offering plastic straws upon customer request starting this November in its 700 restaurants. By 2020, the company plans to only offer a more eco-friendly alternative to plastic straws.

The company says the shift should eliminate more than 150 million plastic straws per year, with the goal of reducing the marine plastic pollution problem.

"We are proud to be the first large casual dining restaurant company to make a commitment to eliminate plastic straws from our restaurants," Kim Lopdrup, CEO of Red Lobster, said in a statement. "This is a meaningful step in our long-standing commitment to protect and preserve the world's oceans and marine life. We hope our work helps raise awareness around the issue of plastic straws and encourages other businesses to make similar changes."

Red Lobster says it is looking into alternatives to plastic straws that will still meet the needs of customers with disabilities. (Learn more about plastic straw bans and how the travel industry is cutting back on plastic straws.)

California Approves Bill to Limit Straw Use in Restaurants

California has become the first state to implement a partial ban on plastic straws. Dine-in restaurants will no longer be allowed to automatically provide customers with straws. Instead, customers who need plastic straws will have to request them.

Restaurants that violate the ban will receive warnings first, and repeat offenders will be fined at a maximum of $300.

"Plastic has helped advance innovation in our society, but our infatuation with single-use convenience has led to disastrous consequences. Plastics, in all forms-straws, bottles, packaging, bags, etc.-are choking the planet," California's governor Jerry Brown said in a statement.

The new ban comes on the heels of previous plastic straw bans from companies and cities. Earlier this year, Seattle become the first large municipality to ban plastic straws in restaurants. Large corporations like United Airlines and Disney have also announced this year that they intend to phase plastic straws out of their offerings to customers. Many of these businesses and cities have said they will retain a stock of plastic straws available to customers upon request.

While some environmentalists applaud the move to reduce single-use plastic-plastic that's used once and then thrown away-bans on plastic straws have been met with some controversy.

Republican lawmakers in California opposed the ban, saying it would burden small business and do little to fight the larger plastic pollution crisis. Plastic straws make up less than one percent of the plastic found at sea.

Disability advocates also say straw bans place an unfair burden on people who have conditions that don't allow them to easily drink without straws. Some alternatives like paper fall apart and metal harm the inside of a person's mouth, they say.

Although California isn't the only region moving to limit single use plastic, the state has often tried to lead the nation in environmental legislation, particularly after what Gov. Brown says is a vacuum left by the Trump administration's decision to leave the U.N. Paris Climate Agreement.
Read the brief history of how plastic straws took over the world.

Giant Trash Collector Heads to Pacific Garbage Patch

The campaign to rid the world's oceans of plastic trash marks a turning point on Saturday as a giant, floating trash collector steams out of San Francisco on a mission to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Over the course of the next year, the device will undergo the ultimate tests and face some tough questions: Can technology prevail over nature? Did the engineers at The Ocean Cleanup in the Netherlands invent the first feasible method for extracting large amounts of plastic debris from the sea? Or will the wilds of the open Pacific tear it to shreds, turning the cleaner itself into plastic trash? Alternately, even if a Pacific storm does not devour the device, will it attract marine animals such as dolphins and turtles and fatally entangle them?

"I don't think it's going to work, but I hope it does," says George Leonard, the Ocean Conservancy's chief scientist. "The ocean needs all the help it can get."

United Airlines Bans Plastic Straws from Flights

United Airlines today joined others in the travel industry by banning plastic straws and cocktail picks on their flights.

The airline will instead use a biodegradable bamboo alternative, starting in November.

Alaska and American airlines moved to ban plastic straws earlier this year, and some cities, like Seattle, have outlawed their use entirely.

As one of the reasons for switching to a more sustainable form of straw, United cited this alarming fact: "Because straws don't biodegrade and are nearly impossible to recycle, it's likely that every straw ever used still exists on our planet."

"It's a small, but meaningful step to help minimize the impact plastic products have on our environment," the company said in a press release.

Carlsberg Beer Dumps Plastic Can Rings

Danish brewer Carlsberg will become the first beer producer to ditch those evil plastic multipack rings that hold beer and other cans together for holders made of recyclable glue, according to a company press release.

Carlsberg also says it will cut the amount of plastic used in its traditional can holders by 76 percent.

Here's how the glue-packs work: A drop of super-strong, temperature-tolerant glue is stuck on the side of a can, connecting it to the can next to it. If you want a beer, snap off a can. The glue will be recycled along with the can when it's recycled.

Carlsberg described the move as a "world first for the beer industry."

Disney Announces Ban on Plastic Straws

The Walt Disney Company announced a ban on single-use plastic straws and stirrers at nearly all its theme parks and resorts. The policy, which is set to be in place by mid-2019, will cut down on the upwards of 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers that are used at these locations each year.

Paper straws will be available upon request and, for guests with disabilities, the company is developing alternative options for traditional plastic straws. Disney will also eliminate polystyrene cups at its parks and cut down its reliance on single-use plastic bags. Instead of disposable bags, guests will have the option to buy reusable shopping bags.

Additionally, the company will reduce the amount of plastic in guest rooms by 80 percent. Over the next few years, Disney will transition to refillable amenities in hotels and on cruise ships. When single-use plastics cannot be reduced, Disney will continue to recycle and properly dispose of waste, the company says.

Disney has other conservation measures in place. In Orlando at Disney's Animal Kingdom, plastic straws and cup lids have been banned since the park opened in 1998.

Other theme parks, including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Sesame Place, have announced initiatives to phase out straws and other single-use plastics. Earlier this month, Seattle banned plastic straws, and San Francisco is working to ban straws and other plastic items starting July 1, 2019.
In July 2018, Disney was approved to purchase 21st Century Fox, the parent company of National Geographic.

National Geographic Travel Partner Bans Single-Use Plastics

On July 25, Lindblad Expeditions, an adventure cruise company that has teamed up with National Geographic Expeditions, announced it had become 100 percent free of single-use plastics. Now, disposable plastic bottles, cups, straws, and stirrers are entirely banned from the fleet's 13 ships.

"The ocean is under major assault on so many fronts, and its protection is both a business mission and a personal passion," Lindblad Expeditions CEO Sven Lindblad says in a press release. "The health of our planet is dependent on our oceans, and it is essential that we change our behavior with regard to plastics."

Lindblad is known for its trips all over the world, particularly to places like Alaska and the Galápagos Islands. The company began working toward this plastic-free goal in 2007 when it banned single-use water bottles from its ships. Instead, it gave guests stainless steel bottles that could be refilled at filtered water stations on the ships. According to a study by the Adventure Travel Trade Association and the nonprofit Travelers Against Plastic, the average adventure travel operator uses nearly 30,000 single-use plastic bottles each year.

About 80 percent of tourism takes place near coastal areas, putting our oceans at a higher risk of plastic pollution. When packing for air travel, consider using three-ounce reusable containers for your toiletries and load them into a durable transparent washbag instead of a plastic bag. On flights, bring your own earphones and turn down "comfort bag" items wrapped in plastic. Bring your reusable water bottle with you and fill it up when you can.

For more tips, read how one of our writers attempted to explore Belize plastic-free.

Big Companies Take Aim at Plastic Straws

Retail, restaurant, and consumer-facing companies could potentially make a big impact in the fight to reduce plastic straw use. They drive much of the demand for straws from plastic manufacturers.

But these businesses are increasingly responding to consumer pressure.

Starbucks is among the most recent companies to announce they'll ditch plastic straws-in this case by the end of 2020. Instead of getting sucked up through a straw, their cold drinks will be served in containers with special plastic lids. Those lids are less likely to get stuck up a turtle's nose and should prove more recyclable than straws, but the company has still received some pushback because the lids are still made of plastic.

McDonald's is also planning to phase out plastic straws at their UK and Ireland locations, coinciding with UK and EU proposals to cut down single-use plastic.

Among the other companies that have moved to reduce how much they use plastic: Bacardi Rum plans to cut their straw usage over the next two years by a billion, food service management giants Bon Appétit Management and Aramark plan to reduce their single-use plastics by 2019 and 2022, respectively, Alaska Airlines will begin phasing out plastic straws this summer, and American Airlines will begin phasing out plastic straws this summer.

It remains to be seen if companies follow through on their goals, and it's clear that banning plastic straws is not going to solve the whole pollution problem. Supporters say reducing our use of straws is an easy first step, while detractors say it could distract from more important issues. In either case, taking aim at plastic straws has become rather fashionable this summer.

Chile's Ban on Retail Plastic Bags Stands

Chile's Constitutional Court ratified a bill that bans retail use of plastic bags across the country on July 6, ruling against an appeal that had been filed by the plastics industry. In June, Chile's Congress had unanimously approved the new ban, citing concerns of plastic pollution in the ocean and on land.

The country's Association of Industrial Plastics had sued to block the new law on constitutional grounds. But the court rejected their arguments.

Large retailers will have six months to phase out single-use plastic bags, while small businesses will have up to two years. The ban builds on a law passed under the previous president that had called for a prohibition on plastic bags along the country's 4,000-mile coastline.

In announcing the new ban, Marcela Cubillos, Chile's environment minister, told the New York Times, "We are convinced that our coast imposes an obligation to be leaders in cleaning up our oceans."

Chile's ban is the first country-wide one in the Americas. Similar bans have been passed in China, Kenya, France, and elsewhere. Many regional and local areas have bans or other restrictions, including taxes or fees aimed at discouraging the use of single-use plastic bags.

Seattle Becomes First U.S. City to Ban Plastic Straws and Utensils

In an attempt to reduce the amount of plastic waste polluting the land and water, Seattle banned the use of plastic straws and utensils in bars and restaurants starting July 1.

The roughly 5,000 eateries in the city are being encouraged to eschew providing straws or disposable utensils, or at least to switch to paper alternatives. A less green but still legal option, according to the city, is compostable plastic straws or utensils.

"Plastic pollution is surpassing crisis levels in the world's oceans, and I'm proud Seattle is leading the way and setting an example for the nation by enacting a plastic straw ban," Seattle Public Utilities General Manager Mami Hara said in a statement.

A similar ban that was proposed for Hawaii was defeated by opposition from industry. Other proposed bans are being debated in San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C., among other places.

Some advocates for the disabled have warned that straw bans need to take into account special needs. ( Learn more about the history of plastic straws and other efforts to remove them.)

<p>A whale shark swims beside a plastic bag in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen. Although <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/facts/whale-shark">whale sharks</a> are the biggest fish in the sea, they're still threatened by ingesting small bits of plastic.</p>

EU, UK, and India Propose Plastic Bans

In draft rules released May 28, the European Commission proposed a ban on 10 common items that it says make up about 70 percent of the litter in EU waters. This includes plastic straws, drink stirrers, plates, and more.

The rules would still need approval from member states and the European Parliament to move forward. They would likely not go into effect for several years.

The proposed law would also mandate that EU countries collect and recycle 90 percent of plastic bottles by 2025. Plastic producers would be on the hook for most of the expense of waste management and cleanup efforts.

In April, British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her intent to establish a ban in her country on sales of single-use plastics, including straws and cotton swab handles.

Calling plastic waste "one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world," May said she would work with industry to develop alternatives. An estimated 8.5 billion plastic straws are tossed out in the U.K. every year.

On June 5, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his intent to eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022. With a fast-growing economy and population of 1.3 billion, India struggles to manage its vast waste stream, and is a significant contributor to global ocean plastic.

"Let us all join together to beat plastic pollution and make this planet a better place to live," Modi said.

Experts caution that Modi's goal is far from being realized, and would likely take significant changes and investment from industry and the public. Already, industry lobbyists have taken aim at the efforts. The state of Maharashtra, home to megacity Mumbai, eased a ban on single-use plastic just a week after it unveiled the plan this summer. The state is working on a number of exemptions, for plastic of a certain thickness, products of a certain size, medical equipment, and other uses.

National Geographic is committed to reducing plastics pollution. Learn more about our non-profit activities at natgeo.org/plastics. This story is part of Planet or Plastic?-our multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic waste crisis. Learn what you can do to reduce your own single-use plastics, and take your pledge.

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A running list of action on plastic pollution

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The world is waking up to a crisis of ocean plastic-and we're tracking the developments and solutions as they happen.

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one way plastic consumption can be reduced is by grocery stores charging money for people who forget their bags and want to use plastic ones. Also, bans on singe use plastic water bottles. Or places that sell drinks can give discounts if you bring your own cup/waterbottle

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In today's session, we research and discussed the consumption of plastic in Singapore. I think that the problem of plastic in Singapore comes from the need for plastic from each individual and the fact that most plastics used can't be recycled. This means that since we can't change the recycling system, we should try to limit plastic needs. This is why we need to sew more bags to reduce the use of plastic. Boomerang bags, can be reuse, and also are made of cloth that is not used(recycled fabric).

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Today we focused on researching the plastic situation in Singapore. Singapore is starting to do more to stop plastic pollution, but currently, there is not much that people are doing. Still, it gives an idea on the impact of this service to the wider community, and the ways we can continue to improve the plastic situation in this country

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Today's session taught me a lot about the plastic waste situation in Singapore. It saddens me that as a country, Singapore isn't doing more to reduce plastic waste. With this said, it really motivates me to make a difference with this service and helps me to understand exactly what goal our service is working towards.

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This session, we were able to do research on Singapore's recycling and plastic pollution situation. Enhancing our knowledge allows us to further understand what impact we are making as a service.

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Today I learnt interesting facts about plastic in singapore and the process that singapore uses for recycling, this helped me understand what impact i will be making when i make the bags and the impact they make on the plastic in singapore and around the world.

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In this lesson we looked at the effects of plastic in Singapore and discovered how much is used on average and it was useful to learn about. it was very helpful for us to learn about this as we now know how we can take action to reduce our own plastic consumption.

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Article about waste and recycling statistics in singapore

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Article about waste and recycling statistics in singapore

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In 2022, about 7.39 million tonnes of solid waste were generated, of which 4.19 million tonnes were recycled. Waste generated by the non-domestic and domestic sectors both increased compared to 2021 - from 5.12 million tonnes and 1.82 million tonnes respectively in 2021, to 5.53 million tonnes and 1.86 million tonnes respectively in 2022.

The overall recycling rate increased to 57 per cent, largely due to the increased amounts of Construction & Demolition waste as a result of more demolition projects. The recycling rates of Paper/Cardboard and Textile/Leather waste dropped, as the amount exported for recycling dropped due to high freight costs compared to pre-COVID-19 levels. The recycling rate of Glass waste increased from 13 per cent to 14 percent, while the recycling rate for Ash & Sludge waste increased from 9 per cent to 11 per cent. The recycling rate of Wood waste was also lower as the amount of Wood waste disposed of increased, reflecting the continued recovery in construction and other industrial activities.

The non-domestic recycling rate increased by 2 per cent to 72 per cent, while the domestic recycling rate decreased by 1 per cent to 12 per cent. The decrease in the domestic recycling rate was largely due the drop in Paper/Cardboard and Textile/Leather waste recycled as lower quantities were exported for recycling.

2022 Waste Statistics and Overall Recycling Table Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand tonnes and percentage point.
The recycling rate for the "Others" category is not meaningful as it is an aggregation of miscellaneous waste types that are managed and recycled differently.
Metal recovered from incineration bottom ash for recycling is excluded from waste disposed of.
Wood and horticultural wastes recycled include 414,000 tonnes sent to facilities (e.g. biomass power plants and Sembcorp Energy from Waste plant) for use as fuel.
The overall recycling rate increased to 57% in 2022, largely due to the increased amounts of Construction & Demolition waste generated as a result of more demolition projects.

Please refer to the document Waste and Recycling Statistics for the waste and recycling statistics from 2017 to 2021.

Please refer to this website Statistics on the Environment for more statistics, reports and publications (e.g. Key Environmental Statistics).

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In 2022, about 7.39 million tonnes of solid waste were generated, of which 4.19 million tonnes were recycled. Waste generated by the non-domestic and domestic sectors both increased compared to 2021 - from 5.12 million tonnes and 1.82 million tonnes respectively in 2021, to 5.53 million tonnes and 1.86 million tonnes respectively in 2022.

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For my service this year I decided to join Boomerang Bags as one of the chairs.  I wanted to join this service as I thought it was a very interesting and hands-on kind of service.  It would also give me a chance to develop my leadership skills.  So far I've already learnt the kinds of impacts this service has on the school, and of the Boomerang Bags' mission, and hopefully can expand the contributions made in this service to the wider community in Singapore.

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It is my first year in this service, and I will be one of the chairs of this service. I choose to join this service because, first I wanted to be in the service from last year but unfortunately I wasn't able to. So basically I want to join because I like to sew and I want to make an impact to the environment. I think this will be a great chance for me to contribute to the environment and to be more sustainable.

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Boomerang bags seems to be an interesting and realistic opportunity to help make an impact in our community. So far, what I have learned is that boomerang bags is a global organization that helps create bags to reduce plastic consumption and waste disposal

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I think that boomerang bags sounds like a really interesting service with a really impactful initiative. After watching the video about boomerang bags it's amazing to see how much of an impact it has already had around the world in reducing single use plastic bags. I've always cared about the enviroment, especially about reducing waste because it makes me so sad to see animals suffer at the hands of humans and their actions. I'm excited to learn how to sew, and am excited to make a difference in reducing plastic bags.

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I chose to stay in Boomerang Bags this year because of its approach to plastic pollution. While being part of a large generation who experiences climate anxiety, I feel the need to take part in a service that can have a direct effect on the environment and the communities we are in. Apart from just sewing bags, we do research on the topic (the service's purpose) and encourage each other to advocate for the service. Taking part of this international initiative gives hope that more schools and communities will take on the responsibility of reducing waste and practising conscious consumption when it comes to using materials that will harm the planet. With my experience from last year, I hope to be able to contribute more this year.

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I am new to boomerang bags this year, I chose it because I thought it was a good cause and a cause that needed to be focused on. So far I think that it is good because of it being a good alternative to plastic bags and I like that you boomerang it and share it around. I think that its good because of how much plastic it saves that doesn't go into the environment.

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I am new to Boomerang Bags this year and the reason I chose it was because I think that it's for a good cause. Last year I was in Sustainabrew and something I enjoyed about it was how we got to actually test recipes and make them for ourselves and so I chose a Boomerang Bags because I will get to actually make something that will help the environment, which is something I enjoyed about service last year.

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I think that boomerang bags is not only about making bags but to also spread awareness and information about pollution that people are not aware about. It is important to understand why plastic use is not easy to reduce in Singapore and all around the world.

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From our last year Boomerang Bag sessions, I have learned a significant amount about plastic consumption in Singapore and around the world. When first coming into the room I used to think that boomerang bags was putting together bags just for our little community to use occasionally and save a little bit of plastic. Then I learned that it’s a lot more widespread than just Singapore and there are chains of Boomerang Bags around the world that do the same thing we work on every Tuesday. They are all hoping to influence the community to avoid plastic which is more beneficial for our planet by making bags from fabric for people to use. During these sessions, I have also gotten the hang of some basic sewing skills which I did not have before. We worked on different parts of the process and it was fun to try different things and see the products we were making over the weeks. I learnt that plastic was also used in a lot of everyday items which people are unaware of. This was quite shocking and worried me knowing even things like toothpaste that go in our mouths have elements of plastic. I am hoping to learn more about other alternatives for plastic this year and learn about  other ways we can help combat pollution. I also want to know how much of an impact we are making and if this is really working because that would be great to see!

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For my service this year, I chose to do Boomerang Bags. Boomerang Bags is an organization that focuses on making sustainable bags as an alternative for plastic bags which are contributing to the increasing issue of climate change. The burning of plastic worldwide is releasing toxins, especially C02, into the air and is warming our atmosphere. I chose to rejoin this service because I’m very passionate about educating myself and others on global warming, and this service is extremely beneficial to further my understanding of it. Boomerangs is a creative and hands-on activity that can improve my leadership, collaboration, and communication skills which might be helpful in the future. Before I joined this service last year, I thought that it would mainly be sewing and a bit of talk amongst peers, but now I realized just how much thought and planning goes into the simple-looking craft of the activity. We needed to measure and cut out fabrics, learned how to operate the sewing machine, and research more about the growing issue of plastic in our community. During my research, I discovered many shocking things about plastic. One of them was that, (according to National Geographic), there are more than 5 billion pieces of plastic floating in our oceans, and that world plastic production has increased exponentially from 2.1 million tonnes in 1950 to 147 million in 1993 to 406 million by 2015. I learned about how we humans are the biggest consumers of plastic in the world and are also the key to changing our decision in order to shape a more sustainable future for everyone.As the year comes to an end and we only have a few more sessions left together, I aspire to learn more about the actions I can take in order to combat the issue of plastic usage in my community. I have already reduced plastic consumption by using sustainable bags when going grocery shopping, and have bought fruits and vegetables from fresh markets and local producers instead of in plastic packaging from grocery stores. Last year, this service has greatly benefitted my knowledge on global warming and how I can educate myself to make better decisions that will have a less negative impact on the environment.

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Why should we care?

Plastic is used in the manufacturing of many day-to-day products from crisp packets to teabags. Since the production of the first synthetic plastic in the early 1900s, several types of plastics have been created. The popularity of the material is no surprise, as it is durable, easily molded, unreactive, and cheap.

Single-use plastic items are products designed to be used just once. It may only take you two minutes to eat a packet of crisps and dust off the crumbs but the plastic packaging you purchased them in may take 80 years or more to break down. Plastic can take hundreds of years to degrade, depending on the type of plastic and environmental conditions they are exposed to.

With an increasing population, more and more people will use single-use plastic items contributing to a growing mountain of plastic waste. With efficient waste management systems, this is not an issue. However, mismanagement can result in mass marine pollution, damaging the environment and harming organisms that inhabit it.

So how can we stop the ever-growing mountain of plastic rubbish and the associated problems? The simple answer is to ditch the (single-use) plastic and find an alternative.

One of the best ways of ditching single-use plastic is to find a reusable alternative.

Keeping hydrated is important, but it doesn't need to be at the cost of the environment. Refusing to buy a drink in a single-use bottle is an easy win. Instead, use a reusable bottle made of metal or glass.

Plastic bags often seem like an easy solution to carrying lots of items. However, there are drawbacks. Although plastic bags are often made from PET which is recyclable, they often get stuck in the machinery at recycling plants making them a recycling engineers' worst nightmare. Instead, be prepared by always carrying a rucksack or spare cotton tote bag.

Innovative alternatives

Plastics are a string of the same type of molecule that chemically joins to form a long chain. The long-chain, called a polymer, has great properties that we often associate with plastic. Typically, the building blocks for plastic have come from oil. However, the industry is continuing to innovate new alternatives to oil-based plastics.

Bioplastics are made from long molecules derived from living things, hence the bio (Greek for life). Some people believe bioplastics are a good alternative, just like all plants and animals they can decompose quickly compared to conventional plastics which persist for a long time.

The industry has already started to introduce bioplastic alternatives to consumers. For example, several UK supermarkets have moved to bioplastic shopping bags made from a polymer derived from plants.

Unintended consequences

Although current plastic use is unsustainable, there are unintended consequences with moving to non-plastic items.

Every material requires energy to turn raw materials into a product. The energy to do this often comes from burning fossil fuels that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The more energy required, the more carbon dioxide is emitted. For example, cotton bags require much more energy to manufacture compared to a single-use plastic bag. Therefore, more carbon dioxide is emitted during production.

For this reason, it is important to ensure that when moving to a plastic-free alternative, which has a higher carbon footprint compared to plastic, that the item is reused an appropriate amount of time. Cotton bags must be used more than 173 times to be safer for the environment than a plastic bag.

Ocean Plastics

Ocean Plastic ages 7-11 unit is a KS1 teacher resource that introduces students to the issue of plastic pollution. Students study materials, their properties and are inspired to enact change in their communities.

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What are the alternatives to plastic bottles? | Encounter Edu

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Plastic bottles have long been proven to be dangerous to the environment but what are the alternatives to the single use bottle of water? Glass is one that often springs to mind, 80% of recycled glass can be reclaimed and recycled glass uses 40% less energy than manufacturing new glass.

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Some examples - Newlight Technologies, Biolive, MarinaTex, MycoComposite, NotPla, Seed Phytonutrients, Oceanworks

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Plastic. It's everywhere around us. In our homes, cars, the environment, the ocean. It's harmful to wildlife, isn't biodegradable, and releases toxins into the air when burned. We can all do our part to decrease future plastic use. It can be as small as not using plastic straws, using reusable bags when shopping, and avoiding plastic packaging. Additionally, it can be as large as the innovations by an industry who dedicate themselves to developing plastic alternatives.

Here are a few companies leading the way:

Newlight Technologies AirCarbon

Newlight Technologies is a California-based company that has created a plastic alternative called AirCarbon. They use microorganisms from the ocean to turn methane and carbon dioxide into a polymer. These polymers work just like plastic, but break down naturally. It's a carbon-negative product, meaning that during production they use more carbon than the product puts out when it breaks down.

There are two companies selling the product. Restore in the form of cutlery, and Covalent in the form of accessories. However, the plan is to grow from there. AirCarbon hopes to replace plastics around the world.

Biolive

Biolive is a Turkish company creating plastics from olive seeds, and it's helping solve not only the plastic problem, but waste coming from olive oil extraction. Their plastic is 100% biodegradable, antibacterial, edible, and more cost-effective than traditional plastics. So far, they've worked with Chobani, Porsche, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz.

MarinaTex

MarinaTex is a UK-based company making single-use plastic sheets out of marine products such as algae and waste from fish processing. A large issue in certain parts of the world. It's 100% biodegradable in soil. While not on the shelves yet, it does have potential for use in packaging and plastic bags. It's the perfect example of an innovative way to encourage the use of circular economies.

MycoComposite by EcovativeDesign

New York company EcovativeDesign is creating packaging alternatives using 100% compostable materials. MycoComposite is just one of those materials; it uses mycelium, A.K.A. mushroom roots, and agricultural waste to create packaging. The roots helps the waste stay together. It has use for coolers, planters, shipping wine, and possibly building materials. Right now, several companies such as Magical Mushroom Company, Paradise Packaging Co., and Grown Bio take advantage of the packaging.

NotPla

NotPla is made from seaweed, it breaks down in just a few weeks. Right now, it's used in several things, including Ooho, an edible plastic alternative. It's used to package single-serving water and drinks. They also create bags for sauces. It's also being used to line cardboard containers with NotPla Liners. And that's just the beginning. More non-food packaging products are in development.

Seed Phytonutrients

Seed Phytonutrients is a beauty brand using compostable materials to create sustainable packaging. Their shower curtains have a recycled plastic inner liner, and a recycled paper outer liner. It's treated with clay, so it's waterproof. A bonus package of seeds comes with every package. All of the formulas are at least 93% natural, cruelty-free, and contain no sulfates.

Oceanworks

Whether you want plastic alternatives for personal or business use, check out Oceanworks. They have several different types of materials. All from recycled plastic, from resins to nylon to textiles. There's buttons, yarn, and fabric. Additionally, you can even build your own resin. They work with manufacturers globally, ridding our oceans of plastic and use it to make recycled material.

The world of plastic alternatives is a growing industry. We can all take steps towards finding alternatives in our lives. This list is just the tip of the iceberg. Likely, whatever plastic free product you're looking for exists. You just have to look!

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Plastic. It's everywhere around us. In our homes, cars, the environment, the ocean. It's harmful to wildlife, isn't biodegradable, and releases toxins into the air when burned. We can all do our part to decrease future plastic use. It can be as small as not using plastic straws, using reusable bags when shopping, and avoiding plastic packaging.

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The World’s First Naturally Biodegradable Plastic Alternative

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The World’s First Naturally Biodegradable Plastic Alternative

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A number of challenging process applications in the petrochemical, iron and steel, and biotechnology industries can be solved by this online process mass spectrometer and process gas analyzer.

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The World's First Naturally Biodegradable Plastic Alternative

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A number of challenging process applications in the petrochemical, iron and steel, and biotechnology industries can be solved by this online process mass spectrometer and process gas analyzer.

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Best Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Plastic

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Best Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Plastic

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In our plastic-filled world, avoiding plastic can be pretty challenging. But finding alternatives to common items like plastic bottles and plastic packaging is becoming increasingly easier-and not a moment too soon for our plastic-choked planet.

Where's the Plastic In Your Life?

If you answered everywhere, you're probably not far off. This versatile material is in our appliances, computers, clothing, and so much more. Some of the most common places we find plastic is wrapped around the things we buy every day. After all, it's an effective way to keep food and cosmetics clean and fresh.

But plastic is also lurking in some little known places. When you take a careful look around your home, the sheer number of things you'll find containing plastic may surprise you.

Best Alternatives to Plastic

Would you like to see less plastic in your home and less plastic waste in the world? Here are some long-lasting plastic alternatives available right now.

Stainless steel

Tough and easy to clean, stainless steel options for reusable food and beverage storage have multiplied in recent years. You can replace single-use cups, kitchen storage, lunch boxes, and more with this durable metal.

Glass

While not biodegradable, glass is inert, inexpensive and infinitely recyclable. And since many food items come packaged in glass, upcycling glass jars into food storage is a no-cost way to give your food packaging new life. Jars from jam, honey, pickles, nut butters, and so much more can be added to your no-waste toolkit for shopping from the bulk bins. They can also be repurposed to store leftovers and homemade drinks, or decorated and turned into homemade gifts.

Platinum silicone

Made primarily of sand, food grade platinum silicone is flexible and durable. It's also heat tolerant, so you can boil, bake, and cook in these products without danger of denaturing. Look for silicone products without plastic fillers.

Beeswax-coated cloth

Used primarily as a replacement for plastic wrap and platic bags, beeswax-coated fabric is easy to use and easy to clean. It also smells great.

Natural fiber cloth

Natural cloth can replace plastic bags. Sustainable clothing made from organic cotton, wool, hemp, or bamboo won't shed plastic fibers when washed. Felted or recycled wool is a versatile, safe, and compostable material for children's toys, household containers, and more.

Wood

A renewable resource, wood from sustainably-managed forests can replace plastic in household items like cleaning brushes, kitchen utensils, and cutting boards.

Bamboo

This fast-growing renewable resource can replace plastic in items like tableware and drinking straws. It is lightweight, durable, and compostable.

Pottery and Other Ceramics

Around for millennia, pottery and other fired ceramics offer a stable, waterproof alternative that's good for food storage and tableware. Look for non-toxic glazes.

Paper

In days gone by, many things were packaged in plain paper. And while better than plastic, paper can't be recycled infinitely because every time it's reused, the fibres get shorter, limiting its use. Luckily all paper except the glossy kind is safe to put in your home compost.

Cardboard

Cardboard is fully compostable at home as long as it's not coated in, you guessed it, plastic. Many companies are now packaging their products in plain cardboard to cut down on waste. You can also use cardboard boxes to replace storage containers in your home.

Keep in mind that anything you buy has an environmental footprint. Though longer lasting than plastic, things made from glass, metal, and so on still take energy to make and transport. For these swaps to make sense, you need to use them over and over and over again. Buying well-made, durable products will help ensure you get the most use from whatever you choose.

What About BioPlastics?

Bioplastics are biodegradable or compostable plastics made from natural substances instead of petrolem. The idea is that these new, earthier plastics can replace the harmful ones in our food and around our home. This seems like a great alternative, doesn't it?

Unfortunately, most bioplastics don't break down in home composts, landfills, or loose in the environment.

Unfortunately, most bioplastics don't break down in home composts, landfills, or loose in the environment.
Most require commercial composting facilities, which aren't always available to the average consumer.

Bioplastics can also contaminate municipal recycling programs when people unknowingly add them to their recycling. Many bioplastics even contain significant amounts conventional plastic.

Scientists and manufacturers generally describe bioplastics in the following ways:

1. Non biodegradable. These bioplastics aren't easily broken down by organisms. Like anything (even conventional plastic), they will eventually degrade after many years.

2. Partially bio-based, "durable" plastics that are not compostable. Microrganisms can break these down, but the process generally takes longer than 3-6 months.

3. Biodegradable, compostable plastics that need commercial facilities to decompose. While some newer bioplastics carry the claim that they will break down in a home compost, these are not yet the norm.

Made from a range of materials like cornstarch and sugar to mushrooms and agricultural byproducts, bioplastics are the latest attempt to prolong our disposable lifestyle.

The solution, according to plastic pollution experts, is not to continue our reliance on single-use products with different materials, but to avoid single-use products altogether.

Natural Alternative Packaging

Many companies are working on fully compostable (in some cases edible!) packaging. Here are some examples already on the market.

Mushroom packaging. A combination of agricultural waste and mycelium (mushroom) root, this home compostable product is "grown" on a hemp-flour mixture, and then dried to halt the growth process. It's most commonly used to replace Styrofoam packaging.

Seaweed-based packaging that comes in edible and biodegradable grades.

Pressed hay is being u sed as egg cartons in Poland.

Banana Leaves. In Thailand, where the plastic problem is reaching crisis proportions, one supermarket has opted to go plastic-free in favour of banana leaf-and-bamboo packaging. And while banana leaves may only be practical where they're readily available, this does reinforce the idea of using local, compostable materials.

How to Break the Plastic Habit

There are many easy swaps we can all make that will help begin to cut plastic pollution. As more of us demand non-plastic options from the companies we buy from, the amount of plastic being mindlessly produced and tossed will finally begin to decline. Start with some manageable first steps that can cut down your plastic use significantly.

Use plastic-free beverage containers. A long-lasting water bottle means you never need to buy a bottled drink or use a plastic straw. Bringing your own reusable cup to your favorite coffee shop means you can skip the cup, lid and straw.

Ditch the plastic bags. A staggering trillion plastic bags are used every year. Bring your own shopping bag, and help show others we can buy produce without plastic with reusable produce bags. Bring your own containers when shopping the bulk bins so you don't need the plastic ones typically provided (and unfortunately used by most shoppers).

Switch to non-liquid soaps. Liquid soaps, shampoos, and detergents have added enormous amounts of plastic waste to the environment. Look for bar soap and a shampoo bar for the bathroom, and opt for powders packed in recyclable containers for the laundry and kitchen.

Some stores also carry liquid soaps in bulk so you can refill containers repeatedly, but the footprint of bar soaps is still smaller.

Choose glass, metal or unlined paper packaging whenever possible. You'll often find you have a more environmentally friendly choice than plastic when you're selecting honey, oil, or dry goods.

Some swaps are easier to make than others. Find something that works for you, integrate that into your life, then choose another.

Find some items that are easy for you to swap so you can feel successful and ready to tackle another. Some swaps are much easier to make than others - finding cheese without plastic, for example, is still quite difficult, but local honey is readily available in glass, as are items like mustard and oil. (You can also try eating less cheese, which has additional environmental benefits.)

Choose things that are doable for you rather than beating yourself up about the things you don't do. The more of us who do, the better for the planet.

Here's a quick and easy list to some of the most common plastic items used every day-and what you can use instead.

25 Plastic Products to Replace Now

Shopping

Single-use plastic shopping bags: Reusable bags (to replace single-use plastic bags) or baskets.

Single-use produce bags: Reusable produce bags or leave your produce loose.

Items packed in plastic: When possible, opt for unpackaged or choose glass or metal packaging.

Plastic bulk aisle bags: Reusable cloth bags or containers from home.

Eating Out

Disposable cups: Dine in or takeaway in stainless steel or glass reusable cups.

Single-use cutlery: Dine where they have reusable cutlery or bring your own.

Disposable straws: Reusable straws in glass, stainless steel, bamboo, or silicone.

Plastic lunch baggies: Reusable lunch box or beeswax wraps.

In the Kitchen

Food storage containers and bags: Silicone bags, metal or glass containers.

Liquid dish soap: Use a powder for the dishwasher and a bar for handwashing. If you prefer liquid soap, you can make your own from a soap bar.

Cleaners in plastic bottles: Make your own cleaners with ingredients packaged in glass, metal, or cardboard. Use baking soda or a kitchen stone for tough cleaning jobs.

Plastic sponge and scrubber: Use a natural sponge, luffah, or wooden brush.

Disposable tableware: Skip disposables and use metal or bamboo plates and cutlery.

Plastic cutting boards and utensils: Bamboo cutting board, wooden or bamboo spoons

Plastic plates and cups for young kids: Bamboo bowls and metal cups.

In the Bathrooom

Lotion in plastic bottles: Lotion bar or oil in glass bottle

Disposable feminine products: Menstrual cup or reusable cloth sanitary napkins.

Plastic toothbrushes: Bamboo toothbrushes.

Liquid shampoo in plastic bottles: Shampoo bar or 'no-poo' method.

In the Home

Plastic trash bags: Reuse paper bags, line with newspaper, or skip the bag.

Laundry detergent in plastic bottles: Try plastic-free laundry strips or powdered laundry detergent

Polyester carpet: Choose wool, cotton, or jute.

Fabric softener or dryer sheets: Use dryer balls

Clothing, bedding, towels: Choose organic cotton, wool, bamboo, or hemp; If you do wash synthetic fabric, wash infrequently in full loads, in cold water on slow spin cycles, and consider purchasing a bag that can capture fibers and keep them out of waste water.

Ready to do more? Here's a guide to get you started on the path to zero waste.

Lead the Way to a Plastic-free Future

As you eliminate plastic from your life, you're not only cutting your own contribution to the waste stream, you're modeling more sustainable living for those around you. Celebrate your successes and help spread the word about how important it is to reevaluate our daily habits and what we expect from the companies we buy from. As demand for more sustainable business practices grows, companies will continue to respond and the massive increase in plastics use can reverse course-the sooner the better.

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The Best Eco-Friendly Alternatives for the Plastic in Your Life

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In our plastic-filled world, avoiding plastic can be pretty challenging. But finding alternatives to common items like plastic bottles and plastic packaging is becoming increasingly easier-and not a moment too soon for our plastic-choked planet. If you answered everywhere, you're probably not far off.

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A history of plastic from hero to villain. 

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A history of plastic from hero to villain. 

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Plastics were once perceived to be at the cornerstone of contemporary life, breaking some of the limits imposed by natural resources and making consumer goods more accessible to the masses. How come that, decades later, they have turned from heroes to villains? This article offers a brief look at how the mentality and political decisions around plastics have evolved over time, so far culminating in the global call for the ban of plastic straws, that may advance towards the prohibition of most single-use plastics.
Plastics as heroes
In 1863, a prize worth 10 thousand dollars was put up by the billiard ball company Phelan and Collender[1], a value roughly equivalent to 200 thousand dollars in 2019. Its objective was to find an alternative to the use of ivory in the manufacturing of balls, seeing as the material was quite expensive and that one elephant tusk could only be used to produce 4 or 5 balls, which posed both a logistical and ecological problem in the long run. Newspapers at the also time began to openly question the sustainability of continuing to use the material.

Inspired by the challenge, US-born inventor John Wesley Hyatt spent years making attempts at producing a material that could replace ivory, going through many iterations until he arrived at a composition that he and his brother named "celluloid", the first man-made plastic. The material proved decent enough to create balls that were similar to ivory and had a reduced cost, but it was not ideal, especially because it was volatile, which would also lead to it producing a gunshot sound when two balls collided in-game.

However, celluloid was ideal to replace some other products of animal origin, such as the comb, previously made of tusks or tortoise shells. In the marketing of the company he eventually set up, Hyatt declared that the "celluloid [has] given the elephant, the tortoise, and the coral insect a respite in their native haunts; and it will no longer be necessary to ransack the earth in pursuit of substances which are constantly growing scarcer."[2]

Yes, the arrival of plastics was a boon to the environment. It provided an alternative to the dependence on materials produced by animals, a trend that would continue with the arrival of Bakelite in the 1920s, a man-made plastic that could be used to assemble almost any product, which paved the way for a true revolution in consumer goods. The more products that could be produced in plastic, the cheaper they would become, democratizing and expanding the access to many goods.
Plastics as villains
With the scalability of the production of the material and subsequent lowering of cost, it became more common to assemble plastics into one-use products. This subverted the way of thinking about plastics in earlier times, which was more focused on, for example, producing a plastic cup that would see the same long-term use as a glass one. Instead, thinner cups meant to hold drinks a single time and be disposed of started to be produced in scale for the convenience of costumers.

The accumulation of such debris in public places first became noticeable in the 1960s, and as the environmental movement took shape in a significant manner in the Global North, the 1970s and 1980s saw much research into the pollution of the marine biome, particularly on the impacts of plastics on animals. As a result, the plastics industry itself spearheaded the adoption of recycling to help alleviate the problem[3]. While successful to some degree, research has shown that a chain of mismanagement still results in around 80% of that waste mounting up in the natural environment[4].

After a timespan of lowered interest, probably associated with the hopes placed on recycling efforts, there was resurgence of the theme in the 2000s with the documentation of "garbage patches" in the ocean. While these are not the solid masses of debris that they are often portrayed as, the patches are still dangerous, as they incorporate a significant volume of smaller, constantly disintegrating particles of plastics. The most notable of these exists to the north of the Pacific Ocean, being made up mostly of debris originating from Asia[5].

As the theme picked up steam again, plastic bags became a priority target for environmentalists, as reports about the potential hazards they posed to the planet intensified. An advantage of targeting plastic bags is that they are not desirable even by those on the recycling end of the chain, as the thinness that makes them useful for everyday use also makes them a hassle to recycle. Nevertheless, the plastic industry fought to keep the bags in circulation, and there has been a mix of bans, limitations and taxes associated with their use. As of 2019, 15 countries have enacted a ban, while several states and cities also did so in an independent manner[6].
Destroy all straws
Are single-use plastics necessary? Some of them may be desirable. The fundamental reason for this is that they are cheap, reliable and sanitary, often mitigating concerns over hygiene and maintenance, and this comes at little cost to the seller of the goods. This includes sectors that are not thought of when these discussions come about, such as health and hospitals. On the other hand, it can be argued that these costs have just been externalized, and that the damage to nature carries an extensive unseen cost. Be as it may, single-use plastics are advantageous to a variety of people across the world, and there is a balance that needs to be achieved in the policymaking efforts around them, something that is not necessarily being accomplished in this debate.

The next item on the list of targets for eradication are plastic straws, which make up just 8% of the total plastic waste around the globe. These items are important in the promotion of hygienic consumption of liquids in the developing world, but have come to be labelled as a luxury good in the developed world, as those countries benefit from stricter sanitary regulations and more reliable means of storage and consumption of goods. Groups and representatives of persons with disabilities that impact coordination of the mouth have affirmed that plastic straws being available in restaurants is what is ideal for them, instead of some "bring your own" policy, but reactions to that by companies and legislators have been inconsistent[7].

The movement to outright ban or severely limit plastic straws continues to pick up momentum, but where did it come from? A boy named Milo Cress gained notoriety when at the age of 9 he started to advocate for straws to be made available only upon consumer request, using as a key argument an estimation he came up with that 500 million straws were used every day in the USA, a soundbite that has since seen broad use in media outlets in spite of having been contested by a myriad actors[8]. Most sources, however, point more conclusively to a 2015 viral video, that has picked up over 35 million views as of 2019, and depicts a sea turtle with a straw up its nostril and the painful removal process that followed; the opposite of turtles being saved by plastics earlier. This led to increased sensibility around the issue, on which environmentalists capitalized, making it the next priority of the campaign against single-use plastics.

The tipping point came around 2017, as activist groups pressured establishments and lawmakers about the issue to get the conversation on the elimination of plastics going. Celebrities such as Neil deGrasse Tyson, Russell Crowe, Tom Brady, and Tom Felton pledged to "#StopSucking" in their social media outlets and magnified the visibility of the question, helping establish the non-use of straws as a virtuous position to take[9].

This resulted in a relatively cheap proposition to improve optics and be seen as environmentally positive, leading to interesting situations such as that of Starbucks eliminating their plastics straws and replacing them with a lid for drinking straight from the cup that uses more plastic overall; the company affirms that the advantage is that the lid is actually recyclable, as opposed to most straws[10].

Not wanting to be perceived as lenient, the traditionally more environmentally-friendly European Union pushed the issue further, enacting a ban on all single-use plastics that have alternatives in other materials by 2021, with those that have no alternatives needing to be reduced by 25% by 2025, in a motion that saw strong political support[11]. The plastics industry itself moved to form "The Alliance to End Plastic Waste", with 1 billion dollars of initial investments and promises of acting fast to combat the issue[12].

Thinking economically, it is not hard to outline some of the winners and losers of this process. With the reduction of credibility of the plastics industry, the industry that is most readily picking up the slack is that of paper products, followed by the metal and glass industries. Some of the companies that had been producing more degradable plastic straws saw a surge in demand in 2018 and onwards, but those pose problems of their own. Their wide variety is bound to cause confusion as to what method is supposed to be used to break them down, coupled with the fact that if recycled together with other plastics, the final material ends up with inferior quality and consequently becomes less valuable.

At the heart of it all, a more palpable and less ethereal matter shies from the headlines: China has almost stopped importing recycled plastics in 2018 as a result of its new "National Sword" policy. The country used to be the final destination of many of the recyclables in the world, but in an abrupt manner increased the standards it required to accept them, in such a way that for many in the recycling industry, the profits became too slim to make the business worth it. China now absorbs only 10% of the plastics that it did in previous years, posing the question of what is supposed to happen to the other 90%. The policy change has already resulted in an increased observed level of sea debris in South-East Asia[13].

As plastic recycling became a less viable economic option, it makes sense that players would move in to dampen that industry and look for other viable sources of revenue in industries that have less of a stigma attached to them. The war on straws does indeed have its backbone supported by social forces for change, but the final push comes as the Chinese variable made the plastics business a messier and less attractive affair to handle than it was previously. The migration towards non-plastic materials will move the industry, create and destroy jobs, and at the end of the day will end up creating yet unknown problems of their own, the same as man-made plastics once did.
For more of my writing please visit: www.markwd.website.

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Plastics were once perceived to be at the cornerstone of contemporary life, breaking some of the limits imposed by natural resources and making consumer goods more accessible to the masses. How come that, decades later, they have turned from heroes to villains?

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In our hyper-consumption based societies, it's always smart to raise a skeptical eyebrow when you hear organizations make claims of how they're "doing their part" in the quest to "save the Earth", (although at the UnSchool we truly believe that no one can "save" the Earth, but we can all change it!). But when companies invest more time and money on marketing their products or brand as "green" rather than actually doing the hard work to ensure that it is sustainable - this is called greenwashing.

Cambridge Dictionary says greenwashing is designed " to make people believe that your company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is."

As an analogy, greenwashing is to corporations as tree hugging is to individuals who say they care about the environment, it's a symbolic reference that has little actual outcomes. And more so just confuses the issue attempting to be resolved.

Whilst some greenwashing is unintentional and results from a lack of knowledge about what sustainability truly is, it is often intentionally carried out through a wide range of marketing and PR efforts. But the common denominator among all greenwashing is that it is not only misleading, but it's also really not helping to further sustainable design or circular economy initiatives. Thus, environmental problems stay the same or more likely, get even worse, as greenwashing often sucks up airtime and misdirects well-intentioned consumers down the wrong path.

One such classic greenwashing case is that of the car giant Volkswagen, who has admitted to cheating emissions tests by fitting various vehicles with a "defeat" device - a proprietary software that could detect when it was undergoing an emissions testing, altering the performance to reduce the emissions level, all while touting the low-emissions features of its vehicles through marketing campaigns. In truth, however, these engines were emitting up to 40x the allowed limit for nitrogen oxide pollutants.

There are countless other case studies across all industries that show how NOT to do sustainability by discovering more examples of greenwashing - like the meat mega-giant Tyson, who got busted for false claims about antibiotic-free chickens. Or the fossil fuel giant BP (who changed their name to Beyond Petroleum and put solar panels on their gas stations) and then got called out for their green misdirection, and of course Coke, who has been accused of greenwashing through 'natural' sugar claims that it started marketing as a way to attract more health-conscious consumers.

In 2007 Terra Choice Marketing came up with the Six Sins of Greenwashingwhich classifies the many ways that companies participate in greenwashing, from outright lying through to making claims with no scientific proof. This is one of the reasons that life cycle thinking is such an important tool to know how to access and use when making sustainable design choices, because many people who get caught greenwashing are often not intentionally doing it, but more so are ill-informed of the impacts of different materials. They thus end up accidentally making unsubstantiated claims about environmental preferences, or worse still making assumptions about what is green or not based on environmental folklore or simple google searching!

GREENWASHING AND SINGLE-USE PLASTICS

One of the most pervasive examples of greenwashing is in the world of single-use plastic. Did you know that half of the worlds disposable plastic has been produced in the last 15 years! And 91% of plastic produced globally is NOT recycled. You have probably already heard of the global plastic-in-the-ocean-disaster we are seeing, with stats that say there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 and the horrific images of once pristine beaches being overwhelmed by plastic debris. It's no wonder the world is up in arms about this tragic by-product of our disposable lifestyles.

This alarming issue drove us to create our free Post-Disposable Activation Kit, and it's why we talk so much about the dangerous idea that recycling will solve all the problems, when in fact the main issue is that we have normalized disposability to the point where everything is valueless. And not only is recycling a bit of environmental folklore, but so are many of the bioplastics being marketed as sustainable design solutions.

Bioplastics are plastics made from bio based polymers that are engineered to perform like normal petrochemical plastics. In nearly every case, they need a certain set of conditions to break down in ( oxygen and sunlight that aren't present in a landfill or the ocean, for example). Further to the end of life management issues, they also require a certain amount of petrochemicals in their production phase so often have a similar amount of 'plastic products' embedded within them. Additionally, since plastic bags take a lot of energy and other resources to manufacture in the first place, a "friendlier" plastic is not helpful at all when using life-cycle thinking. The FTC began cracking down on the misleading claims of bioplastic manufacturers in 2013 and handed out more warnings to marketers in 2014.

This was the case in Australia years ago when a plastic bag company swapped to 'biodegradable' plastic, which technically didn't fully degrade, but instead just breaks down into smaller parts unless it's processed in a digester specifically designed to create the conditions for biodegradation. What is actually needed is a compostable bag, which is a different thing entirely. The bag made big eco claims, and the consumer affairs watchdog fined them and required them to stop selling the product as it was completely false. In fact, Australia has this entire guide on how to avoid greenwashing!

As consumers, we have the power to see through the greenwashing and calling bullshit where it's due, rather then falling into the safe belief that there are simple solutions to complex problems. We can continue to pressure corporations to create truly viable, post-disposable, sustainable and circular design solutions by changing our own habits and behaviours to support the more sustainable options. We believe that all of these problems are solvable with good design, a systems mindset, and services that reconfigure how we meet our human needs without damaging Earth in the process. If you want to participate in the global post-disposable redesign challenge, check out this set of design briefs that we created.

BUST MORE ECO-MYTHS

Greenwashing is all about misdirection, showing one thing that distracts you from what is really going on. The main issue we see is that greenwashing takes up valuable space in the fight against significant environmental issues like climate change, plastic ocean pollutions, air pollution and global species extinctions. The saddest thing is that many companies do it by accident, as they don't have the expertise to know what is truly environmentally beneficial, and what is not.

We are approaching a critical time in which more organizations and individuals are adopting sustainable design and zero waste living practices, and entire communities are banning disposable plastics, It's important to be able to quickly identify instances of greenwashing, and replace them with truly sustainable practices both as a consumer and as an employee (which the UnSchool sustainability course covers in more detail). Tools such as life cycle assessment allow organisations to understand what is going on when they make changes and to ensure that if they make claims about the eco credentials that they are validated, not just assumed.

THIS IS A TIME OF ABUNDANT OPPORTUNITIES.

We all can be change agents in considering and designing sustainable outcomes in the world around us that affect systemic wellbeing - socially, economically, and environmentally. When we frame sustainability as a practice that helps us create a future that we're excited about living in, we generate optimism about solving complex problems (which is what's required to truly tackle these issues!).

Pair that with creative thinking, knowledge of systems and life cycle thinking, and a foundation built on what sustainable design in practice really looks like, and we'll have tangible outcomes that are positively disrupting the status quo and affecting change. The key here is for more people to adopt the tools of change, not just follow along with the trends, but be willing to do the work to understand what needs to change.

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What is Greenwashing? How to Spot It and Stop it

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In our hyper-consumption based societies, it's always smart to raise a skeptical eyebrow when you hear organizations make claims of how they're "doing their part" in the quest to "save the Earth"...

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I was recently served a suggested account on Instagram with an image that depicted a gorgeous green forest canopy and an impossibly blue sky above - quite literally the picture of a healthy environment. Tapping on it, I was expecting to find the page of a landscape photographer, or a new sustainable brand, or maybe an environmental group I hadn't heard of.

Imagine my surprise when I was met with the true owner of the account: BP PLC. Formerly known as the British Petroleum Company. The same BP responsible for the 2005 Texas City Refinery Explosion, the 2006 Prudhoe Bay oil spill (the largest oil spill in Alaska's North Slope), and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill - which is, to date, the largest unintentional release of oil into the ocean in history. Yep, that BP. A quick scroll through the company's IG page tells a vastly different story than the tragic headlines that announced the spill of nearly 5 million gallons of oil into the ocean and the deaths of 11 workers as a result of Deepwater Horizon, instead there were images of green pastures, smiling workers, and healthy wildlife.

This is the same BP that, in 2018 - just two years ago - was the largest opponent of the carbon fee initiative in Washington State. So what's going on? Did BP suddenly go green? Or is something else at play here? The answer, as it usually is, is complicated, and while the company boasts of solar power initiatives and sustainable aviation fuel, what it's attempting to do - essentially erasing all memory of their past environmental crimes - is called Greenwashing, an increasingly pervasive trend among companies large and small.

Photo by John Mark Arnold on Unsplash

What is Greenwashing?

Described by Investopedia as, "The process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company's products are more environmentally sound. Greenwashing is considered an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company's products are environmentally friendly."

Greenwashing is essentially pretending to be more environmentally friendly than you actually are, especially when the "you" in the equation is a consumer-driven company.

Greenwashing is an oil company responsible for the largest spill of crude oil into marine waters in history creating an Instagram account that posts gorgeous photos of the ocean, and about fish food made from petroleum.

It's a fast-fashion brand boasting of newly-installed solar panels on its headquarters while the polyester clothes it sells are made in factories overseas, decidedly not powered by solar.

And it's a bottled water company with the slogan "Mother Nature is our Muse" that sources water from California, a state that's been in a drought for nearly a decade.

The list goes on and isn't relegated to large companies. In fact, some of our favorite "green" brands are guilty of Greenwashing their products. Greenwashing is the dark side of our growing understanding and awareness of climate change. Brands large and small know that most consumers want to make good choices about the products they use, but many of those consumers don't want to drastically change their habits.

Photo by Andreas Gücklhorn on Unsplash

Habit-changing is hard, we all know it, and if a favorite brand suddenly decides to "go green" it's a win-win: the consumer feels good about the product and their habits, while the company makes good in the headlines. No one has to change a thing, except maybe some packaging that smacks "organic" and "eco-friendly." With climate change at the forefront of consumer's minds, companies know their environmental records play a huge role in profitability, so naturally, a business with a poor record will do their best to try to hide it (BP's Instagram is a prime example of this), but Greenwashing isn't relegated to a shiny package used to hide past misdeeds.

You Don't Always Get What You Pay For

A Nielsen poll conducted in 2015 determined that 66 percent of consumers would be willing to pay more for sustainable products (and the number jumps considerably for younger consumers). Most of us want to know that the products we're purchasing aren't completely destroying the Earth, which is why so many of us choose to buy from companies we believe to be committed to the environment by producing organic or sustainably made materials.

Most of us are happy enough with packaging and marketing, without digging any further. A prime example of this is bottled water companies. With images of mountain-fed springs and promises of stewardship adorning each bottle, it's easy to be lulled into a sense of making the right choice when reaching for a bottle of water at the market or convenience store. However, if you stop to really think about it, whatever stewardship the business is doing can't make up for the fact that they're producing millions - billions, even - of plastic bottles of regular tap water each year, and only 30 percent of the bottles are likely to be recycled. So you see the conundrum. It's hard to be sustainable in any way when you're a company producing, essentially, garbage. And lots of it. This is why it's so important for us, as consumers, to educate ourselves and make informed choices. We can't be perfect in our purchases, but we can do the work to ensure the companies we're supporting and purchasing from are less shady.

Photo by Nynne Schrøder on Unsplash

How can we do this? By questioning the claims made on products, and researching the items we're considering buying along with the companies themselves. Not all companies participate in Greenwashing, and there are some amazing choices out there when it comes to better-made and more sustainable items. The trick is to do your homework, be skeptical of the claims they make, and do some digging.
What do you think about Greenwashing? Share your experience with us on social by tagging @AvocadoMattress and #AvocadoGreenMagazine!

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The Truth About Greenwashing | Avocado Green® Magazine

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I was recently served a suggested account on Instagram with an image that depicted a gorgeous green forest canopy and an impossibly blue sky above - quite literally the picture of a healthy environment. Tapping on it, I was expecting to find the page of a landscape photographer, or a new sustainable brand, or maybe an environmental group I hadn't heard of.

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Lululemons Empty promises about staying green 

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Lululemons Empty promises about staying green 

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Image credits: Bloomberg.com

If you are reading this, chances are you either own clothing from Lululemon or know someone who does. For the past few years, Lululemon has been posing as a "green" brand to lure in trend-chasing young people. With its glossy ad campaigns featuring influencers, its futuristic looking stores, and its promises of being environmentally and health-conscious, Lululemon has won over the hearts and the minds of its consumers.

The company does not want you to know that behind the closed glass doors of its stores, its business practices are the complete opposite of its ideals. On the surface, Lululemon seems to make healthy living trendy. Upon closer examination, however, it has hidden its abuses of the environment, labor, and its customers under the guise of being "green" for years.

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Lululemon: Hiding Its Abuses Under the Guise of Being "Green"

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If you are reading this, chances are you either own clothing from Lululemon or know someone who does. For the past few years, Lululemon has been posing as a "green" brand to lure in trend-chasing young people.

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Fashion companies use greenwashing to lie to consumers

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Fashion companies use greenwashing to lie to consumers

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Opinion | Fashion companies use greenwashing to lie to consumers

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The environmentally conscious consumer searches for "green" products. It's a sentiment growing within the clothing industry after being a niche market for decades. At the same time, for college students, it can be hard to choose an environmentally friendly piece of clothing while on a budget.

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The Ugly Truth Of Fast Fashion | Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj | Netflix

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The Majestic Plastic Bag - A Mockumentary

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What happens when you throw plastic away!

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What happens when you throw plastic away!

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What really happens to the plastic you throw away - Emma Bryce

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How plastic bags impact the environment.

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How plastic bags impact the environment.

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Here's how plastic bags impact the environment

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Despite being a relatively new material, with widespread usage not occurring until the 1960s, plastic is a ubiquitous part of just about every aspect of our daily lives. But were you aware of just how omnipresent plastic is? I've rounded up 11 surprising household items that contain plastic.

1. Chewing Gum

It's hard to believe, but chewing gum is made of plastic. Manufacturers don't tend to disclose their ingredients because chewing on plastic doesn't sound particularly appealing.

The reason they do not need to disclose exact ingredients in their gum bases is that these are considered trade secrets. Therefore they can use non specific terms such as "gum base", making it hard for consumers to know exactly what's in their chewing gum. What we do know is that most gum bases contain polyethylene, a plastic that's used to make plastic bottles, plastic bags and seal tea bags. Gum bases also tend to contain polyisobutylene - a rubber that's used to make the inner tubes of tyres. Delightful, I'm sure you'll agreed.

Of course, it wasn't always like this. Chewing gum was made without plastic up until around the 1960's, at which point it became more economical to use more synthetic ingredients.

From what I have read I believe that all the main gum brands use plastics and rubbers in their gum production, and I haven't been able to find a single gum that is free from plastic and also comes in plastic free packaging. Instead I found three brands (only available on Amazon) that I believe to be free from plastic but come in plastic packaging: Chicza, Spry and XyliChew if giving up gum isn't for you.

2, Clothing

Clothing is the one area that gives me the biggest headache. All clothing made from man-made fibres, such as microfibre fleeces, polyester, acrylic, and nylons are made from plastic. And every time you wash those items of clothing, microplastics are released into our waterways, as the fabric sheds in the wash.

There are some solutions - when you buy new clothes try to purchase clothing made from natural fibres over synthetic fibres. I wouldn't recommend purging your wardrobe of man-made materials though - donating clothes to charity doesn't help the microplastic problem as the person buying the clothes will wash and wear the clothes, and I would never advocate binning perfectly good clothes. Instead you could wash them in some of the new products coming out, such as Guppyfriend which acts as a microplastic filter until your clothes reach the end of their lifespan.

3. Disposable Coffee Cups

Disposable coffee cups have been in the news a lot recently, so I guess it's not such a hidden plastic as such, but I thought it is worth bringing to your attention again in case you missed the news.

If you did miss the news, disposable coffee cups are lined with plastic, which makes it difficult to recycle them. A 25p 'latte levy' is currently being proposed - a tax on consumers - in a bid to encourage people to use reusable coffee cups.

Looking for an alternative? KeepCup sell a snazzy glass reusable coffee cup with a cork ring to stop you burning your hands.

4. Drink Cans

Think a drinks can is just made of aluminium? Well, it turns out that every single drinks can on the market is lined with a plastic resin, usually epoxy, to stop the drink contained within corroding the aluminium. Wired reports in a rather oddly fascinating article that " without that [expoxy] shield, a can of Coke would corrode in three days ".

Roughly 80% of that epoxy is bisphenol-A, or BPA for short. BPA has been associated with a myriad of negative health implications. And interestingly, that same Wired article I quoted above goes on to note that Frederick vom Saal, a respected biologist who leads research into the effects of BPA on our endocrine systems, won't buy canned foods or beverages, and won't allow polycarbonate plastics in his home.

5. Glass Jars with Lids

Think glass jars are a great plastic free solution? Well, I hate to be a bearer of bad news, but whilst glass jars themselves don't contain plastic, the lids of glass jars contain a layer of plastic on them.

Yup, almost all jar lids are lined with plastisol, a PVC product. The purpose of the plastisol is to produce a vacuum seal, and also to help the lid resist corrosion from acidic ingredients. Good for food storage, not great if you're looking to give plastic the heave-ho.

Jar lids are recyclable by most Local Authorities, so you can pop them in your recycling bin. Alternatively, save up your jars and lids to make preserves (I have this book, which I love) to avoid having to recycle the lids (recycling is very resource intensive). If preserving isn't your thing then you could save up your jars and list them for free on Freecycle, Gumtree or similar - they will be snapped up by local jam and chutney makers!

6. Glitter

More surprising news it that glitter is in fact a microplastic. When will the bad news stop, I ask you?! As well as glitter for cosmetic and craft purposes, consider glittery greetings cards, present labels and wrapping paper as sources of microplastic. These products can't be recycled so why not make 2018 the year you give up glitter? If living in a world without glitter is too big an ask, fear not, all is not lost! I have sourced some eco friendly alternatives to glitter for you.

7. PLAs and Corn-Based Biodegradable Packaging

Polylactic Acid (PLA) is a type of plastic made from corn. While this makes it fossil fuel free, it's very much still a plastic. It's sold as a greener alternative to conventional plastic, and it's widely touted to be biodegradable. But there are some problems.

I've written in length about the problems with biodegradable plastics if you fancy a longer read, but if you just need a quick summary then here goes. PLAs can be difficult to recycle, and many local authorities cannot recycle them. Biodegradable is not the same as compostable, so you can't compost them at home. PLA plastics will only biodegrade in commercial composters where temperatures are consistently high. Sending them to landfill isn't a good option either - PLAs won't break down in landfill, where waste is mummified in anaerobic conditions.

The lesson here is that some so called green alternatives to plastic sadly aren't as green as they make out.

8. Produce Stickers

Remembered to take a produce bag to the shop with you to stock up on fruit and veg? Great work! Sadly, however, your grocery shopping isn't as plastic free as you would have hoped - those stickers stuck to each and every single piece of produce is a plastic. This can be difficult to avoid, but the good news (finally!) is that retailers are researching replacing plastic labels with laser marking.

9. Tea Bags

I've written at length about plastic in tea bags, but in case you need a short summary pretty much all tea bags are heat sealed using polyethylene, a plastic that will not break down in your compost heap. There are some plastic free teas available but they all come in plastic packaging. As an alternative I'd suggest switching to loose leaf tea. I'm still on the hunt for a good decaff loose leaf tea so if you come across one do let me know!

10. Tetra Paks

Tetra Paks are the cartons that you commonly buy milk, juice and chopped tomatoes in. Many people believe Tetra Paks to be waxed cardboard, but when you look a little deeper the Tetra Pak website states that cartons are made from wood in the form of paperboard, as well as thin layers of aluminium and polyethylene plastic. The most common Tetra Pak carton is 74% paper, 22% polyethylene and 4% aluminium.

While Tetra Pak cartons state that they are recyclable, because of these thin layers of aluminium and plastic, which are difficult to separate, then they are not easily recyclable at every recycling plant.

According to the Tetra Pak website there is only one dedicated carton recycling facility in the UK, in Halifax, so whether or not your Tetra Paks get recycled or not depends on if your Local Authority sends collected Tetra Paks to this facility in Halifax. Tetra Pak have not disclosed how many Local Authorities send their Tetra Paks their for recycling, simply stating that " many Local Authorities are already using [the recycling facility] and [we] would like to get many more on board ".

Looking for an alternative to tetra paks? Some dairies will deliver milk in glass bottles. You may have to ring around a few different dairies but there are a few out there.

11. Tin/Aluminium Cans

Much like drinks cans, tin and aluminium cans are lined with plastic. Indeed, the Independent reported in 2010 that the majority of food cans in the UK have been lined with a plastic coating containing bisphenol A (BPA). The coating prevents acids and other substances from corroding the tin or aluminium of the can, but leaching of BPA into the can's contents could be a potential health hazard.

Looking for an alternative? Buy dried pulses instead of tinned pulses, and get into the habit of soaking them overnight before use. Tricky, I know!

I appreciate all of this information may be a little shocking and perhaps a tad overwhelming. I'm not sharing this to overwhelm but to help share this information because I believe that the more we know, the more informed choices we can make. And the more we know, the more we can lobby manufacturers and retailers to provide better packaging solutions and to avoid the use of unnecessary plastic. For example, here's a petition you can sign to lobby supermarkets to stop selling raw fruit and vegetables in plastic packaging.

Have you found any more surprising sources of plastic? Do let me know in the comments below.

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11 Surprising Items That Contain Plastic | Moral Fibres - UK Eco Green Blog

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Despite being a relatively new material, with widespread usage not occurring until the 1960s, plastic is a ubiquitous part of just about every aspect of our daily lives. But were you aware of just how omnipresent plastic is? I've rounded up 11 surprising household items that contain plastic. 1.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSkCHXQTY_s

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A catalyst for change | Jordyn de Boer | TEDxHelensvaleLibrary

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We reported yesterday that Iceland is to become the first major UK supermarket to sell plastic-free chewing gum.

An amazing development, but a headscratcher nonetheless. Have we been chewing on plastic this whole time?

Iceland commissioned a study before making their product, and we're not alone; 85% of the 2,000 people surveyed had no idea there was plastic in chewing gum.

The thing that makes it gummy is the gum base. Although in the past this was made using natural ingredients such a chicle (which is extracted from a tree like sap) scientists found ways to adapt the recipe and use easier to find things.

Those things can be any combination of the following (these are the USA FDA approved gum base ingredients):

Butadiene-styrene rubber

Isobutylene-isoprene copolymer (butyl rubber)

Paraffin (via the Fischer-Tropsch process)

Petroleum wax

Petroleum wax synthetic

Polyethylene

Polyvinyl acetate

Without the jargon, they're plastics, rubbers, and waxes.

Polyethylene is used in plastic bags and children's toys while polyvinyl acetate is one of the ingredients in the PVA glue you know so well from your school days.

Manufacturers don't have to disclose which of the above products they use and in which quantities (it will usually just be listed as gum base) so there's no way to tell which you're ingesting.

Although it's a myth that swallowed gum stays in your system for ten years, the body can't digest these polymers and elastomers, so if you do swallow it it'll come out of your body virtually the same way it went in.

Aside from this, though, there are environmental concerns.

UK authorities spend an estimated £60 million removing gum from our streets each year, and it's not clear where it all goes, but it's not water-soluble so doesn't break down.

That's why companies like Simply Gum (who manufacture the new Iceland product) decided to offer an alternative that's biodegradable.

Other plastic-free brands are also available, such as Peppersmith, Chicza, and Glee Gum.

MORE : Dad used pair of iPhone earphones to deliver baby

MORE : A new campaign is calling for better treatment of chickens in the food industry

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Did you know most chewing gum contains plastic?

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We reported yesterday that Iceland is to become the first major UK supermarket to sell plastic-free chewing gum. An amazing development, but a headscratcher nonetheless. Have we been chewing on plastic this whole time? Iceland commissioned a study before making their product, and we're not alone; 85% of the 2,000 people surveyed had no idea there was plastic in chewing gum.

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Boomerang Bags is about connecting communities, making bags, diverting waste, starting conversations, fostering sustainable behaviour, and having a bit of fun!

You and your local community can be involved in any or all of this process. Find your nearest community to volunteer or donate materials, or start your own boomerang bags community!

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Boomerang Bags is about connecting communities, making bags, diverting waste, starting conversations, fostering sustainable behaviour, and having a bit of fun! You and your local community can be involved in any or all of this process. Find your nearest community to volunteer or donate materials, or start your own boomerang bags community!

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The plastic beads that exist in many toothpastes, face washes, and body scrubs are approved by regulators, but dentists are growing increasingly concerned about their effects on gum health.

Though the Food and Drug Administration has deemed them safe, they don't disintegrate, making them a potential dental hazard. Dentists are speaking out against the safety of these beads, claiming that they get stuck in the crevices of the teeth and trap bacteria close to the gums, which can escalate to gingivitis and eventually periodontal disease. These beads are found in many Crest products, including Crest 3D White and Crest Pro Health.

Crest responded to these concerns by stating that it had already begun the process of removing the beads from its products, and that they'll be fully phased out by March 2016.

Although many dentists have expressed concern about the beads, the American Dental Association does not condemn these products as unsafe for the public, stating, "...At this time, clinically relevant dental health studies do not indicate that the Seal should be removed from toothpastes that contain polyethylene microbeads," earlier last week.
10 Habits You'll Pay for In 10 Years >>> Health Q & A: Do I Really Need Toothpaste? >>> Ask Men's Fitness: What's the Best Way to Fight Wrinkles Now? >>>
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!

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The plastic beads that exist in many toothpastes, face washes, and body scrubs are approved by regulators, but dentists are growing increasingly concerned about their effects on gum health. Though the Food and Drug Administration has deemed them safe, they don't disintegrate, making them a potential dental hazard.

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Last updated on By Green Child Magazine
This post was originally published in June 2018 and updated April 2021.
You'd probably be surprised to learn that most tea bags contain up to 25% plastic. In fact, we didn't know about plastic in tea bags until we watched a viral BBC video about tea production in 2017.

Canadian researchers published a study in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Environmental Science and Technology which found that steeping a single plastic tea bag at brewing temperature releases about 11.6 billion minuscule particles known as "microplastics" and 3.1 billion "nanoplastics" into each cup ( source).

"We think that it is a lot when compared to other foods that contain microplastics," Nathalie Tufenkji of McGill University in Quebec, told The New Scientist. "Table salt, which has a relatively high microplastic content, has been reported to contain approximately 0.005 micrograms plastic per gram salt. A cup of tea contains thousands of times greater mass of plastic, at 16 micrograms per cup."

A spot of tea... and some plastic?

When you look at a tea bag, plastic usually isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Yet about a quarter of each tea bag (from most brands) is comprised of this substance. You can watch how tea bags made ( see it here) to see how plastic is incorporated.

WAIT - WHY IS PLASTIC IN TEA BAGS?

It may be hard to believe, but most brands of bagged tea contain plastic. With millions upon millions of cups consumed daily, this adds up to a lot of plastic.

So why is plastic in tea bags to begin with?

In order for the tea bags to seal up and keep their shape in hot liquid, a plastic polymer, namely polypropylene, must be added. Even though the amounts of plastic found in tea bags is minimal - and vary between manufacturers - it adds up to quite a bit when you look at the big picture.

Due to the plastic content, conventional tea bags cannot completely decompose. This makes them a bad option for compost material and the environment... not to mention your body!

Like most plastics, polypropylene is known to adversely affect the body's endocrine system ( source). And as we've covered many times, endocrine disruptors can lead to a plethora of health issues and other maladies that can become chronic conditions ( source).

One would think making the switch to plastic-free tea bags would be easy, but many tea manufacturers protest that non-plastic bags would be too costly to implement.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF TEA

The rich antioxidants (also called polyphenols) in green tea are extremely beneficial to the heart and brain. Tea is known to alleviate acne, bad breath, colds, stress, and prevent eye diseases like glaucoma. Although too much caffeinated tea can lead to a lack of sleep, just the right amount before bedtime is one of the many therapies that are recommended to put an end to raucous snores, leading to better overall sleep as well.

The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that, "Polyphenols contained in teas are classified as catechins. Green tea contains six primary catechin compounds: catechin, gallaogatechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and apigallocatechin gallate (also known as EGCG). EGCG is the most studied polyphenol component in green tea and the most active."

"Green tea also contains alkaloids including caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. They provide green tea's stimulant effects. L-theanine, an amino acid compound found in green tea, has been studied for its calming effects on the nervous system."

Although the bigger tea bag manufacturers seem hesitant to make the switch to plastic-free bags, you don't have to wait to start drinking tea the safer and eco-friendly way.

If you've used bagged tea because you thought loose leaf was too much trouble, you're in for a pleasant surprise. Organic loose leaf tea can be made just as conveniently and it's typically more flavorful because the tea leaves haven't been ground to dust to fit into a tiny plastic-riddled tea bag!

Many organic loose leaf tea brands come in easy to store tins or eco-friendly packaging.

Loose leaf tea is a more economical choice since they are priced by weight while tea bags are priced per bag. You can also reuse loose leaf tea to make a second cup to cut expenses and waste. You can buy loose leaf tea in bulk. This involves as little waste and plastic contamination as possible, but loose leaf tea can also be purchased in cans or boxes if bulk is not an option for you.

HOW TO BREW LOOSE LEAF TEA WITHOUT PLASTIC

There are plenty of simple ways to avoid plastic tea bags. One way that probably doesn't require any new kitchen purchases on your part is to boil water on the stove top and pour it into a mug of loose leaf tea. If you don't want to drink tea leaves, strain it with a stainless steel strainer or a piece of cheese cloth you can wash and reuse.

A stainless steel tea infuser eliminates plastic contamination and the need for straining. Pour hot water into a tea mug and steep with loose leaf tea in the infuser for 3 to 5 minutes.

This electric kettle makes heating water extremely fast and easy.

This glass tea kettle comes with a stainless steel infuser. We add filtered water, turn on the gas stove, and add two teaspoons of loose leaf tea to the infuser as the water is heating. The process takes about 7 minutes from start to simmering in your favorite mug.

For Keurig users - Instead of buying single-use pods (10 billion of them end up in landfills each year) to brew tea in your Keurig, get a s tainless steel refillable pod to use again and again. Simply scoop about two teaspoons of loose leaf tea (or coffee) into the pod and use your Keurig as usual. One of the Green Child team members used the same stainless cup for 8 years and it's still in perfect condition.

CHOOSE BRANDS THAT DON'T USE PLASTIC IN THEIR TEA BAGS

If you just really love brewing bagged tea, look for brands that don't use plastic in their teabags. It's hard to find a published list anywhere, but from the outreach we've done, here are some brands that have confirmed they do not use plastic in their string-and-tag teabags:

Numi Organic Tea - "We've been concerned about the potential health risks of steeping chemicals in hot water since day one. We use biodegradable, unbleached Manila hemp fiber for our tea bags. They are Non-GMO verified and will degrade over time in a normal compost heap." - Ahmed Rahim, CEO and co-founder of Numi Organic Tea.

Republic of Tea - "Teabags from The Republic of Tea come in our signature unbleached round paper teabags with no unnecessary strings, tags, or staples - the same way we have been making great tasting tea bags for over 27 years. The Republic of Tea does not make nylon or silken tea bags."

Clipper Tea - They announced on their website in 2018, "We are so proud to have launched the world's first plastic-free, unbleached and non-GM pillow tea bags."

Pukka Herb teas - Their website states: "We use a simple stitch of organic cotton and a unique folding process. This means we don't need to use polypropylene to hold our teabags together and our teabags are free from plastic. We were the first company to ever use organic strings to hold our teabags together without the need of a metal staple or polypropylene."

Yorkshire Tea - This is a new addition! Here's their statement on transitioning to plastic free tea bags from October 2019.
Nature's Cuppa
Tielka - In 2017, Tielka started packaging their Fair Trade teas in a plant-based tea bag fabric that comes from a sustainable, bio-renewable source. Tielka tea bags are also industrially compostable.

You can also grow tea leaves yourself. Some of the herbs used to make tea are fairly easy to care for, and knowing where your tea leaves are coming from can give you that extra sense that what you're drinking is healthy.

You can skip the brewing process altogether with Pique Tea crystals (find them at Pique's website or on Amazon). Mix them in either cold or hot water - and watch them dissolve with no tea bag required - for a delicious tea that is loaded with beneficial polyphenols.

Their unique teas are composed of supercharged 100% organic tea crystals, which are Cold Brew Crystallized, meaning they deliver maximum antioxidant capacity - 6x the antioxidants of tea bags and 20x the antioxidants of bottled tea. Plus you'll find no preservatives, sugar, or additives in these little packets.

Some of our favorites are the Organic Jasmine Green Tea, White Peony, Organic Earl Grey, and we're totally loving this huge selection of their Herbal Gut Health Accelerator Bundle.
Get 5% off your first Pique Tea order with code GREENCHILD.
Tea crystals from Pique are concentrated and deliver 12X the antioxidants of other teas. Plus they are triple toxin screened for pesticides, heavy metals and mold so it's safe to drink every day. They also screen their teas for pesticides, heavy metals, and mycotoxins (toxic mold).

There are plenty of options that can give you the tea you love while also protecting the environment and your health. That way you can enjoy the numerous health benefits of tea without any of the side effects of plastic.

You might also enjoy these articles:
The problem with single-use plastic and how you can avoid it
The health benefits of matcha tea
The 15 most important steps to go green

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There's probably plastic in your tea bag. Here's how to avoid it.

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Last updated on By Green Child Magazine This post was originally published in June 2018 and updated April 2021. You'd probably be surprised to learn that most tea bags contain up to 25% plastic. In fact, we didn't know about plastic in tea bags until we watched a viral BBC video about tea production in 2017.

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You eat thousands of bits of plastic every year

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You eat thousands of bits of plastic every year

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There are microplastics in the things we ingest including water and food. People who meet their recommended water intake through tap water ingest an additional 4,000 plastic particles annually, while those who drink only bottled water ingest an additional 90,000, the study found.

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The average person eats thousands of plastic particles every year, study finds

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Though abundant in water, air, and common foods, it's unclear how it might affect our health.

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Aboriginal people of Australia are part of the oldest continuous living culture in history. Aboriginal people have a rich custom, lore and value system based on the sustainability of their spiritual connection, belonging, obligation and responsibility to care for the land, the people and the environment.

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Map for the Boomerang Bag communities around the world

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Map for the Boomerang Bag communities around the world

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Aboriginal people of Australia are part of the oldest continuous living culture in history. Aboriginal people have a rich custom, lore and value system based on the sustainability of their spiritual connection, belonging, obligation and responsibility to care for the land, the people and the environment.

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Boomerang bags in the UK

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One Surrey high street is leading the way in the war against plastic bags with free fabric totes says Emma Pritchard
Visit the George & Dragon in Thames Ditton on a Tuesday morning and, instead of hearty pub fare, fresh ale and family gatherings, you'll find neatly stacked rectangles of colourful fabric, mugs of tea and a gang of crafters who are leading the battle against plastic bags here in the UK. Led by lifelong crafter Jenny Avon, the group have been making and distributing free fabric tote bags to shoppers on the Thames Ditton High Street for the past year. They are the first UK arm of the global organisation Boomerang Bags, which was established in 2013 to create sustainable alternatives to plastic bags.

"I've always been interested in the environment and aware that plastic bags are an enormous issue," Avon says.

So, when she was offered a sizeable collection of fabric swatches - too many than she could find use for - Avon went online to see if there were any initiatives in the UK that might benefit.

"That's when I came across Boomerang Bags," she says. "Their idea is simple - instead of giving out plastic bags, customers are offered a reusable bag, made from second-hand fabric, so saving both plastic and fabric from landfill. Originally, the bag was supposed to be returned when the customer had finished with it. Here in Thames Ditton, we don't request that; we simply ask that the bag gets used again and again. For every one of our bags that is used repeatedly, 700 plastic bags are saved from landfill. That figure quickly adds up."

Indeed, since the launch of Boomerang Bags in Thames Ditton in April 2017 more than 500 bags have been handed out - and, more importantly, reused. "The first time I saw someone in the street with one of our bags, I couldn't help but thank them; it may not seem like much, but using a fabric tote really does make a difference."

It's a message that Avon is keen to share by encouraging members of the community, local schools and other groups to assist with the making of the bags.

"At first a small number of us made all of the bags ourselves," says Avon. "But we soon couldn't meet with demand. Fortunately, the public have been very supportive of the initiative and we now have around 20 additional volunteers." More are always needed though, which is why much of Avon and her team's time is spent creating bag-making kits, which contain all the materials and instructions needed to produce five bags. "It only takes 30 minutes to make a bag," says Avon. "But we appreciate that time is precious. These kits can be made up in your own time - some of our volunteers make five bags a week; others do one a month. The point is that every single bag matters."

Bag kits can be collected from and returned to the library, the train station coffee shop and the George & Dragon. Once received, each one is numbered before being delivered to shops along the High Street. "Many people say they'd like to be involved, but can't sew," says Avon. "But these bags are incredibly simple to make, you just need to be able to sew in a straight-ish line."

From the original boxes of swatches, Avon now relies on fabric donations such as old tablecloths, curtains and clothes from the community. "Only second-hand material can be used for Boomerang Bags," says Avon. "It can't be bought especially."

Inspired by the success of Boomerang Bags in Thames Ditton, towns such as Totnes, Devon and Newquay, Cornwall have since established their own groups, with more contacting Avon for advice all the time. "I feel really proud to think that we're encouraging others to do their bit for the environment," says Avon. "It's nice to be part of a worldwide movement. Thames Ditton is a small village that often gets overlooked but our bags have put us on the map - globally."

Boomerang Bags Thames Ditton meet every Tuesday at 9.30am at the George & Dragon; kits are available from the Thames Ditton library, railway station coffee shop and the George & Dragon; fabric donations can be left at The Ironing Board.

For more information and to get in touch, visit boomerangbags.org

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One Surrey high street is leading the way in the war against plastic bags with free fabric totes says Emma Pritchard Visit the George & Dragon in Thames Ditton on a Tuesday morning and, instead of hearty pub fare, fresh ale and family gatherings, you'll find neatly stacked rectangles of colourful fabric, mugs of tea and a gang of crafters who are leading the battle against plastic bags here in the UK.

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Research about the current situation of plastics usage in Singapore

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Singapore goes through 1.76 billion plastic items a year, recycles less than 20%

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Consumers here take 820 million plastic bags yearly from supermarkets - of which two-thirds were used for the disposal of waste, a survey by the Singapore Environment Council found. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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https://iswitch.com.sg/waste-management-in-singapore/

930 million kg of plastic waste
landfills
burning it for power, ash then put in landfill
covid restrictions

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What Impact did the Covid 19 Circuit Breaker Have On Plastic Use in Singapore

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What Impact did the Covid 19 Circuit Breaker Have On Plastic Use in Singapore

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This article by todayonline discusses how the circuit breaker we had last year affected the amount of plastic use and consumption in Singapore.

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Singapore households generated additional 1,334 tonnes of plastic waste during circuit breaker: Study

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An extra 1,334 tonnes of plastic waste, equivalent to the weight of 92 double-decker buses, was generated from takeaway and delivery meals during the two-month circuit breaker period of stay-home curbs, a survey has found.

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Article summarising plastic consumption and recycling in Singapore using statistics from 2019

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In 2022, about 7.39 million tonnes of solid waste were generated, of which 4.19 million tonnes were recycled. Waste generated by the non-domestic and domestic sectors both increased compared to 2021 - from 5.12 million tonnes and 1.82 million tonnes respectively in 2021, to 5.53 million tonnes and 1.86 million tonnes respectively in 2022.

The overall recycling rate increased to 57 per cent, largely due to the increased amounts of Construction & Demolition waste as a result of more demolition projects. The recycling rates of Paper/Cardboard and Textile/Leather waste dropped, as the amount exported for recycling dropped due to high freight costs compared to pre-COVID-19 levels. The recycling rate of Glass waste increased from 13 per cent to 14 percent, while the recycling rate for Ash & Sludge waste increased from 9 per cent to 11 per cent. The recycling rate of Wood waste was also lower as the amount of Wood waste disposed of increased, reflecting the continued recovery in construction and other industrial activities.

The non-domestic recycling rate increased by 2 per cent to 72 per cent, while the domestic recycling rate decreased by 1 per cent to 12 per cent. The decrease in the domestic recycling rate was largely due the drop in Paper/Cardboard and Textile/Leather waste recycled as lower quantities were exported for recycling.

2022 Waste Statistics and Overall Recycling Table Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand tonnes and percentage point.
The recycling rate for the "Others" category is not meaningful as it is an aggregation of miscellaneous waste types that are managed and recycled differently.
Metal recovered from incineration bottom ash for recycling is excluded from waste disposed of.
Wood and horticultural wastes recycled include 414,000 tonnes sent to facilities (e.g. biomass power plants and Sembcorp Energy from Waste plant) for use as fuel.
The overall recycling rate increased to 57% in 2022, largely due to the increased amounts of Construction & Demolition waste generated as a result of more demolition projects.

Please refer to the document Waste and Recycling Statistics for the waste and recycling statistics from 2017 to 2021.

Please refer to this website Statistics on the Environment for more statistics, reports and publications (e.g. Key Environmental Statistics).

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In 2022, about 7.39 million tonnes of solid waste were generated, of which 4.19 million tonnes were recycled. Waste generated by the non-domestic and domestic sectors both increased compared to 2021 - from 5.12 million tonnes and 1.82 million tonnes respectively in 2021, to 5.53 million tonnes and 1.86 million tonnes respectively in 2022.

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Could more be done to reduce plastic packaging waste in Singapore's supermarkets?

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Could more be done to reduce plastic packaging waste in Singapore's supermarkets?

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This article is about how easily we
can find a lot of single use plastic in Singapore supermarkets, and what we can do to help reduce plastic packaging being used in the supermarkets.

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(Updated: )
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SINGAPORE: A stroll around most supermarkets reveals how important plastic seems to be in the sale of fresh food.

Fruit and vegetables are often wrapped in plastic while meat and fish usually comes in a tray encased in clingwrap. There are also usually plenty of plastic bags on hand for those loose items that shoppers select before they're weighed and priced.

Such scenes are repeated at supermarkets around the world.

But questions are starting to be raised about whether more should be done to reduce the reliance of supermarkets on plastic packaging, as the debate extends beyond cutting down on plastic shopping bags.

For instance, Sainsbury's in the UK recently announced that they will be trialing plastic packaging-free fruit and vegetable aisles in their grocery stores. Two superstores will give customers the option of bringing their own containers or buying a reusable drawstring bag for loose produce.

But experts and industry players think a similar move in Singapore is unlikely.

Professor of environmental economics at Nanyang Technological University Euston Quah believes eliminating plastic packaging completely in supermarkets is not practical and could cause problems elsewhere. "Paper for wrapping can tear easily and hygiene could be compromised.

"Bringing your own bags can also result in contamination, especially when people do not wash their bags often, which is also at the expense of water resources."

Mr Jonas Kor, director of corporate communications and brand at NTUC FairPrice, told CNA that while the brand remains committed to environmental sustainability, food safety and quality remains a priority.

"To reduce damage and minimise cross-contamination particularly for fresh produce, we use a variety of packaging including cling wrap, foam nets and trays and bags, depending on each type of fruit and vegetable."

He cited white radish, corn and leafy vegetables as some examples of fresh produce that is typically pre-packaged by suppliers to protect them from damage while in transit, noting that this reduces food waste.

"Nonetheless, where possible, we sell produce 'loose', such as hardier fruits like oranges, apples and avocados."

MP for Nee Soon GRC Louis Ng told CNA that he agrees that there is a hygiene concern in eliminating plastic packaging or plastic bags for fresh produce.

"Unlike a lot of other countries where it's more temperate, when you bring meat out here, it defrosts and gets a bit sticky in the bag. Same goes for vegetables. I do think we can draw the line there."

Mr Ng, who called for a surcharge on all single-use bags, except those used for fresh produce, in an adjournment motion in Parliament in October last year, thinks Singapore cannot go completely plastic bag-free, especially for those who stay in HDB estates and use plastic bags to dispose of their waste.

"Unlike other countries where they might not need it, in Singapore, if you don't use it, that creates a real hygiene concern in our public estates.

Singapore uses about 1.76 billion plastic items each year, according to the Singapore Environment Council's position paper published in 2018. This includes 820 million plastic bags from supermarkets, 467 million PET bottles and 473 million plastic disposable items.

According to NEA, packaging waste, including plastics, make up about one-third of domestic waste disposed of in Singapore.
REDUCING EXCESSIVE PACKAGING
Dairy Farm Group, which manages supermarkets Cold Storage and Giant, said it is "constantly looking at ways to reduce single-use plastic waste", and is working with local government agencies and packaging industry groups to find long-term solutions.

Manager of Zero Waste SG Pek Hai Lin said: "We are aware that most foods are imported and packaging can increase the shelf-life of certain food types, but we can reduce excessive packaging of certain items.

"Supermarkets might have more information on how much packaging is needed to increase shelf life of food."

Nonetheless, environmental expert and founder of Plastic-Lite Singapore Aarti Giri thinks local supermarket chains could do more to reduce plastic packaging on fresh produce.

"Better differentiation needs to be made between minimally packaging delicate produce and more robust ones like capsicums and bananas," she said.

By 2020, businesses will have to report the type and amount of packaging they put into the market to the NEA, and outline their plans for reducing it. This applies to brand owners, manufacturers, importers of packaging and packaged goods, as well as supermarkets with an annual turnover of more than $10 million.

Ms Giri urged local supermarkets to adopt packaging-free aisles for fresh produce and pass on the cost savings from the packaging reduction to consumers, to encourage them towards packaging-free produce.

She outlined two other solutions - alternative biodegradable packaging materials such as banana leaves or bio-plastics, and working closely with suppliers to reduce retail-level packaging.

MORE CIVIC MINDEDNESS NEEDED
Mr Kor said FairPrice works closely with its suppliers to maintain the quality of its produce while avoiding excessive packaging when transporting and retailing these products.

In the past year, several smaller, zero-waste grocery shops like Unpackt and Reprovisions have opened across the island, where customers bring their own containers for a wide variety of groceries. But founders say even they foresee problems in selling packaging-free fresh produce.

Founder of Unpackt Ms Florence Tay said while the initiative may be good for the environment, it may create another set of problems such as food waste.

She ran a short trial selling fresh produce at Unpackt, located in Jalan Kurau, but found that shoppers lacked "civic mindedness" and "were more keen to play with the fresh produce".

"Some shoppers are not considerate and may poke and rummage through the produce," adding that large chain supermarkets would have to employ more manpower to man the packaging-free aisles.

Co-founder of Reprovisions Mr Allann Tay agreed that customers are likely to abuse packaging-free fresh produce, because Singaporeans tend to try and pick the nicer looking fruits and vegetables, which may damage others lost in the shuffle.

The store, located in Jurong Point, sells mostly dried foods that are easy to store in bulk. Mr Tay said they have yet to bring in fresh produce due to space constraints, but are looking at a second, bigger location that can provide more product
THE COST OF CONVENIENCE
Mr Tay also pointed out that most of the products sold in supermarkets are packaged by suppliers or manufacturers, making it less practical for supermarkets to enforce packaging-free standards. "There isn't much brand differentiation once there is no packaging. Supermarkets cater to people who want the branding and packaging, whereas shops like us caters to those who can do without it."

Prof Quah believes there would be backlash if such measures are implemented because there are "no clear alternatives" to plastic bags and packaging.

He added that most Singaporeans still value plastic packaging and plastic bags for their convenience and multiple uses, and supermarkets must establish "a clear return" for reducing plastic use.

"Supermarkets must offer clear incentives to entice consumers to behave accordingly. There must be a connection that consumers can see, that their efforts are translated to gains other than environmental gains.

"Worse still, consumers might perceive environmental gains coming at their expense, along with cost-savings and higher profits for the supermarkets."
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS STILL GROWING
Instead of cutting out packaging entirely, supermarkets can instead look at where packaging can be reduced, he said. For example, discouraging the purchase of individually packed items.

Despite their troubles, zero-waste grocery stores remain positive that Singaporeans are making the shift towards bringing their own bags.

Mr Tay said customer feedback at Reprovisions has been positive.

"We encounter people who are quite open to the concept once they know they are doing something good for the environment and future generations."

Zero-waste grocery stores are not a new concept, said Ms Tay, who opened Unpackt in May last year.

"We have shopping alternatives in traditional provision stores that still sell food in bulk. The local wet markets are also a good place to look for packaging-free fresh produce."

Ms Tay noted that shopping package-free takes a lot of discipline and mindfulness.

"Most people are already conscious of the environmental issues. They just need a few more nudges to action."

However, Ms Giri said while most consumers are aware of the detrimental effects of plastic pollution, not all see the urgency in choosing sustainable options.

"The resistance from shoppers should not be taken as an excuse to prolong a problem. That would be very short-sighted of us and at the expense of the health of our future generations and our biodiversity.

"The urgency to address climate change and enforce mitigating solutions is much akin to that of controlling an on-going infectious epidemic. Efforts need to be relentless and continuous."

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Could more be done to reduce plastic packaging waste in Singapore's supermarkets?

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(Updated: ) Share this content SINGAPORE: A stroll around most supermarkets reveals how important plastic seems to be in the sale of fresh food. Fruit and vegetables are often wrapped in plastic while meat and fish usually comes in a tray encased in clingwrap.

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The Monstrous Scale of Plastic Bag Waste In Singapore 

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The Monstrous Scale of Plastic Bag Waste In Singapore 

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This article is about the amount of consumption that singaporeans consume and how much of this is going to waste. Last year, 94% of plastic waste was not recycled, causing environmental inssues

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Last year, 94 per cent of plastic waste was not recycled, and plastic bags are estimated to constitute around a fifth of this.

But even most of the bags sent for recycling are typically discarded. For example, shredding and recycling company Impetus Conceptus ends up recycling about 30 to 40 per cent of the bags it receives because the rest would be contaminated.

"Food contamination, oil contamination, stuff like that," said its business development director Thomas Wong.

"Once it's contaminated, we're not able to do anything else because it deteriorates the quality of the pellets."

He advises those who want to recycle plastic bags to fold them in old clothing, books or glass containers, which can all be put in the blue recycling bin at every public apartment block and, from August, every condominium block.

Most of all, he urged: "Don't ask for a plastic bag. Bring your own bag."
WATCH: Why the waste adds up (2:30)

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The monstrous scale of plastic bag wastage in Singapore

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Do Singaporeans know the extent of the resources needed to fuel their plastic bag usage, and the amount of bags that is wasted? Talking Point explores the issue.

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The WWF highlights the problem of plastic waste in Singapore, much of this waste ends up in oceans. Very little of this is recycled. The WWF has a vision to eliminate  leakage of plastic into the environment by 2030. In Singapore they are working with partnerships

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WWF Singapore | Towards a plastic-lite Singapore

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Plastic pollution is at crisis levels Waste management services are struggling to cope with huge amounts of plastic waste. To stem this tide, WWF-Singapore is collaborating with multiple stakeholders to reduce waste and move towards a circular economy. Consumers can make informed and sustainable choices about their plastic output by following our work.