Waste Only - How The Plastics Industry Is Fighting To Keep Polluting The World

[lordsummerisle]

theintercept.com

Very lengthy analysis of what's going on in plastics recycling.

https://theintercept.com/2019/07/20/plastics-industry-plastic-recycling/?utm_source=The+Intercept+Newsletter&utm_campaign=a3b208ffd7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_07_20_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e00a5122d3-a3b208ffd7-132108757

[Kilgore]

1. Ok, so what do I do?

I'm about to go to the grocery. On my list is..

Gallon of milk
Rice
Pasta
Hamburger
Cheese
Tonic water
Gin

With the exception of the Gin, every item is packaged in plastic. I have no alternative. If there was one, I would choose it.

[lordsummerisle]

2. What I got from that article

is that at this point individual actions won't really matter much if at all. To solve the plastic problem we need to phase it out of production altogether rather than just tinkering with ways of disposing of it...

[ret5hd]

3. My take on your list:

The milk I buy comes in a kind of paper/wax-like container, but then has a small plastic spout
the rice i get comes in a burlap(?) bag
the pasta I get comes in a mostly paper container with a plastic "window"
the hamburger i get comes wrapped in butcher paper
the cheese i get comes in wax and/or paper
the tonic water comes in glass or aluminum
my gin comes from a porcelain bathtub

[Kilgore]

4. Just got back from the grocery

Milk only comes in plastic jugs. Only wax paper option is the small (half pint?) container which is not practical for a family.

Rice only available in plastic bags. No burlap in sight.

You nailed the pasta container.

No paper options for meats at our store. No butcher.

No wax or paper options for the cheese.

Tonic water only comes in 1 or 2 liter plastic.

YES onthe gin!!!!!-

My point is there really is no option but plastic in many cases. There may be other realities in bigger towns, but not so much in others. The answer really is at a higher level. Im thinking of the grocery of my youth with glass bottles, butcher paper, and paper packaging.

[kat3rinamarquez]

5. This needs to be address on how we can minimize the use of plastics

In the Philippines, if you go to your nearest Supermarket almost 90% of the goods and household stuff are packed with plastic. There are just only few that are packed with wax paper like pastured milk, cheese, and whatnot. If this continues we will be having difficulties in reducing plastic pollution not just where you from but the entire world.