Plastic was groundbreaking when it was invented a century ago. I remember my mother having Tupperware parties in the 1960s to show off and sell the new cutting-edge reusable food storage system. Now, less than 100 years later, we are seeing the repercussions. Some of the following information comes from Eve Schaub’s book Year of No Garbage (www.eveschaub.com).

The recycling industry does not make money on plastics – we lose it. We recycle plastic because it’s the right thing to do, to keep the material that never biodegrades from filling our landfills and polluting our soil, water, and air. Five ocean garbage patches, or ‘gyres,’ exist in our seas. These patches are primarily composed of plastics that photodegrade into small pieces that appeal to fish and birds as food. When plastics end up in our landscape, their synthetic composition cannot be digested by nature, including wildlife. This includes our bodies. Many of us humans contain microplastics in our lungs, liver, tissue, urine, and more, which enter our bodies through ingestion, inhalation, and skin exposure. The plastics come from food and cosmetics, drinking water, air, beverage containers, toys and more.

The fossil fuel industry is making single-use plastics our primary option. 380 million tons of plastic are manufactured every year, and that number is increasing – plastic production is expected to double in the next 17 years. The plastics industry knows it’s a challenge to recycle the product. It’s easier and cheaper to make new material. Markets are limited for recycled plastics, while metals, glass, cardboard, and paper are consistent and occasionally even profitable. Corporations focus on ‘not littering’ and ‘recycling,’ trying to divert attention away from packaging being the central issue.

Countries and states are slowly banning bags, styrofoam, and single-use plastics. But more needs to occur globally. A mandatory cap on plastic production, restrictions on single-use plastics, and regulation of plastic chemicals are all critical steps. Companies need to be accountable for any waste they generate from cradle to grave, and we as individuals need to adjust our shopping habits to incorporate a “reduce, reuse54 and rethink” mentality. Let’s open our eyes to the myriad of plastics in our daily routine and get creative as to how we can avoid them or find an alternative. Humans can adapt quickly with a healthy dose of awareness.

By Mary Closser