Plastic can be a lesser evil for nature

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Plastic can be a lesser evil for nature

The alternatives are not well researched and may generate more harmful emissions

 

 

 

Removing plastic packaging from stores can actually damage the environment, according to a study cited by the BBC.

Companies are practically replacing them with different alternatives whose environmental footprint is not well understood and some of them may be more harmful to the environment than they are helping.

Glass bottles, for example, weigh much more than plastic, which means that transporting them requires more fuel and thus generates more harmful emissions. Paper bags, on the other hand, have a larger carbon footprint than plastic bags, and are also much more difficult to recycle.

The authors of the report, called Plastic Promises and produced by a multi-party working group in the British Parliament, claim that the effects of replacing plastic with other materials have not been sufficiently investigated and pose a number of risks.

For example, some supermarkets in the UK are offering more and more drinks in glossy cartons, suggesting that they can then be recycled. However, statistics show that the country has recycling facilities in only one third of the cartons available.

Over 80% of consumers believe that biodegradable plastic is environmentally friendly. However, in practice, few people are aware of the process of recycling and using this type of material, "said Libby Peak, author of the study.

It turns out that in some situations, these materials are non-reusable, unlike ordinary plastic, which actually increases the environmental footprint of the entire industry instead of reducing it.

In December 2018, the UK government announces its long-term resource and waste management strategy. It envisages directing efforts in three main areas - enhancing manufacturers' responsibility for packaging, encouraging consumers to return used bottles and other containers by introducing a deposit for packaging and increasing industrial recycling and waste collection capacity.

Tony Juniper

According to Andrew Opie of the British Trade Chain Association, all industry representatives agree that climate change must be at the heart of their business planning. But at the same time, he is adamant that plastic remains one of the most effective materials when it comes to packaging.

"A cucumber, for example, packaged in nylon withstands up to 14 days more. This means a drastic reduction in food waste. A sustainable resource management strategy should aim to reduce the overall negative environmental footprint, not simply reduce plastic products. ", he told the BBC.

According to the management, the business should bear 100% of the cost of recycling the waste materials, not just 10% as it currently is.

Consultations and public hearings on all these topics are expected to start this year, but the deadline for their introduction remains unclear, BBC reports. However, a ban on the sale of plastic straws, stirrers and earbuds is planned to come into force in 2020.

In addition, the British government has announced that it is considering introducing an additional tax on packaging that contains less than 30% recyclable materials.