can you cut down on plastic

macafee2 · 17th June 2019, 21:24

I have just been watching the BBC programme War On Plastic.

Really scary stuff. There are many pollutants around, some we know about, some we (I) don't.
Washing clothes often releases small amounts of plastic from our clothes.

Wet wipes, use them? They are 80+% plastic, I never knew.

I'm not sure where the fault lies, manufacturers, retails or us the consumer. All of the above perhaps but who can make the greatest change and who has the greatest influence to force change?

With so many consumers but so few retailers, they probably have the greatest influence. If the major retailers got together gave manufacturers due warning that they were going to stop selling a product due to the amount of plastic in the product perhaps a change could be forced. With so many consumers there are too many that would not stop buying a product I don't feel it would have such a impact.

Perhaps the manufacturer that is first to go Green could steal the advantage from the others.

Whilst I may get ridiculed for this I am going to ask you to see what you can do to reduce the amount of plastic you buy.

Me, I'm going to chat to the wife about our shopping to see what we can do.

please try not to be negative should you comment.

macafee2

Madderz · 17th June 2019, 21:35

I try, but it's just everywhere!
Morrisons did paper bags for the fruit and vegetables for a while, no idea what happened to that idea, lasted about a week here

SCP440 · 17th June 2019, 21:48

I think a lot of us are trying but it is a very small drop in a very large ocean when you see what the rest of the world is doing or should I say are not doing.

Some friends arrived from Holland a few weeks ago and they had not heard anything about the plastic problem.

When you see how the US, India and other countries are going I do feel we are wasting out time.

Today I heard the amount of oxygen in the sea is decreasing and this will have an effect on the amount of fish and potentially we wont have fish to eat in another 30 years.

klarzy · 17th June 2019, 23:03

I am a packaging consultant...

You will NEVER get rid of plastic packaging...

You can use starch based compostables and mono materials that can be recycled more easily but less than 0.2% of waste is actually recycled in the TWO plants in the UK which can actually do it fully with polymers.

The so called compostables are only commercially compostable and this required 140F plus for several weeks.

They are not domestically compostable.

The best way to dispose of this material is to use high efficiency, low emission incineration and turn the calories in the materials in to usable electricity and reduce fossil fuel use.

Darcydog · 18th June 2019, 05:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by klarzy

I am a packaging consultant...

You will NEVER get rid of plastic packaging...

You can use starch based compostables and mono materials that can be recycled more easily but less than 0.2% of waste is actually recycled in the TWO plants in the UK which can actually do it fully with polymers.

The so called compostables are only commercially compostable and this required 140F plus for several weeks.

They are not domestically compostable.

The best way to dispose of this material is to use high efficiency, low emission incineration and turn the calories in the materials in to usable electricity and reduce fossil fuel use.

Interesting Klarzy - I too believe that efficient incineration for energy generation is the correct way to go - but instead the green muppets (I’m not supposed to use the term ‘green Taliban’ anymore- it upsets the overly sensitive

) convinced us all that recycling was the way to go and so we shipped all our plastic cr@p to third world countries who we paid to take it and they dumped it all in the oceans for us.

Simondi · 18th June 2019, 07:15

As said plastic is used virtually everywhere. I don't think it's possible to eradicate it.

The way I see it is that we all have to act a wee bit more responsibly. Re use containers, take our own shopping bags ( charging for plastic bags was a fantastic idea) and so on.
I do wish that manufacturers would reduce the amount of packaging though.

Very surprised that you watched the BBC documentary though

I would have thought that you would be put off by its inherent lefty, green agenda bias

macafee2 · 18th June 2019, 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darcydog

Interesting Klarzy - I too believe that efficient incineration for energy generation is the correct way to go - but instead the green muppets (I’m not supposed to use the term ‘green Taliban’ anymore- it upsets the overly sensitive

) convinced us all that recycling was the way to go and so we shipped all our plastic cr@p to third world countries who we paid to take it and they dumped it all in the oceans for us.

ya the shipping abroad for them to pollute was something else.

macafee2

macafee2 · 18th June 2019, 08:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by klarzy

I am a packaging consultant...

You will NEVER get rid of plastic packaging...

You can use starch based compostables and mono materials that can be recycled more easily but less than 0.2% of waste is actually recycled in the TWO plants in the UK which can actually do it fully with polymers.

The so called compostables are only commercially compostable and this required 140F plus for several weeks.

They are not domestically compostable.

The best way to dispose of this material is to use high efficiency, low emission incineration and turn the calories in the materials in to usable electricity and reduce fossil fuel use.

You may be best placed her to give sound advice on what can be done.
Is paper bags and glass bottles a step in the right direction?
We can and must do better.

macafee2

Darcydog · 18th June 2019, 08:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by macafee2

You may be best placed her to give sound advice on what can be done.
Is paper bags and glass bottles a step in the right direction?
We can and must do better.

macafee2

I will bow to Klarzy’s greater knowledge here but you have -from how I understand the issues - hit the nail on the head Ian.

Plastic is cheap and easy to produce - the issue is what we do with the excess we produce.

Paper can be made from recycled material but the original is made from wood pulp and the manufacturing process is chemical and energy intensive. It’s not a “clean” process by any means.

Anyone living downstream from an old paper mill in the past may well remember how the paper mill destroyed life in the rivers.

Glass manufacturing and recycling is also hugely energy intensive. Glass product manufacturing/recycling emits a huge amount of CO2.

And we cannot have that can we.

Despite the fact that our respiration takes in air with circa 0.04% CO2 and each breath we exhale contains about 3.8% to 5% depending upon how much exercise we are doing at the time.

So in the CO2 production stakes!! - we are ALL as guilty as he**.

Dallas · 19th June 2019, 08:47

Put the price up on plastic packaging.

It doesn't help when prices are CHEAP...

17th June 2019, 21:24	#1
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,912 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	can you cut down on plastic I have just been watching the BBC programme War On Plastic. Really scary stuff. There are many pollutants around, some we know about, some we (I) don't. Washing clothes often releases small amounts of plastic from our clothes. Wet wipes, use them? They are 80+% plastic, I never knew. I'm not sure where the fault lies, manufacturers, retails or us the consumer. All of the above perhaps but who can make the greatest change and who has the greatest influence to force change? With so many consumers but so few retailers, they probably have the greatest influence. If the major retailers got together gave manufacturers due warning that they were going to stop selling a product due to the amount of plastic in the product perhaps a change could be forced. With so many consumers there are too many that would not stop buying a product I don't feel it would have such a impact. Perhaps the manufacturer that is first to go Green could steal the advantage from the others. Whilst I may get ridiculed for this I am going to ask you to see what you can do to reduce the amount of plastic you buy. Me, I'm going to chat to the wife about our shopping to see what we can do. please try not to be negative should you comment. macafee2

17th June 2019, 23:03	#4
klarzy This is my second home none but not gone Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: March, Cambs Posts: 16,437 Thanks: 894 Thanked 4,247 Times in 3,025 Posts	I am a packaging consultant... You will NEVER get rid of plastic packaging... You can use starch based compostables and mono materials that can be recycled more easily but less than 0.2% of waste is actually recycled in the TWO plants in the UK which can actually do it fully with polymers. The so called compostables are only commercially compostable and this required 140F plus for several weeks. They are not domestically compostable. The best way to dispose of this material is to use high efficiency, low emission incineration and turn the calories in the materials in to usable electricity and reduce fossil fuel use. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]….All praise Bananaswan….

18th June 2019, 07:15	#6
Simondi Regional Secretary MGTF, MG ZS EV Exclusive Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kilwinning Posts: 14,046 Thanks: 1,460 Thanked 3,563 Times in 1,857 Posts	As said plastic is used virtually everywhere. I don't think it's possible to eradicate it. The way I see it is that we all have to act a wee bit more responsibly. Re use containers, take our own shopping bags ( charging for plastic bags was a fantastic idea) and so on. I do wish that manufacturers would reduce the amount of packaging though. Very surprised that you watched the BBC documentary though I would have thought that you would be put off by its inherent lefty, green agenda bias __________________ Simondi FAQ How do you do that? Club Flyers Looking for a car seen in a film or on TV? Fancy a change in colour or wheels - paint configurator OBD - Trip Meter Ultimate Buyers Guide Post YouTube videos

17th June 2019, 21:35	#2
Madderz Gets stuck in MG ZT-T Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Barnsley Posts: 594 Thanks: 233 Thanked 132 Times in 121 Posts	I try, but it's just everywhere! Morrisons did paper bags for the fruit and vegetables for a while, no idea what happened to that idea, lasted about a week here

17th June 2019, 21:48	#3
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	I think a lot of us are trying but it is a very small drop in a very large ocean when you see what the rest of the world is doing or should I say are not doing. Some friends arrived from Holland a few weeks ago and they had not heard anything about the plastic problem. When you see how the US, India and other countries are going I do feel we are wasting out time. Today I heard the amount of oxygen in the sea is decreasing and this will have an effect on the amount of fish and potentially we wont have fish to eat in another 30 years.

19th June 2019, 08:47	#10
Dallas This is my second home 1979 Capri 1.6L, 1982 Capri 1.6L, 2016 Dacia Stepway Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dorset Posts: 8,595 Thanks: 3,496 Thanked 3,397 Times in 2,218 Posts	Put the price up on plastic packaging. It doesn't help when prices are CHEAP...