171 trillion - that’s how many pieces of plastic are currently floating around in the ocean.
83% - that’s the percentage of cities around the world with drinking water that contains microplastics.
How did we reach this point?
It all trickles back to dependency on plastic and specifically - plastic packaging. During the 70’s and early 00’s plastic packaging was presented as the best solution to a growing environmental problem.
After all, plastic can be reused, repurposed, and recycled. It seemed like a win-win. Plastic was lighter than glass and could be used in a variety of ways before it was melted down and transformed. This thinking led to plastic being used for everything.
Plastic bottles, plastic cups, plastic containers, plastic wrapping paper plastic bags; it was everywhere. It still is.
The problem was that plastic is not the miracle cure we first thought. At best, it’s a plaster over a wound and that wound is getting wider every day. There are a few key reasons for this.
First, while plastic packaging is often marketed as fully recyclable, that isn’t always accurate. For instance, reports have revealed that black and coloured plastic is hardly ever recycled because the machines used to sort the waste can’t identify it.
Similarly, customers are often confused about where to put plastic packaging as well as what types are and aren’t recyclable. Both these issues lead to mountains of waste being dumped in landfills across the continent. Once there, it could take hundreds if not thousands of years to biodegrade. When it does, plastic releases harmful chemicals and substances into the surrounding soil and the atmosphere, contributing to the destruction of the planet.
And what if it is recycled? Even in this best case scenario - there are issues. Experts have stated countless times that recycling will not solve the growing environmental issue the world is facing.
Recycling works best for mono-material products. Very few plastic products fall into this category. This is one of the reasons why approximately 10% of all plastic is recycled.
The good news? Some alternatives WILL help the world recover from a plastic dependency.
There are lots of plastic alternatives that could be suitable for any product that is currently sold in plastic packaging.
Bioplastics are not a new idea. Henry Ford used bioplastics derived from soybeans to make key car parts. He stopped in the forties due to a massive supply of oil at budget-beating prices. PLA - the bioplastic often used for sustainable food packaging - was originally developed in the 1920’s. These materials are not experiencing a renaissance due to recent innovations and technical marvels. They are being reintroduced due to changing perceptions and regulations related to single-use packaging. They are also versatile solutions used to ensure packaging is more interesting and presented while remaining eco-friendly.
Used plastic packaging may be more likely to end up in a landfill than back in stores, but the same can’t be said for metal. Indeed, 80% of the metal produced remains in circulation today. Unlike plastic, it also doesn’t start to degrade after a single use. Instead, you can reuse, repurpose and recycle metal packaging an infinite amount of times. Metal packaging provides the same practical benefits as plastic. It keeps products safe, fresh and provides beautiful presentation opportunities.
Cardboard packaging is another alternative to plastic containers which provide fantastic benefits. During the manufacturing process, carbon is locked into the cardboard tubes and jars, removing it from the carbon cycle completely. Once the packaging has been used, it can then be reused, repurposed, or recycled. Cardboard packaging is also fully biodegradable. It won’t clog up landfills or cause waste levels to rise. Robust, durable, and easy to customise, cardboard packaging is the preferred choice for eco-conscious consumers.
Finally, many companies are now exploring return and reuse models. These initiatives encourage customers to return their packaging straight to the source - usually a store. The packaging is then cleaned and prepared for reuse. Companies such as Loop are one of the most popular providers of this service which is already used in countless supermarkets across Europe.
These types of initiatives may still have sustainable packaging at their core including aluminium bottles, used by cosmetic companies.
Ultimately, while plastic packaging does provide certain benefits, the environmental cost of this choice is simply too great. At Tinware Direct, no single-use plastics are used in our products. Instead, we combine innovative bioplastic solutions with stunning metal and cardboard packaging, perfect for any product. Take a look now and discover the ideal choice for your brand.