Highest Rated Comments


Beyond_Plastics463 karma

I am a big fan of recycling and even started my town's recycling program in 1988. However, plastic recycling has been an abysmal failure. it has only achieved a recycling rate of 8.5%. If you look at the bottom of plastic packaging and you see resin codes #1 or #2 then you should put them in your recycling bin. some communites, but many, also are able to find markets for #5 plastics. do not put any other plastics in your recycling bin. The plastics industry has spent millions of dollars trying to convince consumers that if we just put plastics in the recycling bin, we have done the best we can. Don't fall for it. Plastics recycling is a dead end. Do all you can to look for alternatives to plastics that can actually be reused or recycled. check out the movie "The Story of Plastic" to see the real picture behind plastic reyclcing. Also you can go to pbs.org and check out the frontline episode "plastic wars"

Beyond_Plastics142 karma

there is research being done in this arena but I do not think it holds much promise our research and resources need to focus on a much simpler task; MAKING LESS PLASTIC. We can have convenience and affordabilty without making so much plastic. This is a great moment for innovation. we just need many of these good ideas to scale up and scale up quickly.

Beyond_Plastics122 karma

we need systemic change. I am a former federal regulator so in my view we need new laws on the books and strong enforcment of those laws. A good example is the federal Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, introduced by Congressmember Lowenthal. Think about how laws prevented indoor smoking, convinced drivers to wear seatbelts. New effective laws can drive down the production and use of plastics. Most companies are not going to change on their own just because it is the right thing to do for the planet and for our health.

Beyond_Plastics81 karma

I have been wondering about that myself. For instance, as more states consider legalizing cannabis, they need to prohibit it from being packaged in single use plastics. if they don't do that, we will have a whole new universe of small plastic packaging waste on our beaches, in parks and on streets. Why not use hemp for that packaging? The state of New Jersey recently adopted a law that bans plastic and paper bags (effective next year) but allows for bags made from hemp.

Beyond_Plastics71 karma

There has been greater use of plastics due to covid but as the disease is reduced, we hope that plastics will also be reduced. We all need to stay focused on covid prevention and then get to the secondary issues like over use of plastics. Hospitals are using a massive amount of plastic gowns and masks and sheets. Not that long ago, hospitals had commercial laundries on site. high temperature washing would destroy the virus and allow all of those gowns and sheets to be reused. If they are washing the items they are less likely to run out of them and the all imporatant hospital staff, from doctors to janitors, will be able to rely on a steady stream of these items. At home, you can use reusable masks rather than disposable masks. you can put them in the wash and use them over and over again. There ae some medical devices that do not have easy alterantives to plastics. but, many do have alternatives. Check out the group "Health Care Without Harm" on ideas on how to green up the medical profession.