Plastic Free Foundation is an organization that encourages people to reduce their use of plastics. They host the annual Plastic Free July event, which challenges people to reduce their use of plastics, especially single use plastics.
I've participated for several years and every year I'm shocked to realize how much plastic I consume and how hard it is to avoid. This year's project to photograph every single-use plastic item I interact with raised a seemingly simple question that is not actually so simple: what is a single use plastic?
They don't directly define single use plastic as part of the Plastic Free July site. There's a quiz that prompts you to think about how you can reduce disposable plastic use, and a page that provides tips for reducing single use plastic. From these resources, I infer that Plastic Free July has a pretty broad definition of single use plastic, ranging from plastic grocery bags to tooth brushes.
As I was photographing my plastic consumption, it dawned on me that I wasn't sure where the line was between "single use" and durable plastic. Plastic Free July suggests avoiding bottled soap and shampoo in favor of bar soap, and it seems intuitive that that type of packaging is in the category of "single use" even if it sits in your shower for several months first.
But what about cheap plastic goods that are meant to be thrown away? Lighters are a great example, but Plastic Free July doesn't list them. What about those refillable souvenir cups that you get at amusement parks? You can in theory refill them on later visits, but how many people actually do that? And of those who do, how many actual uses do they get - two, three, maybe four? That's less use than my demonized plastic toothbrush.
I adopted the following definition of single use plastic for my challenge:
Things that are intended to be disposed of after a finite number uses or which are not intended to serve a purpose after their contents has been emptied (e.g. packaging).
It's been fairly easy to stick to, but I keep finding new edge cases, like the plastic timer I use for my coffee.
What does the industry say?
The widely accepted definition of single use plastic is much narrower. The European Commission defines them as:
Single-use plastic products (SUPs) are used once, or for a short period of time, before being thrown away.
They go on to identify the following items as having the worst impact on the environment:
Cotton bud sticks [Q-tips, in case you also had no idea what that was]
Cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers
Balloons and sticks for balloons
Food containers
Cups for beverages
Beverage containers
Cigarette butts
Plastic bags
Packets and wrappers
Wet wipes and sanitary items
The NRDC agrees with a narrow definition:
Single-use plastics are goods that are made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after use—often, in mere minutes. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags.
(Emphasis added)
Greenpeace has a wider definition that is closer to the one I'm following for my challenge. They define single use plastic as "if it’s designed to be thrown away then it’s single-use." Doesn't that encompass nearly every type of plastic, on a long enough time scale? I've been thinking on that for a few years now, and will have some thoughts to share on the pros and cons of plastic as a substance later this month.
Reduce & Reuse Highlights
Took my own coffee cup into work again today instead of stopping for coffee. Did not refill coffee at work because it's never good coffee (even though our office's is better than most) and you have to put lots of single-serve creamers in.
Resisted the urge to get take out for lunch and brought lunch instead. (Got take out for dinner instead...)
Saved the durable plastic container that came with dinner for future leftovers.
You might notice that I don't log shower supplies daily. I try to wait until I feel or look dirty before taking a shower. On average it's every other day, but sometimes it's more frequently (hello marathon training) or less frequently (hello camping, the closest thing to communal showers I'll tolerate).
On the other hand, forgetting to log toilet paper or soap is just an oversight.
Another thing you may feel is missing: makeup. I almost never wear makeup, and I don't own any skincare products beyond one type of moisturizer and sunscreen. This is due to being fortunate to have pretty clear skin, but also mostly laziness. Especially now that I work at home most of the time (this month being an exception) there is just no reason for makeup. It's a win for the environment though, so I'll log it here.
Single Use Plastic
Total items disposed of: 7
Total items used: 34! Yikes
Total items with substitutes: 24
Item | Quantity | Disposed of Immediately? | Were plastic free alternatives available? |
Toothbrush & toothpaste | 2 | No | Yes |
Flosser | 1 | Yes | Yes, plastic free floss. To use less plastic, use regular floss instead of floss pick. |
Deodorant | 1 | No | Yes |
Coffee packaging | 1 | Yes | No |
Coffee Syrup | 1 | No | Yes, glass container |
Milk | 1 | No | Yes, glass or cardboard carton |
Kitchen timer | 1 | No | Yes, use cell phone timer |
Cat's medicine and syringe | 2 | No | No |
Cat's iron supplement and syringe | 2 | No | Medicine - no. Syringe - yes, use existing. |
Beef Jerky packaging and bag | 2 | No | Yes, for bag. No for packaging. |
Cat food packaging - specialty food | 1 | No | No |
Cat food packaging - regular food | 1 | No | Yes, canned food or meat |
Hand soap | 1 | No | Yes, bar soap |
Toilet paper | 1 | No | Yes, bidet or paper packaging |
Dish Soap | 1 | No | Yes |
String cheese | 1 | Yes | No |
Pretzels | 1 | No | Yes |
Takeout dinner: plastic tray for sushi, styrofoam cup for soup, 3 fortune cookies in plastic bags, 3 condiment bags, 2 ramikens. Not counted: durable black container that can be reused. | 10 | 4 of 8. Cookies not eaten, sushi not finished. Ramikens not disposed of yet. | Yes, dine in. |
Chips | 2 | No | No |
Oreos | 1 | No | No |
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