The Role of Consumer in Tackling Plastic Pollution

The popularity of plastics which begun rising in 1950 is going out of control. 18.2 Trillion
pounds of plastic have been produced around the world and according to the 2017 study
published in the Journal Science Advances there is no sign of slowing down considering
what scientists say that another 26.5 trillion pounds will be produced worldwide by 2050.
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Plastics are durable, light weight and expensive material. They can readily to be molded into
various products which find uses in a plethora of application. Every year more than 420M
tons of plastics are manufactured. Consequently the Recycle, Reduce, Refuse, Repair,
Replace, Rethink and Reuse are extremely important.

RECYCLE

Plastic Recycling is the method of gathering waste plastic and reconverting them to new
and useful plastic products. It can be reprocess to get other products.

Ways to recycle some of which also help with reducing and reusing

Since almost all plastic is non biodegrable, recycling can be a part of reducing plastics in
the waste stream. This is important for reducing the approximately 8M metric tons of
waste plastics that enters the ocean every year.

Recycling saves energy and water, lowers pollution and greenhouse emissions, improves
air and water quality, preserves land fill space and conserve natural resources.

REDUCE

Reducing the number of resources used in everyday life is the next step in the resource
management hierarchy. Start with small ways you can reduce your plastic usage along with
reducing your garbage. The room in your home that usually creates the most waste is the kitchen.
Therefore you can focus on reducing waste here first to make the biggest impact.

*Review your lifestyle and find ways to reduce your consumption and save resources
* be mindful about your actions and realistic about your purchases
* Buy quality products that will last for a lifetime and start taking actions to reduce daily waste.

“ Buy less. Choose well. Make it last

Ways to reduce plastics:
1. Bring your own shopping bag
2. Carry a reusable water bottle
3. Bring your own cup
4. Pack your lunch in reusable container
 5. Say no to disposable straws and cutlery
6. Skip the plastic produce bag
7. Store left over in glass jars
8. Share tips with your friends.

REDUCE
Review your lifestyle
Ways to reduce plastic consumptions
1. Say no to plastic straw- there are great alternative like steel straw, bamboo or glass
straw
2. Bring reusable shopping bags with
3. Get rid of the plastic water bottle made in all sizes- a single person using reusable,
refillable water instead can save as much as 170 bottles/ year. A family of five that
would do the same will stop 850 water bottles from being produced
4. Pack your lunch in glass containers instead of plastics. Ditch yhe plastic ziplock bags.
5. Avoid snacks food with excess packaging. Fruits and vegetables that are individually
wrapped
6. Stop using cutlery- take out order you are given sets of cutlery
7. Choose cardboard over plastics when you can. Cardboards can be more recycled and
bio grade over time.
8. Avoid cosmetics that contains micro beads- exfoliants. Use bath and shower soaps
without micro beads. Millions of micro beads are washed down the drain posing
serious threats to marine life who mistakes this beads as food particles.
9. Choose metal over plastic razors
10. Garments in hangers. Switch to steel or metal hangers the are recyclables

There are many ways to help reduce your plastic intake. Everything from the toys that kids are
playing, with the many plastic supplies for birthdate parties, plastic are all around us.

REFUSE

Reasons to Refuse:

1. Those made from fossil fuels- ice cube trays, plastic wood, electric blanket, linoleum,
denture adhesives.
2. Will still be here in hundred years- hard to dissolve, estimated to take hundred years to
dissolve to fully decompose.
3. Only tiny percentage is recycled- more litters and waste pile up
4. Leaches toxins into food and drink- may leach chemical if they are scratched and heated.
Plastics at certain exposure levels produce Biphenyl A may cause cancer. It can leach
many harmful chemicals into water or food it’s being used to contain and is how these
chemicals get into our bodies.
5. Cause hormone disruption and cancer- some chemicals have been linked to health
problems such as metabolic disorders including obesity and reduced fertility, cancer and
problems in the development of reproductive organs.
 6. Pollutes our ocean- plastic waste kills up to millions of sea turtles, sea birds. When the
ingest plastics takes room in their stomach causing starvation, May birds are found dead
with their stomach full of the waste.
7. Enter our food chains- plastics takes years to decompose some may break down much
quicker into tiny particles which end up into the sea foods we eat.

REPAIR and Repurpose

Before disposing of an item consider the ways in which it could be repurpose or repair.
There are many exciting ways on household items. Repair items instead of buying new.
Find new purpose for items that cannot be repaired. Start with reusable water bottle, reusable
straw.

REPLACE

Alternates to plastic items

1. Stainless steel- tough and easy to clean, reusable

2. Glass water bottles
3. Ecofriendly coffee tumblers
4. Cloth pads or menstrual cup
5. Cloth diapers
6. Reusable shopping bags
7. Ecofriendly cutlery
8. Bamboo tooth brush
9. Silicon stretch lid

RETHINK

Plastics is hazardous to human health

We should think:

1. Plastics ends up in our ocean. Our plastic consumption is directly affecting marine
life including fish which is a main source of food for humans as well
2. Mostly plastics is single use and most are not recycled
3. Bisphenol A- BPA mimics human hormones, linked to obesity as endocrine disruptor
4. BPA may cause birth defects and miscarriage because of the negative impact to
women’s reproductive system causing chromosome damage and birth defects. In a
study the researcher found monkey exposed to BPA experienced reproductive
abnormalities that increase the risk of giving birth to offspring with Down syndrome.
5. Heated Plastics leaches chemicals 55x faster. If you want to microwave leftovers
choose glass dish like Pyrex
6. Plastic promotes Alzheimer’s disease
 7. Scratch in plastics leads to leaching. Bits of plastics get into your food from
containers through the process of leaching. Throw out worn plastics such as food
storage containers.

REUSING

Reusing is one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to reduce the
environmental impact of packaging
Innovative ways to reuse Plastics

REUSE
Start reusing. Swap single use items (disposable)
Look around your home to find the various ways the products you purchased are
packaged. Since you are paying for the packaging why not make the most of it. If you
cannot use them share it to some or else- this called rehoming.
In recognition to Consumer Rights Day and its theme “Tackling Plastic Pollution” we want to
outline the 7 “R’s” and explain how we can incorporate these best practices into our daily life.

Recycle
Reduce
Refuse
Repair
Replace
Rethink
Reuse

RECYCLE- is probably the step that everyone is familiar with since it seems to get the most attention,
recycling is what you should do when you are unable to reduce, reuse or refuse your plastic
products.
Plastic recycling is the method of gathering waste plastic and reconverting them to new and
useful products. Simplest of plastic recycling process involves collecting, sorting, washing,
melting and pelletizing.
Domestic recycling of plastics
Foam hot drink cups, plastic cutlery
Lunch boxes, takeout food containers ice cream containers
Juice or squeeze bottles
Shampoo