The Problem of Disposability
The bulk of single-use plastic products are associated with food service. As of 2015, about 39 million tons of disposable food and beverage packaging were landfilled each year, with 75% of disposable plastic food serviceware coming from takeout. Trends in the restaurant industry have shown a steady increase in takeout services and an associated rise in food packaging waste. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the use of single-use plastics by nearly 60% and post-pandemic figures have yet to decrease.
The problem of disposability begins long before waste is discarded. Upstream production processes deplete natural resources and generate toxic emissions. After being shipped, plastic packaging and serviceware are used once and then discarded.
Recycling cannot keep up with the plastics industry. The U.S. only recycles about 5% of its plastic waste. Many recycling processes consume more energy on top of the initial plastic production and create re-emissions.
“Green” alternatives like compostables can have even worse environmental impacts than conventional packaging; These containers require industrial composting facilities to break down, and limited access to proper facilities reduces compostables’ efficacy in waste reduction. The overwhelming majority of compostables end up landfilled or incinerated, just like plastic waste. Additionally, many of these bioplastics contain toxic additives, like PFAS.
All of this represents a pressing concern for the well-being of coastal communities as an overwhelming amount of waste ends up in marine environments. Around 100,000 marine animals die each year from plastic debris. Over time, plastic waste degrades and leaches chemicals that accumulate in the environment and in food chains.
For coastal communities and the seafood industry, ingestion of microplastics is a major concern. For example, emerging research in oyster aquaculture shows that more than 94% of oysters harvested globally contain microplastics.
Environmental Benefits of Reuse
Reusable packaging reduces the environmental impact of supply chains in a variety of ways, according to the Reusable Packaging Association:
- Less solid waste
- The long life of a single reusable packaging item eliminates hundreds of single-use packaging items from entering the landfill, reducing solid waste by up to 86%.
- Lower greenhouse gas emissions
- Reusable packaging eliminates the need to recycle or remanufacture single use packaging, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 60%.
- Lower energy consumption
- The energy used to manufacture reusable packaging items is up to 64% lower than is required to manufacture and recycle the single-use packaging items they replace.
- Less water usage
- Single-use packaging systems use up to 80% more water during their lifecycle than reusable packaging, due to heavy water use during production, recycling, and disposal.
- Less wasted product
- The superior product protection offered by reusable packaging results in lower product damage and waste – especially for perishables.
- Material recovery and reuse
- Reusable models are truly circular, recovering packaging at the end of its useful life so that materials can be recycled and used to produce new reusable packaging.
- Crucially, reusable packaging systems also reduce demand for new plastic production. The end of plastic pollution begins with reuse.
Reuse works. Communities across the U.S. and the globe have already successfully implemented reusable food packaging systems. Check out these reusable packaging models and real-life case studies.
You can avoid toxic chemicals and help reduce plastic pollution in your community. Choose reuse!
