Sayonara to (some) single-use plastics
Cutting back on single-use stuff for a more reusable world
Last Wednesday, the Canadian government unveiled a ban on six hard-to-recycle single-use plastic items (stir sticks, straws, six-pack rings, cutlery, styrofoam or black plastic takeout containers, and grocery bags) to come into effect by the end of 2021. They also announced a requirement for plastics to have higher recycled content (they propose 50% by 2030) and a national approach to extended producer responsibility (EPR) standards, which means if your company makes trash, you also take care of it instead of offloading the burden onto municipalities. (Radical!) These last parts are actually the bigger deal here and could have a big impact on recycling, which right now we know is . . . underwhelming.
Alberta is upset, of course, partially because they’d just announced their desire to be a big plastics recycling hub. But what has been banned is unrecyclable plastics, and in fact this policy should strengthen the domestic market for recycled plastic. Remember, we’re only recycling about 9% of our plastics right now, anyway. (If you want to get some sense of how we came to believe recycling plastics meant a free pass to consume, this recent Planet Money episode is top-notch.) I’m also suspicious that Alberta’s recycling goals are more about optics than environment: oil companies have long known that if we think something will be recycled, we won’t feel guilty about using it, even though in reality it’s more likely to be dumped in Asia or Africa than to get a second life. Is Alberta worried about their unborn recycling project or undermining their bread and butter industry? As governments are grappling with the need to burn fewer fossil fuels, big oil sees plastics as its shot at survival.
All in all, I support the ban, with a couple reservations. One is I can’t see a clear policy for people with disabilities who need straws to drink safely. (If you just had a thought that started “But . . .” I encourage you to read this quick explainer.) A straw ban puts disabled people at a disadvantage because able-bodied people can’t regulate themselves, and it does seem kind of silly that we’re all about banning straws when things like balloons are a-ok. (Yes, you’ve caught me, I hate joy.) Another objection is, of course, the other unrecyclable plastics that don’t get mentioned, like plastic water bottles or plastic-lined coffee cups — we dare not undermine our national beverage, acidic Tim Horton’s brew.
What’s showing up on our streets and shorelines? Here’s a recap of the top items found in Greenpeace’s 2018 audit of 10,000 litres of Canadian litter:
Sadly, most of the things we’re banning are towards the end of this list. So what happens to the other stuff? If we’re not going to ban it, I’d love to see a hefty fee every time you need a single-use item. People are more motivated by avoiding losses than by gains, so coughing up 10 cents for a to-go cup has more power than saving 10 cents for bringing your own.
But my biggest question in all this is what all those single-use items get replaced with. As we’ve seen before, a paper bag has a higher carbon footprint than a plastic one. To equal things out, paper needs to be reused three times, but paper bags are harder to reuse than plastic. (Of course paper bags don’t persist in the environment like plastics, which brings its own slate of problems.) And a lot of slick “biodegradable” plastics simply aren’t, at least in real-world conditions, and often contaminate regular recycling streams. The problem isn’t just the plastic; it’s the single-use.
Wait, what about coronavirus? Isn’t single-use safer right now? That’s what plastics lobbyists would you have you believe, and they seized on the virus as an opportunity to suspend or roll back plastic bans and assert that plastic would make everything safer. And plastic consumption skyrocketed during the pandemic, up by 250 to 300% according to the International Solid Waste Association. Some of that was unavoidable: masks and gloves are necessary for frontline workers. If we want to support our struggling restaurants with takeout, more plastic comes into play. But studies have shown that the virus lasts 3x as long on plastic surfaces than on paper ones, so extra layers of wrapping aren’t making us any safer. And back in June, a group of more than 100 scientists, including epidemiologists, virologists, biologists, and doctors, published a letter that asserted that if we follow basic hygiene, reusables are a safe choice. (The Centers for Disease Control’s COVID page now states “touching surfaces is not thought to be a common way that COVID-19 spreads.” But wash your reusables — including grocery bags — and your hands.)
I realize that the system is against us, especially during a pandemic, when extra plastic is seen as protection and certain options, like dining in, aren’t safe or available. I also know that people have busy lives with many demands of them — especially now. But I promise you, with a little preparation and practice you can quit a lot of this trash. Once they’re in place, habits don’t drain our precious willpower reserves: we just execute like the Trash Terminators we are. I’m with Darby Hoover, senior resource specialist for the Natural Resources Defense Council, who asks, “Is something a habit because you truly need it or because you got used to doing it that way?” Let’s get used to new ways of doing things. Be compassionate with yourself if you slip up: new habits take time, and you’re going against the system.
We can’t cry over every cup or ketchup packet (you’ll quickly lose your precious mind), but I recommend taking a stand on a couple of items you think you can live without. I gave up disposable coffee cups (with very rare travel exceptions) and single-use water bottles years ago, and I take pride in damning the (oil) man one cup at a time.
Avoiding extra packaging was easier in the Before Times, and when COVID is behind us will be easier again. But for now . . .
Carry a collapsible reusable bag
Carry your bag on your person, ideally, since I know lots of people with cars forget them there. Many bags are small enough to fit in a coat pocket. Put it there and wait for the high fives from your future self.
Pack a tiny zero-waste kit
A few years ago I packaged a salad fork, a spoon, and a metal straw in a reusable snack bag. (I like these ones, by Canadian company Colibri, which are available at a lot of local shops, but you could also use a small washable freezer bag, or basically anything.) I keep this at the bottom of my (small) purse, and I’ve used it dozens of times. You don’t even need the straw, I just have one, so I include it. This allows you to avoid almost all disposable cutlery, and the snack bag is not only great for leftovers, it wraps up the used implements. Put this in your go-to backpack, briefcase, purse, car, whatever. Some people include water bottles, collapsible coffee cups, etc., in their portable kits. By the way, should we ever get to fly again, my kit has been through airport security numerous times without a problem — it’s great for travelling.
Keep the pressure on the government
This ban is a good start, but we can do better. For example, in 2021 the EU is set to implement a more ambitious ban, which includes more products, higher recycled content standards, and special rules around fishing nets, which are a major source of plastic pollution. If you think our ban should go further, you can send a letter via Greenpeace.
Set others up for success
If you’re going back to a shared space like an office, consider the systems there: are reusables available? Do most people get takeout food or coffee? At my office’s old location, we didn’t have a kitchen, and so people relied more heavily on takeout. When we moved, we got a new fancy coffeepot and started supplying coffee — the number of takeout cups in the office went down significantly. Plates, cutlery, a stove, and full-sized fridge also meant we made a lot less waste in the new space. Help people use less single-use garbage by making alternatives readily available, or maybe, when the pandemic is less pressing, kick things into higher gear by doing a waste audit or a week-long waste challenge.
Start or join a reusables awareness program
If you want to scale up your impact, smooth the way for others to bust out their travel mugs and mason jars. All over Toronto there are amazing community groups dedicated to just that. Even though I’m more practised than most, I’ve still felt self-conscious at a new place, sheepishly offering up a container. There’s a fear of being THAT weirdo. The primary goal of Roncy Reduces (and other neighbourhood “Reduces” groups) is to establish consistent signage so you know a business is reusables-friendly. Look for a sticker in a business’s window — they all use the same format.
Right now is obviously an awkward time for this, but if there’s a group in your neighbourhood, reach out and see if they’re currently active. Or if you happen to know of a business that is still accepting reusables, ask them if they’d be willing to put a sign in the window.
You’ll never get this perfect, and that’s okay, because almost nothing is actually zero waste — 99% of things are packaged at some point in their lifecycle and produce more significant pollution, as we saw last week. And as I’ve said before, plastic waste is a visible part of the problem, but it’s nowhere near the thing we most need to be doing to combat the climate crisis. (See: cancelling fossil fuel subsidies, taxing polluters, implementing new local renewable energy projects, divesting from fossil fuels, funding transit, driving less, eating more plants, and wasting less food.)
But here’s my advice from the sulphurous hellscape of 2020: take wins wherever you can find them! It feels great to assert your agency, to be capable and prepared, and, hopefully, to influence others. Because diverting one coffee cup from landfill is less important than someone seeing you do it and setting off a ripple of good actions. Remember, humans are social animals. You can be the non-obnoxious kind of influencer.
TL;DR
By the end of 2021, certain single-use plastic items (bags, six-pack rings, stir sticks, straws, cutlery, and some takeout containers) will be banned in Canada.
Replacing single-use plastic with single-use paper comes with its own environmental problems: the problem isn’t necessarily plastic, it’s single-use.
Aside from PPE, extra layers of plastic aren’t making us safer from COVID-19.
To reduce your own single-use trash, be prepared: BYO coffee cup or water bottle, carry a small reusable shopping bag, keep a spoon and fork in your bag.
To level up, help others by making reusables available in shared spaces or asking businesses to post reusables-friendly signage.
Wins of the Week
No quote this week, instead this original song my beloved Joel Plaskett wrote for the East Coast launch of A Good War. It’s a lullaby for all of us tossing and turning with despair at night:
This week, we’re celebrating these folks making 👏 it 👏 happen:
Steph has switched over to using detergent strips for her laundry, and now her mom and her sister are trying them too. (Ripple effect!) More on low-impact laundry in this FMFP dispatch.
I had some trash and recycling bags and gloves left over from a city-sponsored litter pickup that was cancelled for COVID, so I offered them up to people in my neighbourhood who might want to do their own trash pickups before the leaves and snow cover everything over. And I did a litter cleanup of my own, which is especially pleasant this time of year. If you need motivation to kick single-use items, a trash pickup is quite eye-opening.
My wins reservoir has run dry, so if you’ve take eco action lately, please let me know! Our actions add up, and even in tough times, good stuff is happening all around us.
xo
Jen
P.S. It’s Amazon Prime Day, and before you click Buy on any too-good-to-be-true deals, remember last week’s newsletter, the terrible working conditions in warehouses, and maybe watch this episode of CBC’s Marketplace on what happens to Amazon returns. (Spoiler: a lot of them are headed to rot and ruin.)
Five Minutes for Planet is written by me, Jen Knoch, and edited by the incredible Crissy Calhoun. Opening photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash.