reducing the use of plastic

[veggiechicken]

I didn't' realise tea bags and chewing gum were made from plastic?

Unfortunately the big companies been using polypropylene for heat sealing the tea bags for years. We don't compost the bags any more, just the leaves, as we have hundreds of their plastic skeletons littering the beds. PG Tips have announced they intend to make their bags fully biodegradable at some point.

Most chewing gum contains synthetic rubber in the gum base.

Clipper tea have announced plastic free tea bags in production
https://www.clipper-teas.com/frequen...ed-questions/#

More info about teabags at https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...way_95974.html

[veggiechicken]

Also this one about toothpaste https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...uff_95910.html
Still haven't tried it but, heeding Jimny's advice I wouldn't use it every time I brush (3 times a day).

[Derbydal]

iv'e been doing my bit for a few yrs instead of buying the plastic botles of vodka whilst abroad I still get the glass botles that are cheaper and nick a couple of towels to rap them up in the suitcasse ! cheers Dal.

[Teds Mum]

Whilst the idea of a plastic free existence is very appealing, I don't think it's practical or affordable for me. So the best compromise I have is to use recycled containers where I can and to recycle those that break.

The beautiful wooden victorian glasshouse full of terracotta pots and copper labels is a nice dream

[Snadger]

One thing that I have started doing just recently is putting my loosely bought fruit ad veg direct into the trolley without bagging it and adding just loosely into re-usable carrier bag once paid for at the till. OK it isn't a lot, but hey ho. I also use small cut loaf bags as poo bags, I have no idea how dog poo is treated once it is collected by bin man but can only assume it is burned?

[4Shoes]

Silly thing is that it is often cheaper to buy 2 smaller items. Yesterday was in shop. 2 x 2.5l - £19.00, 1 x 5l £21.00. More expensive item less packaging, same product.


Other side of equation is. Got a delivery this week and because excessive packings is getting to be such an issue, many products are send is display box with label and getting damaged.

Going to be a hard balance to reach.

[sandfields]

Can you show me a recycling point in London? There surely is one - this must be a screw up?

[Nicos]

I was talking to some Australian clients and they said that they use rice based packaging. You know those white polestyrine things which look like quavers? Well those made of rice.

Presumably these types of packaging must be available here?
If enough people requested eco friendly packaging then surely companies would need to supply it????

[4Shoes]

How many of us read that around 50% of plastics are now ending up in incinerators after the China & Co import ban last year. Went to my local recycling centre and instructed to put all plastic into domestic rubbish. Think the bans are valid, I think of it like food miles.... but does highlight more and more consequentials of globalisation.

[Penellype]

Can you show me a recycling point in London? There surely is one - this must be a screw up?

You should be able to find your local recycling points for various items on https://www.recyclenow.com/.

[Babru]

There are alternatives for some things, and it's good that firms are now looking to change where they can. My national trust magazine was delivered in biodegradable packaging, which went into the compost bin, hurrah.

"We've switched the wrapping on our members' Magazine to potato starch, as part of a wide-ranging phase out of single use plastics.

The National Trust Magazine...was wrapped for the first time in compostable BIOPLAST® 300 for our summer 2018 issue.

BIOPLAST® 300 uses waste potatoes left out of the food chain in Eastern and Northern Europe, and is processed to release the starch and manufactured into granules.

The wrap is ‘OK compost HOME’ certified as fully home compostable. This means it can be easily disposed of with food waste, garden compost or in green council recycling bins and is also completely biodegradable."

I totally agree with others here, plastic is a great material, essential in many things, but unnecessary waste is a shame. Apart from clogging up the environment unnecessarily, single use plastics are made with finite resources.

[4Shoes]

Just noticed that the "food waste" caddy in not made out of UV stabilised plastic.