Plastic Free July - Tips on how to eliminate plastic waste

• In the UK we throw away around 290,000 tonnes of plastic bags and wrapping every year. This makes up nearly a quarter of consumer packaging, yet only 6% is recycled. (Source: WRAP)

Plastic is something we use in our everyday lives, whether that’s through plastic bags, plastic containers, plastic bottles or much more.

Most of the plastic we use comes from fossil fuels these types of plastic are known as synthetic plastic meaning they come from non-renewable sources such as crude oil, natural gas or coal and aren’t biodegradable.

Other types of plastic are biobased, this means they are made from converting sugar in plants into plastic, starch, vegetable fats, oils etc. However, not all biobased plastics are biodegradable.

Biobased plastics such as polyethylene, PET or PA are made from sugar cane, which are not biodegradable.

Plastics that are biodegradable, such as polylactic acids (PLAs) and polymers-based plastics are made from cornstarch.

Plastic can therefore be in most cases toxic for the environment, dangerous for wildlife and where it is biodegradable it takes many years to fully compost.

Confusing, right? It can be hard for us to understand when buying plastic where it is derived from, even if we do understand we may not know how to reduce our plastic waste. A lot of products have plastic packaging that’s why as part of Plastic Free July, we want to let you know how to reduce plastic waste.

1. Move away from using disposable razors and plastic toothbrushes, revert to traditional blades, and next time you need a new toothbrush, try one made from wood rather than plastic.
2. Switch to a shampoo bar rather than using liquid from a plastic bottle, these last 2-3 times longer than traditional shampoo, so not only is this option good for the environment it’s also good for your pocket.
3. Rather than using disposable tampons or pads if you switch to a reusable menstrual cup or pad, you could potentially over the lifetime of the average menstrual cup, save on more than 2400 pads or tampons per user. That’s a lot of pads or tampons per person, and a great saving for the environment!
4. Always take reusable bags with you when shopping, it can be difficult to remember to bring these with you, so keep them in a handy place to make it easier such as in the basket of your bike, boot of your car, in your handbag, your workplace or near your front door.
5. Buy loose fruit and vegetables rather than plastic wrapped fruits, loose products are readily available from greengrocers, supermarkets and farmers markets. Buying loose can also significantly decrease food waste “In the UK, a household of four people wastes on average £1000 worth of food that could have been eaten every year, with fruit and veg being the greatest part of that wasted food” (Source: WRAP)
6. Buy refillable cleaning products where possible or look for alternative ways to clean that don’t require the use of plastic packaged products such as making your own all-purpose cleaner using vinegar and water. You can find lots of ways to clean up online without buying products from the supermarket. This makes it not only good for the environment but also your pocket.
7. Store food in glass containers rather than plastic, you can find glass containers with wooden lids across the high street. Next time you need to buy food storage containers, look for glass ones rather than plastic.

Visit the Plastic Free July website to find more tips on how to reduce plastic waste