By Patricia Hynes, WILPF member and Boston Branch associate
How can we reduce toxic plastic pollution, given that it is ubiquitous—found everywhere from the highest mountain peaks and the deepest parts of the sea to our own internal organs and even in the air we breathe? I ask this rhetorically, because we must act swiftly to reduce plastic before humanity is overwhelmed by its toxic health effects and before the fossil fuels used to create plastics push climate chaos beyond the point of no return. Already, nearly half the world’s population lives in areas highly vulnerable to climate crisis.
Plastic “garbage soup” poses a grave threat to marine life: fish and shellfish ingest tiny particles called microplastics and nanoplastics, while many marine animals—including whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, and sea turtles—become entangled in plastic fishing gear and other debris, leading to injuries, starvation, or drowning. Humans then consume contaminated fish and shellfish, and plastics are even passed on to infants in the womb, who are born already exposed.
While many countries are shifting toward electrification to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels—with the United States as a notable exception—Exxon Mobil, the world’s largest producer of single-use plastics, plans to increase petrochemical production, primarily for plastics, by 80% by 2050. By 2060, the plastics industry as a whole is projected to triple its current output of half a billion tons per year, a staggering rise from just 2 million tons in 1950.
There are alternatives to using plastic—some affordable, others costly and inaccessible for those struggling in today’s economy. The Natural Resources Defense Council has provided a list of 10 ways to reduce plastic pollution, from which I have selected four to start with:
- Begin by phasing out single-use plastics such as grocery bags, disposable cutlery and plates, plastic straws, coffee lids, and clear plastic wrap, which can transfer toxins to the food they touch. Instead, opt for reusable cotton produce bags when shopping at stores and farmers’ markets, and bring your own garment bag to the dry cleaner. Carry your own utensils for take-out meals and a reusable coffee mug whenever you buy coffee.
- Stop purchasing bottled water. Use a refillable bottle and fill it with tap water. In early 2024, scientists found that each liter of bottled water contains an average of 240,000 tiny plastic particles.
- Switch to wooden cutting boards; they are durable, and studies suggest plastic cutting boards may be a significant source of microplastics in our food.
- Support or advocate for a tax—or, even better, a ban—on single-use plastic bags, an approach already adopted by hundreds of cities, counties, and twelve states. Five trillion plastic bags are used each year globally, only to be replaced year after year—each manufactured with new oil and gas. Americans are the world’s largest consumers of single-use plastic bags, averaging 365 per person annually, while people in Denmark use just four per year.
Additional methods of reducing plastic use include:
• Choose natural fiber clothing made from cotton or hemp. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon shed microplastic fibers into the air, onto our skin, and into water supplies. A single load of synthetic laundry can release up to 1.5 million microfibers into waterways. Some researchers estimate that synthetic textiles contribute up to 35% of all microplastic pollution.
• Opt for uncoated paper products, as were commonly used to package food in the past. Whenever possible, ask for cheese and meats to be wrapped in paper rather than plastic. Paper can typically be recycled or composted after use.
• Store food in metal or glass containers, which are now widely available at most grocery stores and online.
• Choose powder detergents for dishwashing and laundry, and use bar soap for handwashing, instead of plastic containers of liquid dishwashing, laundry detergents, and liquid soap.
All of these suggestions for switching to plastic alternatives are, as one observer put it, “not a moment too soon for our plastic-choked planet.”
A unique and inspiring initiative to reduce plastic exposure is the shift toward natural playgrounds for children. In Finland, forty-two daycare centers have replaced plastic flooring, rubber mats, asphalt, and gravel with natural materials such as soil, sand, moss, plants, and sections of forest floor. Children are encouraged to engage directly with these natural elements—digging and playing in soil, for example. Research on these children revealed stronger overall immune responses than in children at conventional asphalt and plastic playgrounds. Many experts suggest that what was once the norm—outdoor play with plants, grass, moss, and soil—should be embraced again. This model deserves to be replicated worldwide.
Resources for further learning:
NRDC’s “10 Ways to Reduce Plastic Pollution”
Read Part 1 of this article, “Plastics: The Debris of Progress and the Need for Systemic Change.”
