If we want to reduce plastic waste, we must tackle plastic production – and change the system
To effectively address the issue of plastic waste, we must confront plastic production and overhaul the entire system.
Imagine yourself picking up a discarded piece of plastic from the beach, feeling a sense of satisfaction for your environmental contribution. However, as you look around, you realize that plastic is ubiquitous, far beyond your capacity to clean up.
Recently, the United Nations endorsed a resolution aimed at ending plastic pollution, which may sound promising. However, by focusing solely on pollution, we ignore the elephant in the room: production. Why is plastic production continuously increasing, resulting in its presence in our forests, rivers, and oceans?
Our research has unequivocally demonstrated that if we genuinely want to combat the ever-mounting volume of plastic in our oceans, soils, and bodies, we must address the underlying reasons why our societies increasingly rely on single-use plastics and dispose of them carelessly.
The solution lies within our existing systems.
Consider a time-constrained parent burdened with the responsibilities of raising children, work, and a mortgage. It becomes much more convenient and expedient to opt for heavily packaged ready-made meals or to have dinner delivered, wrapped in multiple layers of plastic.
When our lives are hectic and time is scarce, we tend to gravitate toward plastic-intensive food options.
It is high time we shifted our focus beyond plastic waste alone.
Plastic pollution has spiraled out of control, with nearly 80% of the staggering 8.3 billion tonnes we have produced ending up in landfills or the environment.
Given these circumstances, why is the UN solely fixated on waste instead of addressing production? We are generating more plastic than ever before. Plastic derives from oil and is projected to account for one-fifth of global oil consumption by 2050. Furthermore, 40% of all plastic production is dedicated to packaging, with over a third of that being used for food packaging.
Our research has proven that mainstream approaches like the UN resolution have proven to be ineffective and even counterproductive.
To make a substantial impact on the daunting problem of plastic pollution, we must implement systemic changes.
Let’s examine recycling and the concept of a circular economy, often heralded as solutions to plastic waste. However, the problem with recycling lies in the fact that plastic degrades with each recycling cycle. Additionally, recycling itself often entails high energy consumption and carries its own set of environmental consequences.
Recycling merely postpones the final disposal of plastic. Likewise, the notion of a circular economy is only applied when it is financially advantageous. Today, many small businesses such as Seed & Sprout from Australia are tackling this problem by producing plastic free products.
Could we transition en masse to alternative disposable materials, such as bio-based packaging?
Unfortunately, that is not the ultimate solution either, as these alternatives still bear significant social and environmental impacts.
Both recycling and the adoption of bio-based packaging are tactics derived from the technocratic practice of greenwashing, in which we rely on technology to maintain our unsustainable way of life.
The question remains: Why do we consume such vast quantities of plastic and dispose of it so readily?
What we truly need is a reevaluation of our plastic consumption and production practices, allowing us a better chance to live within the ecological boundaries of our planet.
The current capitalist system incentivizes producers to manufacture and sell as much plastic as possible, creating new market niches for their products. It is unsurprising that this has led to an avalanche of plastic.
Consider the packaging of food as an example. The utilization of plastic for food packaging has skyrocketed since the 1960s, coinciding with the expansion of the global food market.
There is a clear correlation: as food production becomes more globalized, it displaces local production, leading to extended and intricate supply chains. And with longer supply chains comes an increased need for packaging to preserve the saleability of the food.
This suggests that the problem of plastic extends far beyond the prevention of waste entering our
rivers and oceans. We firmly believe that the core issue originates from the growth-centric capitalist system that prioritizes profit above all else.
Let’s take packaged food as an illustration. The sale of “convenient” packaged meals, requiring minimal preparation like frozen dinners, instant noodles, and fast food, has surged. Why do we crave such convenience? It’s because we are time-poor.
And why are we time-poor? In our fast-paced capitalist economies, individuals must adjust their food preparation around inflexible, demanding jobs, often involving long hours or fitting into a precarious employment system.
Consequently, many of us find ourselves at the end of the day with scarce time and energy to shop at local stores, cook meals from scratch using fresh ingredients, or engage in food cultivation.
It is well-established that time constraints have led to an increase in the consumption of processed and packaged foods.
Manufacturers have significant financial incentives to produce even greater quantities of plastic.
Waste is merely a symptom of the larger problem.
We hold little hope for the new UN agreement on plastics, as it not only fails to address the root causes but also exhibits poor implementation of previous climate commitments and international environmental agreements, such as e-waste management.
Proposals that merely skim the surface of reducing plastic pollution will have minimal impact on our overall plastic consumption and the substantial damage it inflicts upon our societies and the environment.
If we genuinely intend to mitigate this damage, we must seek profound solutions. One potential avenue is transitioning toward a degrowth society, enabling us to relocalize our food systems.
In a degrowth society, we would gradually shift back to localized food production, curtailing the globalization of food and shortening supply chains. Consequently, the need for excessive packaging would diminish.
Additionally, degrowth would help address time poverty by reducing working hours or introducing mechanisms for job sharing.
A degrowth society would afford more leisure time, while local food systems would offer healthy, fresh, seasonal produce requiring minimal packaging.
Supporting local farmers and advocating for more leisure time for all could prove to be more effective solutions to the issue of plastic pollution compared to merely advocating for improved recycling schemes.
Is this merely an idealistic notion? Not at all. We have witnessed how our society can respond and adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic when a problem is taken seriously. If we prioritize our social and ecological well-being over corporate profits, genuine change will become attainable.