Every year we throw 10 million tons of plastic into the oceans and solving this problem requires regulatory action. However, there are many ways consumers can help.
Cutting boards, coated pans, mixing bowls and even tea bags – plastic can hide in the kitchen. That's what Jessica Brinkworth, an anthropology professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, realized when she began looking for ways to reduce plastic use in her own kitchen after her workplace started doing the same.
Although most of the waste in her lab is unavoidable (plastic plays an important role in her research on medical sterility), she still feels uneasy.
This discomfort is made worse in his own home, where he knows that plastic is “mainly for convenience.”
“Large plastic particles are a global problem because we wash them up on other countries’ shores, where plastic bottles hinder coastal states’ access to food and kill them,” he said.
Much smaller plastics, such as micro- and nanoplastics that are smaller than a grain of rice, “pose a completely different challenge.”
Many plastics are endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with the release and use of insulin, which can lead to obesity and reproductive health problems.
Every year we throw 10 million tons of plastic into the ocean and kill a million marine animals every year. This type of plastic can enter our bodies through the food we eat (most seafood contains microplastics) and the way we cook. Paula Chin, senior consumer policy advisor at World Wildlife, said: “Plastic pollution is one of the clearest signs of the environmental crisis we face, with microplastics found in both the highest and deepest depths of the oceans.”
“They are also found in our bodies and it is estimated that we eat the equivalent of a plastic credit card every week.”
Brinkworth said solving our plastic problem requires regulatory action and extensive coordination from federal and world governments, but there are important ways consumers can make a difference.
“In our kitchens we produce many things that are dangerous for the environment and society.
But we have it in the kitchen because we have access to it,” he said.
“One of the greatest achievements of the plastics and oil industries has been convincing us that this is a personal responsibility.”
However, Brinworth points out that the climate crisis is already underway and many people cannot survive while waiting for innovative plastic recycling solutions to save the world.
It encourages those interested in tackling plastic pollution to reduce, reuse and recycle, but most importantly, to say no when possible.
“Consumers can most effectively take control by trying to influence changes in government.”
Here you will find tips from Brinkworth and other experts on how to reduce and eliminate plastic waste in your kitchen.
Avoid buying plastic
Plastic is everywhere in grocery stores—think cellophane wrapping on sliced mushrooms, milk cartons, and packages of sliced meat. It's difficult to completely avoid these problems, but Chin says, “There are ways to reduce costs.”
The first and most important way to achieve this goal, in her opinion, is to simply buy less.
“Make smart decisions and avoid buying products you don’t need. If you do this, look for products made from natural, long-lasting materials.”
The more you cook from scratch, the less plastic you use in packaged or prepared foods (think of all the plastic used to package frozen vegetables, pre-cut foods, and frozen dinner containers).
When purchasing not only groceries but also kitchen items, Chin recommends first asking yourself if you need something and then trying to reuse what you already have before looking for “choices that contain recycled materials.” .
This will not eliminate the health risks associated with plastic, but it could have a significant impact on the environment.
According to a 2021 report from the World Economic Forum, reusing just 10% of plastic products could prevent almost half of the annual plastic waste in the oceans.
If you're not yet in the habit of taking your own bags to the grocery store, start there and consider adding your own reusable bags along the way.
But shopping at traditional supermarkets isn't the only option: Zero-waste stores (where you can bring your own containers or use plastic-free containers available in store to bring home enough lenses) are popping up across the country. bunches of broccoli you will use) and many farmers markets allow shoppers to bring jars or make their own bags, eliminating the need to bring plastic containers.
Depending on where you live, you can even replace plastic milk cartons with glass bottles (and rekindle the nostalgia of visiting the milkman) by opting for a milk delivery service.
Cooking without plastic
You might not think that there is so much plastic in your kitchen just by thinking about the clear packaging, but almost every home has at least some kitchen utensils made of plastic. Think cutting boards, mixing bowls, non-stick (Teflon) pans, spoons, mixers or food processors.
According to Brinkworth, plastic devices can release large amounts of micro- and nanoplastics, especially when we heat, crush or mix them.
Earlier this year, scientists at North Dakota State University published a study showing that shredding plastic cutting boards can release millions of microplastics each year.
Another recent study calculated the amount of microplastics released when using plastic bowls, blenders, kettles and non-stick pans.
The best way to avoid this?
If possible, replace plastic utensils with metal, glass or wood, advises Brinkworth.
However, be careful when looking at wooden or bamboo utensils that you think are held together with glue.
Even the glue used to seal tea bags can release billions of microplastic particles.
Packaging
Plastic packaging has one of the biggest impacts on the environment: we only use it once and it can take around 1,000 years to decompose in landfills.
And plastic packaging (like cling film, sandwich bags and candy wrappers) accounts for almost half of all plastic waste that ends up in the ocean.
It's so convenient it's hard to think of a good alternative, but Brinkworth encourages consumers to try reusable alternatives.
The price of reusable food packaging can be high, so Brinkworth and her family developed their own.
It's easy: cut a piece of cotton fabric to size, place it on a baking sheet in the oven, coat it with beeswax (Brinkworth recommends adding jojoba oil for more flexible wrapping), and bake it for two to three times for minutes.
If this all seems too complicated, you can purchase reusable beeswax wraps at many grocery stores.
Brinkworth says the reusable cling film is easy to clean, but will start to peel off over time.
“Honestly, the easiest solution for most people is to just use jars,” which are available at many thrift stores for about a dollar each.
Overall, switching to jars (or glass containers if that fits your budget) is better for the environment and your body.
Plastic containers can transfer cancer-causing and hormone-disrupting chemicals to food.
Clean without plastic
If you think you've eliminated plastic from your kitchen, the prevalence of plastic in your cleaning routine might surprise you.
Dishwasher capsules have the worst reputation (containers made of polyvinyl alcohol do not spoil in water purifiers), but if the interior of the dishwasher is made of plastic, microplastics will come out after every wash cycle.
According to Brinkworth, very few dishwashers are made of plastic, but he recommends investing in a stainless steel interior if you can afford it (or washing it by hand if life permits).
Even washing your hands won't remove all plastic from your kitchen: If you use dishwashing detergent, chances are it's in a plastic bottle.
Luckily, some brands have started selling dishwashing detergent and dish soap in cardboard containers.
Most sponges are also made of plastic, but as demand increases, more and more stores are selling natural sponges and kitchen towels.
This can be a good alternative to remove plastic from your body and prevent it from ending up in wastewater.
