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Greenpeace comes to the realization that no alternative materials to plastics are eco-friendly
Plastics Today ^ | 10/10/2019 | Clare Goldsberry

Posted on 10/15/2019 7:03:13 AM PDT by Rio

It was bound to happen. In a recent report from Greenpeace, “Throwing Away the Future: How Companies Still Have it Wrong on Plastic Pollution Solutions,” the organization has concluded that not only is plastic bad for the environment, every other “alternative” material is, as well.

Those who are promoting a return to paper packaging will soon be hearing outcries from Greenpeace about how paper usage is destroying the world’s forests. After all, it is the earth’s forests that consume tons of CO2 from the atmosphere like so many giant sponges. So, all you tree-huggers can breathe easy, so to speak.

Additionally, it was noted that a lot of paper packages (as well as single-use paper cups and containers) have plastic liners and can’t be recycled. Off to the landfill with those! Paper recycling facilities are drowning in paper, and some recycling centers have stopped collecting paper entirely.

And if you thought that bioplastics were safe from Greenpeace, think again. Greenpeace has dismissed bioplastics, or bio-based plastics made from plants such as sugar cane or corn, as just so much “greenwashing.”

As I’ve noted many times in my articles, bioplastics are designed specifically to be left out in the open environment to degrade over several years. And when it does break down, it merely fragments into smaller pieces. The same is true of the so-called “compostable” plastics. So, I actually have to admit I agree with Greenpeace on this one.

Greenpeace has determined that recyclability is a “myth.” Except for the mechanical recycling of PET and HDPE, many of these newly developed “loop-type” recycling schemes involve the shipping of consumer goods all over the country for washing and sterilization, and then shipping them to the brand owners' fill plants and back again to the consumer. Forget about following the money—follow the carbon footprint on this one!

Chemical recycling was mentioned in the report, which I think has some merit, especially for co-mingled plastic waste and dirty ocean plastics. Greenpeace doesn’t hold out much hope for that, either. “Investment in new chemical recycling infrastructure is risky in that it will ‘lock in’ demand for plastic waste in order to generate more plastic as well as non-plastic by-products,” said the report.

So what are we to do? What materials should we use to hold the goods we purchase? Everything has a downside. Multi-use plastic retail bags are being banned in favor of non-woven carry bags, which are still “plastic.” As for cotton bags, they come from agricultural processes requiring gasoline-powered equipment to plant and harvest, not to mention the aircraft used to drop defoliant on the mature cotton so the bolls can be more easily gathered by another piece of gasoline-powered equipment.

Everything we can think of that might be an alternative to plastic has been proven over many studies to be not as eco-friendly or cost and resource effective as plastics. Greenpeace’s idea that every community should go to a “zero-waste” model sounds good on paper, but in large cities it probably isn’t practical. That’s why we have municipal waste collection.

Greenpeace, as well as other groups seeking ways to eliminate plastic packaging and other single-use plastics from the planet, just may have to pivot, whether they like it or not. Alternative materials aren’t cutting it and waste won’t be eliminated.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: plastic
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To: Rio

So Greenpeace, and ultimately every accolyte of The Environment(TM), will realize AND admit openly that the only way to save the planet is....go back to the stone age.

Seriously, all these damn fools come up with more ways to “save” the Earth (as if it needs saving) but it’s all circular. If we keep “reusing” containers instead of throwing out plastic baggies, we NEED TO USE WATER AND DETERGENT to keep them going - that’s another threat to Earth! If we use blowdryers in the restrooms instead of paper towels, we USE MORE ELECTRICITY!

It goes on and on.

They really want us to live in the stone age.


21 posted on 10/15/2019 7:42:26 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs)
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To: Rio

Proper disposal is the answer but the greenies stop all attempts to open new lined landfills.


22 posted on 10/15/2019 7:43:02 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: the OlLine Rebel

... They really want us to live in the stone age.

More correctly, die going back to the Stone Age


23 posted on 10/15/2019 7:54:01 AM PDT by HangnJudge (Kipling was right about Humanity)
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To: Rio

Once again, the great state of California has arrived with the solution... Live in the dark without electricity, poop in the streets and sidewalks, and trust government for everything in your life!


24 posted on 10/15/2019 7:55:08 AM PDT by jimmygrace
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To: Rio

Can we have our plastic straws and plastic bags back?


25 posted on 10/15/2019 8:07:18 AM PDT by minnesota_bound (homeless guy. He just has more money....)
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To: BuffaloJack

George Carlin agrees with you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjmtSkl53h4


26 posted on 10/15/2019 8:20:03 AM PDT by minnesota_bound (homeless guy. He just has more money....)
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To: Rio
it takes SEVEN trailers to haul the same amount of paper bags as one trailer of plastic bags... not to mention prolly seven times the production effort
27 posted on 10/15/2019 3:43:27 PM PDT by Chode (Send bachelors, and come heavily armed!)
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