Recycling and packaging production?
A large proportion of household waste, if not most of it infact, comes from packaging. Do you think the government should be looking to some how control the packaging of goods and the type/materials used. If so, what steps do you think they could take i.e. laws and regs etc.
Answer:
Yes. I was told that other EU countries have measures in place where companies must take packaging back from us, and its up to them to dispose of it.
I think big companies like tescos or asdas should start using paper bags for fruit (easier to recycle than palstic) and have re-fill things like shampoo, soap powder, washing up liquid. This means you can re-use your plastic bottles which seem to be the hardest thing to recycle.
there is way too much packaging. the one that niggles me isal the polestyrene foam stuff that comes in boxes when you buy things like furniture. its no recyclable and is toxic to burn
I think as consumers, we choose what to buy. If everyone stopped buying individually packaged things, companies would lose money and stop making them. The government could enforce regulations but people don't want to be bullied by the government. We are free-thinking, we need to make our own choices.
Even fast-food is horrendous. I bought a take-out taco salad from a restaurant a few months ago, here's the junk that came with it:
1. Paper bag
2. Cup with plastic lid, straw with paper on it.
3. Cup of chili with plastic lid.
4. Recyclable plastic container that had my salad in it.
5. Plastic knife, fork.
6. Small package of tortilla chips.
7. Package of salad dressing.
8. Package of sour cream.
8. About 5 napkins.
Now that's a lot of packaging!! I probably won't order that ever again. I recycled the salad container and bag and will use the napkins.
I agree - too much packaging - who needs individually wrapped oranges for example and other fresh veg. fruit etc in plastic packets. I have read that some plastic cartons cost more to produce than the items inside them... so customers pay for the production of as well as for disposal of surplus packaging.
Solution? Leave surplus packaging at supermarket checkout? Tough on the staff .. but supermarkets can influence suppliers.
Government intervene? Tax packing at source according to its environmental impact.
I agree that there is too much packaging. A lot of times if something I want is over-packaged, I decide I don't need it, but if it is something I truly need, there really is no choice. I understand that some things are heavily packaged for shipping purposes (buy local and this would be less of a problem) other things may be heavily packaged because of theft or size. Possibly a tax on heavily packaged items? I don't know how to remedy this. Getting something at a fast food place, yes they over-package and give too many extras and don't ask if you want all this junk. When my parents are with, they think I should take all these extras, because they are included in the price. I think if everyone refused these extras unless they really needed them, the prices may not go up as quickly, but if the majority of people just blindly accept these as "that's the way it's done," unless the government steps in, over-packaging and extras will just continue on the way they do now.
.If we didn't have supermarkets, just as in the good old days, goods would be sold over the counter without the need for contamination-proof wrapping. The resultant drop in theft would keep the cost down too.
I think we all agree but what will we do to solve this problem. One is buy in the bulk bin at your local health food store. Last week I was there and complaining about the plastic bags used to put the oats, rice etc. They have small brown paper bags at the front and said we can request to use those instead. Also, we can save our plastic bags from the bulk bins to reuse again. And of course we have no excuse but to use canvas bags for our groceries now adays, just keep several in the car at all times. These steps may not solve it all but it will tremendously reduce our use of plastics.
Did you know you can complain to Trading Standards if you think a product is excessively packaged?
Companies use all the plastic and cardboard and cellophane because over the years as consumers we have demanded perfection. They will only change their ways when they know that we want it.
Reduce, Re-use and Recycle. All of which are important but start from the Reduce. Reduce the amount of highly packaged products you buy. Go to your local butchers instead of the supermarket where meat is place in one bag, rather than an un-recyclable plastic container and a cardboard sleeve. Change takes time so consider everything you buy. If it is excessive, complain.
Re-use what you can. Ice-cream, margarine, coleslaw and yogurt tubs all have a multitude of uses! Get creative and inventive!
And lastly what you can't avoid buying and have no other use for Recycle it.
Laws and regulations are a long way of I fear - we need to make it clear to manufacturers we don't want it first of all.
There was a great programme on Channel 4 last night but many people might not have seen it as it was on the same time as Corrie! It was the founder of Lush (they sell tolitries in bar form mainly that don't require any packaging) and he conducted an experiment. He bought a bottle of Shampoo for £2 and re-created it himself at a cost of just 10p. The packaging would cost him 30p. 3 x more than the product that is then sold for £2. Crazy.
in tesco today, i could not buy any veg that wasnt pre packed. there used to be a choice with carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes potatoes etc but today nothing was un wrapped. why shrinkwrap swede? or cucumber? fresh beetroot with leaves on is impossible to buy. its vacuum packed. lettuce is bagged.what happened to radishes in bunches? peppers were bagged. i would love for everyone to unwrap everything and leave the packaging on the floor of supermarkets.
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