How can we get rid of plastic waste?

Not going to get political because that only puts posters off writing on a thread. Please stop it.

I bought a coat a couple of weeks ago and refused a bag to put it in. Started a conversation with the shop assistant who asked why all shops can't just use paper bags. When discussing with DH he said we use plastic bags so we don't cut down trees. Suspect he is out of date and now paper is made from sustainable forests but it does make me think that there is usually a bigger picture.

Apparently if we buy some fruit without the packaging it will damage business in the countries it comes from as the fruit won't survive the travel. Personally I would prefer to go without the fruit which has traveled so far and find another source of income for the people growing it.

If we all encourage the next generations to make all their food from fresh ingredients it will help. So much of the plastic is in things people buy to go with their instant food. On motorways I sometimes buy the ready prepared fruit from M & S which is in plastic packaging and I use their plastic forks to eat it. I will stop doing that from now on now that I have given it some thought.

DS & DiL take all their own food and drink to work mainly because they think going out to buy it is a waste of time and money but compared to their colleagues they must use far less plastic and it is so simple to do.

In the Netherlands some companies employ people to cook lunch for their staff and charge a small amount for the meals. If we did this that would also be another way of saving plastic.

I think part of the problem is that we don't think small. Same with the NHS and others, can't save small amount, only large amounts. If we all did our own little bit it would make a huge difference.

During the coalition, the Liberal Democrats pushed for the 5p charge on plastic bags to be introduced - in the face of opposition from the Conservatives (who now claim the credit)

I thought this thread wasn't going to be political?!!!!
There's no need for plastic bags,at all as everyone who goes shopping can take their own shopping bags, DH and I have done so for years. Does anyone remember string bags? so easy to take and stretch to infinity!
It's obviously easier for countries that have much smaller populations than ours to really get on top of pollution, but if we can all including manufacturers be very aware of the damage and potential destruction that our carelessness and selfishness is doing to this beautiful planet then hopefully a big difference can be made. I don't think arguing about which political party scores the most points is at all helpful. It doesn't matter so long as collectively we get our act together before its too late.

Oh yes niggly those bags...’to infinity and beyond’?
I have always carried a small bag stuffed into a pocket, handbag etc, just feels nicer to hold and carry than plastic.

What about plastic water bottles?
Where we live (France) many people buy trolley-fulls of bottled water, and I wonder what happens to all the empty bottles.
I asked one lady in the queue why she did this ( I thought maybe they only had well water like many others). She said because they don't like the flavour of bleach used to sterilise the drinking water from a certain reservoir.
Our tap water is fine for drinking.

Ours is too, so one bottle can be refilled again and again, no need for a new one every time! Surely an emphasis on reusing would make a lot of difference.

niggly please don't reuse the plastic bottle water come in, research has shown that reuse causes cancer. If you buy one of the ones produced especially for reuse they are made of something else which, so far, has not been found to cause problems.

Nothing wrong with our tap water either.

Oh goodness, thank you for that Nonnie, I had no idea! We don't actually do that ourselves as we don't buy bottled water, but I know people who do and will pass this info on. Again, thanks.

I have lived in Sweden for over 20 years - ever since I have lived here:
- plastic drinks bottles/tin cans all have deposits - you can take them back to any supermarket and put them in a machine that reads bar codes and it gives you a credit slip that you can use or cash in (if you don't take them back there are plenty of kids who will be happy to get your deposit back!)
- soft and hard plastic packaging goes in the recycling
- most stuff has a lot less packaging than you have in the UK - some supermarkets have a bin where you can put un-necessary packaging and they will review if it is needed.
- many companies have reduced plastic in disposable items - for example ready meal boxes/coffee cups are recycled as paper
- we pay 25p for a plastic carrier bag and many are made from biodegradable substances made from sugar beets/corn - paper carrier bags and bags for life are also common

No, you just attack me, don't you, on every bloody thread!
djen Sometimes I agree with you or perhaps you haven't noticed.

nigllynellie: 'It's obviously easier for countries that have much smaller populations than ours to really get on top of pollution'

not at all- au contraire. Why would itbe easier- it is all proportional. In fact, it is much harder as the available land here for living, housing, agriculture and leisure is %onately much smaller than in the UK - because of lakes and mountains. And we are much more densely populated.

The difference is not SIZE, but WILL.

Nonnie yes, that is true about the plastic bottles. You can also buy metal ones which are like mini thermos flasks which keep your water cold on a hot day.
Our tap water is so chlorinated sometimes that the smell can be overpowering when the tap is turned on so we do uyse a filter jug when it is very strong.

All our waste, recyclable or otherwise, has to go into the appropriate bags provided by the Council - which are plastic - otherwise they won't take it away, apart from the food waste bag which is, I think, biodegradable starch-based.

Our council seems muddled re: food waste and items for recycling which is not encouraging. I don't like fresh food being wrapped in plastic - it's not necessary but it's what some people come to expect now. Wrapping a cucumber in plastic film and then in a plastic bag seems ludicrous to me. Perhaps it's not so fresh after all! I like our local garden centre it sells food that is not covered in plastic and provides paper bags!
That said my online food delivery comes in plastic carrier bags because when I declined on one occasion it came in a [plastic] tray and emptied out!!! More paper bags would be much more helpful for me and the environment.
Perhaps if we asked en masse for paper bags things might begin to change?

It's a bit difficult to buy sprouts etc without using a bag of some kind, I did find paper ones this morning in the supermarket. Perhaps they are changing over.

Please would Michael Gove go to Switzerland and implement some if these initiatives as soon as possible. One thing is milk bottles . Would could it be possible to buy milk in glass bottles.?

My milk is delivered in glass bottles by the milkman each day, although you can ask for plastic ones if you prefer. Not sure why anyone would want to though. The village I live in has just begun a project to eliminate the use of plastic as far as possible and the enthusiasm for it has been very encouraging.

Look at the number on the water bottle. Most plastics are labelled with a number which allows you to work out whether it contains BPA.

BPA, or bisphenol A is a chemical ingredient used in making SOME water bottles .

"BPA is found in a huge range of things from polycarbonate containers and the linings of cans of food to the heat-sensitive paper used in receipts and tickets. There have been claims that BPA can cause harm by acting like a female hormone, and it has been linked to, although not proven to be a cause of a range of health issues."

The number is inside the triangular recycling mark.

1, 2, 4 or 5 means the plastic is BPA free. They quite often say BPA free on them.

A 3 or a 7 means that the plastic may contain BPA. The BPA may be released if you heat them up or put detergent on them.

A 6 means it’s made from polystyrene.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3JYPnFyHfjDB0jTJFSw97ms/can-plastic-water-bottles-cause-cancer

It's absolutely fine to reuse plastic water bottles! You will not get cancer.

"There are many hoax emails and unreliable internet articles warning about the so-called dangers of plastic bottles, containers and films. The emails generally warn people about reusing plastic bottles, freezing water in them or leaving them in hot cars. Some of them also talk about microwaving food in plastic containers or covered with plastic films.

However, there is no convincing scientific evidence to back up these claims or to suggest that any of these products could cause cancer."

From the Cancer Research website.
www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/cancer-controversies/plastic-bottles-and-cling-film

Scares whip round the internet like a ferret round a rabbit warren, but the calm advice gets left behind.

How can we get rid of plastic waste?
People power?
Forcing the food processors and supermarkets to re-think?

Apparently, the MD of Sainsburys did not know that his coconuts are sold in plastic wrapping, cardboard and with a plastic straw.
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/sainsburys-organic-coconuts-plastic-packaging-customers-supermarket-a8149896.html
Well - he does now!

The packaging may be recyclable but not everyone will recycle it.

It is very hard for individuals to cut down on plastic in their lives. If I go to the supermarket, just about everything is in plastic. If I choose loose veg, a plastic bag is supplied to put it in.

There has to be a fundamental change before any progress will be made.

Well, I started as I mean to try to go on, bought loose fruit and veg and just put it in the trolley like that, apart from the sprouts in the paper bag. The checkout person did not bat an eyelid, just weighed it, then we put it carefully into one bag. I did buy pre-packed bananas though, as the others looked very ropey.

Bought myself an insulated coffee mug today at Waitrose and used it for my “free” cuppa.
The longest journey starts with a single step!

I think that's a really good idea Jalima - I will do that as well tomorrow. If I don't have a choice about buying something wrapped in plastic, I'll make a small nuisance of myself and ask why. If people keep on asking for a no plastic option, the retailers will start catering to that market.

I use produce bags for fruit & veg. The bags last for years and you can even wash the produce while still in the bag, then store it. For something like cabbage or squash, I don't bother use any kind of bag.

There are loads on the market but this is an example.
www.amazon.co.uk/MIU-COLOR%C2%AE-Reusable-Produce-Bags/dp/B00Z8ZTX50/ref=pd_bxgy_201_3?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=gransnetforum-21&refRID=WBVQWX4RN1HKMS2PS1SX