How can we get rid of plastic waste?

There are several networks here on line or Facebook for sale or second hand modern shaped re-usable nappies and overpants- and it works really well.

I spent a week recently in Malta and on arriving on my hotel room the tray had two bottles of water. They were the only bottles we used. By the hotel lobby there were water dispensers to refill bottles. I felt the benefit on my pocket and happy to limit my use of plastic.

We've always been told not to refill plastic water bottles as it's carcinogenic. Is there any proof that that is the case of is it because the companies that sell them don't want people to just top them up with tap water?

It depends what it is made of, Tegan The number inside the recycling triangle on the base tells you that. There are many websites which list the numbers and what they mean, and whether those particular chemicals are likely to leach into the contents. This is one site www.lifewithoutplastic.com/store/common_plastics_no_1_to_no_7#.WmrpmOfLg2w

I believe it also depends how long you keep the bottle. If you refull a few times whilst on holiday, no problem- but not a good idea to re-use for months as it will begin to break down.

Mind you, one person I know who thinks he is going to die if he refills one bottle- smokes 20+ a day and drinks far in excess of reason and eats tons of bacon and cured meats- so it just does not make sense. I always find it weird when people focus on one health issue- and totally ignore the others.

Thanks for the Flash tip. Looking round the house I am shocked by the amount of plastic we use so am starting to mend my ways.

I wonder how many of us would be prepared to switch back to washing powder instead of liquids or pouches (also sold in plastic containers). Was it really THAT more difficult to use?

I am glad I have- and it really has not cause much inconvenience either, for sure.

I've just refilled all the soap dispensers (hand wash) from the 2 plastic pouches I bought yesterday, took me about 2 minutes - so not only the hard plastic container, but the push top, tube and spring have been used for a couple of years now. Some things are so simple and so quick- and yet the effect, cumulated, is massive.

Crumbs! I hadn't thought of washing liquids / pouches. I use the latter as my powder dispenser in the washing machine hasn't worked for ages yet the machines which is donkey's years old is going a treat. Oh dear. I could get rid of the washing machine but that's waste too!

Still yesterday I took cloth bags for shopping and noted that loads of other people had them too so that seems to be catching on OK.

don't beat yourself up about it - you have a good excuse for now- so keep that washing mahine running- when it goes, buy the one with best energy and water saving. BTW, I use short cycles and have lowered temp to 30C for every day washes- better for clothes too. Only use 40 for very dirty clothes and 50C for whites, towels, etc. with a bit of OxyClean (yes - also sold in a plastic tub )

for anything to work, it needs collective action.

We went back to ordinary washing powder, just because it was a bargain. It wasn't a huge success, though, as the low temperatures and water-saving aspects of the machine meant that powder was still on the clothes after the final rinse and spin and we had to do another rinse and spin.

We can't reduce the amount used any more as we already live in a soft water area so put in a minimal amount anyway. In fact, maybe the soft water is why it isn't dissolving properly?

Sue I had the opposite problem: using sachets of liquid detergent resulted in smears over the washing, so now I only use Persil (powder) tabs, and no problem so far, at least at 40 degrees.

Are the tabs sold in plastic or cardboard boxes?

Using powder is really not difficult, at all- and you can choose the dose yourself- I use less for light wash, a bit more if doing teatowels and dishcloths, etc. Easy peasy, honest.

jura2
ive just refilled all the soap dispencers
How about not buying plastic soap dispensers and instead buying a bar of paraban free soap instead.

perhaps try another brand SD?

My washing machine repair genius man told me that washing at 30 degrees all the time causes mould problems in washing machines. As mould has toxic properties that creates a bit of a problem, doesn't it? Be environmentally friendly and wash at low temperatures and possibly endanger the health of the people whose clothes are washed in the machine.

It's always a payoff/balance situation, isn't it?

I saw something on twitter this morning about a guy in India who got an award for making good, durable roads from recycled plastic. That's a good idea, isn't it? Until one thinks of all the micro plastic that it's going to create . Plastic is just indestructible...

which why I do regular washes at 50C for white cottons, as said above. So 30C mostly with a good hot wash every week or two - works. And white vinegar too.

jura2 sorry just saw yoour question. The tabs are sold in cardboard boxes so recyclable.

I only use non-bio laundry products due to a skin condition in the family. I think I've tried all the non-bio brands!

I've never bought the pods, I'd probably never get rid of the foam, in our soft water.

When I go to France I buy large bottles of soap based washing machine liquid, plus refills. I am just not prepared to wash at 30 degrees, it isn't hygienic as it isn't hot enough to kill germs and, as another Poster said, it causes mould growth in the machine, which is another source of human toxicity.

If you shop at 30 degrees it is necessary to buy other chemicals to add to your wash to counter the drop in hygiene levels and get the wash clean. If you balance the energy consumption of sourcing the raw materials and manufacturing, packaging and transporting these product s against the extra energy used to heat the water up to 60 degrees, I doubt if there is much reduction in energy use.

Fair enough Monica- but I don't get it I have to say. If I wear a t-shirt a day or 2, or socks for 1 day, or trousers for a few days, etc- are you sure I will be covered in nasty germs?
For pants, I always wear cotton liners- no worry as they go into the bin and all is incinerated here.

Anything like dishcloths, towels, tea-towels, etc- are washed at 50C and sheets at 40C. I can assure you germs to not seem to be any bother at all round here- and I don't smell for sure ;) - so a bit of flexibility with temps depending on the kind of wash, as well as the amounts of liquid or powder (I add OxyClean for whites) - just common sense no?

Soft pouch refills are great- so I am glad you agree on this. So simple - why do they not exist in the UK?

How about going back to having your milk delivered in glass bottles? I’m lucky enough to still have a delivery man and I have a pint every other day.

Faecal contamination is not limited to clothing directly in contact with the genital area. If you do not put the loo seat down before you flush, there is a spray of faecal material that lands on outer clothing, then there is contamination from hands transferring it from other surfaces onto clothing, add perspiration, food particles etc etc.

I have read the results of tests, unforunately I cannot give a reference, which suggests that all clothing contains spores and bacteria that will be killed in a hot wash and are not in a 30 degree wash. I would rather, where possible do all my washing at 60 degrees and, sometimes, higher.

Milk is very expensive when brought in bottles via a milkman. I do feel bad about buying it in plastic containers from the supermarket but it is so much cheaper and I do have to be careful money wise.

They are recyclable and I am careful about where I buy it for the sake of the farmers.

However, we did revert to a milk delivery in bottles but they came round so infrequently for the money I was never sure if I was over-charged or not (it did seem an awful lot each time) so we stopped it and I think all our neighbours did too.