Top Six Single Use Plastic Items to Eliminate.
We’ve Seen It All!
As you can imagine as bin cleaners we get to see a lot of waste in various forms in your wheelie bins.
When you witness the amount of waste that is unnecassary being put into landfill you get to feel sad and determined to try and do something about it. Admitedly it isn’t easy to always be on top of what can be recycled and what can and can’t go in the green or red bins.
As we grow as a business cleaning your bins we feel we have the oportunity to help you understand what you can do to help the environment by managing your rubbish. This also means we will share with you some tips and products that can make a difference too.
The importance of recycling cannot be understated, especially considering the world’s population is expected to keep growing exponentially. However, we need to do more than just recycle.
If each one of us does our part to eliminate buying items made from single use plastic, we can dramatically reduce the amount of trash that ends up in landfills. If this is not enough incentive for you to want to refrain from purchasing these items, then just think about how less often you will need to take your wheelie bin to the curb since you will have less trash.
Replacing single-use plastic items is quite simple to do, as there are many alternatives on the market. This article aims to highlight some of these alternatives so you can begin doing your part to help the earth and its inhabitants, which includes you, of course.
Why Plastic Is Not the Ideal Choice
Plastic is a man-made material that is created by a process that uses crude oil and other organic materials. It can contain bisphenol A and phthalates, which are chemicals that are harmful to humans and other animals.
Some plastic items make their way into the ocean and other natural habitats and lead to harm in one way or another, whether it be via an animal ingesting plastic or getting stuck in something made of the material.
Although plastic is a cheap material to utilize for creating various items, it is simply not worth the damage it results in across the globe. It literally is found all over the world; even small fibers of it have been found in the seas around Antarctica as well as near other remote areas of the globe.
Once everyone gets on board with ditching plastic, more and more alternatives will begin popping up and prices are sure to drop for a lot of the non-plastic items that are available.
There are already some high-quality and affordable plastic alternatives already on the market, and a great deal of these are detailed below for each item.
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Water Bottles
Water bottles are one of the single-use plastic items that are used the most, making them an important item to replace with a non-plastic alternative, which there are several of.
Some reusable water bottles include ones made of stainless steel, glass, aluminum, and Tritan copolyester, which is a unique man-made material.
Stainless Steel: Although stainless steel reusable water bottles can get hot and, in turn, make your water hot when under the right conditions, it also works great for keeping your water cold if it is not sitting in direct light. However, some people who use these bottles sometimes notice a slight metallic taste in their water.
Aluminum: One great aspect of using an aluminum reusable water bottle is that you can recycle it when the time comes that you no longer want to use it. These water bottles are also extremely affordable. Keep in mind, though, that aluminum reusable bottles are more likely to get dents in them than the other alternatives.
Glass: Glass has been used for bottles since before plastic was ever created by humans, so it makes for a wonderful alternative to plastic water bottles. Also, just as with aluminum bottles, you can toss them in your recycling wheelie bin once you have finished utilizing them.
Another great thing about glass reusable water bottles is that they do not cause the temperature of your water to easily change like metal bottles do.
One of the only downsides about using a glass bottle is that they can break. Fortunately, most glass water bottles come with rubber on the outside to prevent them from sliding out of your hand, and this also helps keep them from breaking if they do end up getting dropped.
Tritan Polyester: This man-made material can be utilized for reusable water bottles. It is a nice alternative to the metal and glass varieties, and it will not cause your water to taste like anything other than good old water. This material is also safe to use for water as it does not contain any harmful chemicals.
Plastic Bags
Plastic bags in the form of grocery bags can be very easily replaced by a cloth or canvas tote bag. You can pick a few of these up for super cheap, and there are endless designs and colors to choose from.
If you are a business owner who is trying to find an alternative for plastic and paper bags for holding items sold to your customers, you can try out compostable bags. You could also simply give out inexpensive cotton or recycled polypropylene bags.
When talking about plastic sealable bags, there are also some alternatives. First of all, you can buy compostable bags from your local grocery store, and as the name implies, you can throw them in your compost after use.
If you do not collect compost, you could think about trying out a stainless steel container as a sealable single-use plastic bag alternative.
Foodware
As far as an alternative for plastic disposable plates and bowls go, you can opt for a leaf-based variety of each instead. They are 100% biodegradable and look much nicer on a table, too. You can also opt for plates made from sugarcane fiber, also known as bagasse.
If you need disposable forks, spoons, and knives, there is an array of wooden ones available, such as some made out of birch wood, as well as bamboo cutlery which is completely biodegradable.
You will probably find them to be much sturdier than the plastic cutlery you have used in the past.
For a replacement for plastic drinking cups, check out an eco-friendly biodegradable alternative.
Benefits of Using Bamboo Plates over Paper or Plastic Plates
Disposable bamboo plates have several benefits over disposable paper plates and reusable plastic plates . Here are some of these benefits:
- Bamboo plates are much more recyclable than paper plates because bamboo fibers are completely compostable,
- The bamboo plant has long roots that hold soil together, making bamboo plantations an ideal source of renewable bamboo fiber,
- Bamboo is a versatile plant that can be used for many things including bamboo flooring , bamboo furniture, bamboo mats , window shades and other decorative items,
- It does not require much water to grow, resulting in less irrigation costs over time,
- Compared to plastic, bamboo plates are stronger and sturdier. This makes it possible for them to be reused several times without breaking or cracking easily,
- Bamboo plantations are capable of taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
Bamboo Plates
Disposable Bamboo Plates – 10 Inch & 7 Inch Square Party Pack (48 Pc) Compostable and Biodegradable.
- 24 Fancy Disposable Palm Leaf Plates 10″ square
- 24 Fancy Disposable Palm Leaf Plates 7″ Square
- All made from genuine Areca Palm Leaf
- Naturally fallen wood
- Handcrafted with no hazardous coating or impurities
- 100% biodegradable and compostable
- Heavy duty and fun to use
- Microwave safe and reusable
- Perfect for weddings, parties, BBQ, everyday
- Sustainable, low carbon footprint, eco-friendly
Straws
Straws make up a huge amount of the single-use plastics that end up in the landfills. This is why trying to use environmentally friendly straws and encouraging others to do the same is good for everyone.
Many large chains in the food industry are switching to paper straws, but there are other options as well, including stainless steel and bamboo straws, both of which are reusable.
As with the metal water bottles, some may find that neutral-tasting drinks taste a bit like metal, but they are typically easier to clean than the bamboo variety. One nice thing about the bamboo straws is that they can be composted after they are no longer usable, which is sure to be the case at some point.
You could also always just go without using straws. They are not a necessity, and once you get used to not using them, it will seem like no big deal.
Reusable Bamboo Drinking Straws
100% Natural Eco Friendly Biodegradable and Organic 20 Sticks Bamboo Wooden Straw Includes Cleaning Brushes.
Reduce waste by avoiding single-use plastic straws.There’s no guilty feeling when it’s time to dispose of these biodegradable compostable straws. you get 20 premium reusable washable straws that you can use for months.
Coffee Cups and Lids
Plastic cups and lids are used for taking coffee to go across the country, and this is a huge issue as far as eliminating single-use plastics goes, as you cannot recycle many of these items.
Aside from the standard paper cups, there are many biodegradable coffee cups that you can find, such as ones made from biodegradable paper and corn plastic, which is also a biodegradable material.
To replace single-use plastic coffee cup lids, you can opt for lids that are made with a process that uses sugarcane fiber. These are, of course, biodegradable. Or you can go for an option where you use a resuable cup. This stainless steel travel mug is perfect for hot or cold drinks.
Stainless Steel Travel Mug
Triple-Insulated Coffee Cup with 2 Lids and Straws, Reusable, Powder Coated, Splash-Proof, Keep Ice Drinks Cold.
Having the right hydration on hand will help keep you at your best.
It’s made of food-grade 18/8 stainless steel metal, triple Insulation technology keeps your beverage cold up to 12 hours hot up to 6 hours. It’s non-slip, unbreakable and sturdy, just enjoy the cold drinks in the outdoor activities or office work
Takeaway Containers
Imagine all the space that could be saved in landfills if people didn’t use takeaway containers. Many of these are made of styrofoam, which is created with a plastic, and it cannot be recycled, nor is it biodegradable.
There are also many restaurants that will use the standard single-use plastic containers for carryout, resulting in heaps of plastic waste that will just sit around for decades while more of it piles up.
Thankfully, many restaurants have come to realize the importance of using alternatives to plastic takeaway containers. A lot of places now hand out customers’ food in paper boxes, but there is an even better option in the form of biodegradable cardboard made from recycled material.
Another option, and one that will help keep food warm, is aluminum takeaway containers, though some of these still come with plastic lids. However, when you place your order for the containers, you can request to get paper lids in lieu of plastic ones.
Disposable bowls
50 PACK Food Storage, Biodegradable Bagasse Microwave Safe.
- PACK OF 50
- Microwave and freezer safe.
- Food container, Food storage.
- Compostable fiber.
- Take away bento box.
Conclusion
It is up to all of us to make the necessary changes that help us move away from single-use plastic items, and eventually, hopefully from plastic altogether. With so many great alternatives to plastic on the market and the whole Internet at your disposal to find anything you could dream of, there is not much sense in sticking with single-use plastic items.
Especially in the case that you collect compost, there is no reason to refrain from using compostable materials as replacements for items made of plastic. Even if you do not have a personal compost pile, there are various locations where you can drop off compostable materials for others’ collections.
Start thinking about which alternatives are ideal for you, and begin your journey toward a life free of single-use plastics.
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