Why we should value plastics

Blue Planet II and the ‘David Attenborough Effect’ has undoubtedly had a vast positive impact on many people. It has led to record numbers of volunteers for activities like beach clean ups and caused people to rethink many of their single use items.

However, at Enva we have seen an increased number of staff and students misinterpret this information and begin to demonise plastic as a material. Plastic is unavoidable in daily life and a very useful material that makes up large parts of everyday items including our computers, phones, cars, aeroplanes, furniture and medical equipment, etc. Part of our job is to advise each of the universities on what happens to their waste and so what the most sustainable options are for them. Plastic is a good resource because it can be recycled. Many alternatives including ‘compostable’ and ‘biodegradable’ plastic substitutes are usually treated as general waste by UK Material Recovery Facilities 'Common Recycling Misconceptions'. From this perspective, when looking at the waste hierarchy, it is more sustainable, and so preferable, to use a recyclable material than one than will be sent for energy recovery 'Enva Partner for EMUWC'.

The real issue we face is the flippant purchase of any single use items (plastic or not) and the lifestyle of convenience we are all so used to. If you consider the lifecycle of any item you use and the process needed to create it from raw materials, and then the process it will go through after you have used it, the impact is huge. The carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing, transport and disposal of any waste item is significant. Replacing the material in a disposable cup, for example, does not make that cup any less of a waste of resources. If we can prevent the need for the item in the first place and reduce what we buy, that is the most sustainable option.

There needs to be a shift in consumer mentality towards only buying what we really need and will continue to use, linking with the UN Sustainable Development Goal ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’. For example, don’t buy clothes you aren’t going to wear more than ten times, buy second hand if you can and repair what you already have before throwing it away. We should be valuing everything we buy and use in order to properly combat climate change and excessive waste.