Plastics In A Pandemic

This plastic-free July, we have one big question: how have our sustainability efforts been impacted by the global Covid-19 pandemic?

Patrício Silva, A.L. (et.al. 2020) argues that “with public health now being of utmost priority, along with close monitoring of economic and social impacts, the implications of COVID-19 in the environment remains largely undervalued” (pg.2).

This issue is complex, with our frontline health workers needing single use plastic face masks, face guards, gloves, and aprons to protect themselves, their families and the wider community. We can’t ask them to stop. So what personal action can we take to try to offset these activities and protect the environment in this vulnerable time?

Below are some of the plastics you may have seen your increased use of (understandably) since the beginning of the pandemic - and how you can address them.

Coffee is Love, Coffee is Life

For lots of us coffee is what we use to boost our brains every morning - especially when we’re stuck in the repetitive and energy sucking grooves brought on by lockdown. Naturally the local coffee store has become a pit stop on our daily walks. The most simple thing to do to reduce plastic waste is bring a reusable cup.

If your favourite coffee store doesn’t allow reusable cups during highly infectious periods of the pandemic, you should:

  • Purchase your daily coffee from cafes that are part of recycling programs such as: recycle me, simply cups (7-eleven) or biopack
  • Always check if your takeaway cup is recyclable or compostable - and dispose of it correctly. Or,
  • Find your closest coffee cup recycling centre.

Takeaway

With the eating out buffer removed from our week - it’s completely understandable that you turn to takeaway meals. However, most takeaway products come in plastic or cardboard containers. Make sure you follow the recycling instructions on the packet, and the biggest rule: clean the container before you throw it away!! Most councils will not recycle a product if it has food waste on it. This counts for pizza boxes, if there’s a large amount of grease on the lid or bottom, separate the sections and salvage/recycle what you can.

The green bins with a difference

Across NSW, 43 council areas have FOGO bins. This stands for Food Organics and Garden Organics - allowing lucky residents to recycle their food scraps alongside gardening waste. For greater Sydney, the councils with FOGO bins include:

  • Randwick City Council
  • Woollahra Municipal Council
  • Penrith Council

Alternatively, if you live in a multi-unit dwelling in the City of Sydney or Inner West Council you may also have access to these bins.

If you do live in one of these councils, please use these bins to their best ability - sincerely, someone that does not have this privilege.

Staple of the pandemic

We have all relied on face masks to keep ourselves, and the people around us, safe. Single use masks are made out of polypropylene - a plastic that in the best circumstances is disposed of in landfill and breaks down into microplastics. This isn’t a very hopeful outcome.

If you haven’t already - make sure you purchase a reusable mask. If you have to use a single use mask, make sure it’s disposed of correctly, and keep them away from any possibility of ending up in our waterways. When disposing of your face mask make sure you snip off the ear ties - ensuring that if the mask does end up in the ocean: it is less likely to choke an animal.

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