Our Plastic Pandemic

During lockdown we been allowed to let things slack. Our normal routines have been chucked out of the window and as the months rolled by, we accepted our new way of life. For those of us who aren’t key workers we’ve had no need for early starts and long commutes and instead can afford an extra hour of sleep or fill our spare time binging another boxset. One habit that we should never have let slip was our war against plastic.

In my previous article, ‘Our World After Covid’ I explored the increase in demand for PPE and its effect on the environment. I found it shocking how easily we could toss aside our masks and gloves and let them float like jellyfish in our great oceans. When these plastic coverings are what is stopping the spread of this new virus, it seems absurd to allow the disposal of our protection go so unregulated. But the increased use of PPE is by no means the whole story.

Last year, 2.5 billion cups were used in the UK yet only 1 in 400 were recyclable but, with the help of the media, people were beginning to wake up to  Now that lockdown has ended, people are out venturing into our highstreets, tempted by Boris’ ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme. But in an attempt to stay Covid safe and stave off another lockdown, the progress made to cure our plastic addiction has been overturned. Despite eating in, big chain coffee shops like Costa are serving drinks in paper cups – cups that are not recyclable – instead of using crockery they already have in store. It’s clear that a disposable cup is presumed to be safer than a reusable one, however, this isn’t necessarily the case. In March,The Journal of Hospital Infection released a report stating the length of time different strains of coronavirus could last on surfaces. It was discovered that the virus lasted for 5 days on crockery but, on plastic, some strains could last for up to 9 days. Even though the cups are disposed of straight after use, putting crockery into a dishwasher is still a simple solution. According to the World Health Organisation, a temperature of 56°C is enough to kill coronavirus so a 60°C wash in the dishwasher eliminates most of the risk.  

Still, our high streets aren’t the only perpetrators, supermarkets have a big part to play too. Over lockdown there was a massive increase in the number of home deliveries and with that comes plastic. Food is brought to your door in bags of plastic with no possible way of returning them. Whereas this seems like the only viable option to safely transport your food, there are somethings supermarkets can do. Instead of using non-recyclable plastic, bags can be made from paper (so long as they aren’t strengthened with plastic, paper can be recycled or composted) or recycled plastic (though still plastic, this is a much better option than non-recyclable as it prevents plastic being dumped in landfill and eventually leaching into our environment). More expensive options are available but as supermarkets are filling our homes with needless waste, they have a responsibility to be a part of their safe disposal.

Of course, we all have our own roll to play when it comes to limiting our waste. While shops were closed it was easy to order online and as a result, collect more and more plastic packaging. With our shops and highstreets now open once more, it’s time to shake loose of the old habits and go and support your local businesses. If there’s one nearby, visit refill shops and ditch the single use plastic or have a go at making your own products. When possible, choose plastic free alternatives (these can be expensive but simply choosing loose vegetables instead of packaged ones for instance can make all the difference) and ensure you really are buying what you need.

In such difficult times, in can be hard to broaden your focus to the world around you. We may not know the full extent of the impact Covid-19 has had on our environment for many years to come. Nevertheless, as a society, we must protect and clean up our fragile world so that future generations won’t feel the weight of our plastic pandemic.