When talking about eco-sustainability many people immediately think of plastic as the polluting material par excellence and most of them point to it as a material that is difficult to dispose of. The reason is to be found in distorted media campaigns that expose the topic superficially and in information based on incorrect data, often not supported by research analyses. Added to all this is the birth of the phenomenon "greenwashing” (which exploits the appeal of the term “green” in the sense of “ecological”) which does nothing but increase the distortion of information. “Greenwashing” means “environmentalism on the surface”, and indicates the strategy of some companies that try to build a deceptively positive image of themselves in terms of respect for the environment, just to mask their polluting products. Attracted by this trend, many companies that used plastic packaging and items have gradually switched production in favor of other products, first and foremost paper, especially if we think of the food industry. In this scenario of complete disinformation, classic supermarket bags are among the items most affected on a commercial level.
However, analyzing a research conducted by the University of Oxford, the facts come out reversed. The study investigates the composition of the most used objects and you will be surprised to see how plastic only accounts for 1% compared to the total. It therefore appears evident that eliminating it does not eliminate the problem, on the contrary, it exacerbates it.
Pollution: the real factors of responsibility
Today, technology has made enormous strides forward, allowing the creation of excellent and biodegradable plastics, produced with very resistant and sophisticated granules.. Through their use and correct disposal, infinite recycling of the material has become possible with a truly minimal loss of quality in the product.
As already underlined in thearticle about the situation of beaches and seas We have explained several times how the main cause of pollution is man, not raw materials. Each of us is required to decide according to our own responsibility where to throw waste, choosing whether the appropriate container for collection or the street is right. And after having used any packaged good that has become garbage, it is our own hands that make us participants in ecological protection. In Teamplast we always support education for people and, before unfairly demonizing any consumer good, we support its correct use and disposal.
Supermarket Bags, Plastic or Paper? The Decision Is Yours
Let's start with the facts: neither of the two materials is completely eco-sustainable.. And if it is true that to produce plastic a precious commodity like oil is used, it is equally correct that to produce paper we deforest forests that are necessary for the regeneration of oxygen for the planet. As regards the recovery of plastic, research is proceeding towards the regeneration of polymers that can be used in the food sector, starting from the recovery of material for domestic use that is cleaned, regranulated and brought to the form of raw material. Furthermore, as indicated by the studies, we must underline that the recycling process presents clear differences: for plastic the processes are mechanical and very low-polluting; much worse are the chemical agents needed for the recovery and bleaching of paper.
It becomes necessary to evaluate the complete impact of a material taking into account the entire production and disposal process that derives from it.. Producing a paper bag involves three times more CO2 emissions than the same item made of plastic. Returning to supermarket bags, we can specify that for the production of a 60 g paper bag, approximately 0.60 kg of CO2 are emitted compared to 0.19 kg for the same product in plastic.
Weight is also important and has an impact on the surrounding environment, because the heavier (or bulkier) an object is, the more energy and costs will be needed to sustain its production, transportation and final disposal. The plastic bags we find at supermarket checkouts weigh about 6 grams, compared to 60 grams for paper bags.
Furthermore, a paper bag from the supermarket is more fragile than a plastic one. If it contains heavy or sharp objects, it is easy for it to break with all the consequences that this entails. The tendency is therefore to fill them less and use more than what is actually needed. Plastic bags, on the contrary, are more resistant and even if they break slightly, they are unlikely to tear completely. And even better, they are reusable and potentially recyclable infinite times.
Conclusions: waste disposal is a fundamental part
As we have seen, it is easy to have a distorted opinion when you do not know the facts in detail. Paper, glass, metal, wood and ceramics have excellent properties and are ideal materials for the production of certain items: as is plastic!
Especially in the food and medical-pharmaceutical sectors, it is essential to use a reliable, clean, safe and resistant material that guarantees the protection of the contents of the 100% and its total isolation from other possible contamination.
Plastic bags, to date, are the safest and most ecological alternative for containing food and, only if they are disposed of in the appropriate containers, allow for their correct recycling and subsequent re-introduction into the market..
Until we learn to differentiate correctly we will not solve the problem of pollution. And in Teamplast we are and will always be at the forefront for a correct culture of plastic and its use.
