The Single-Use Plastic Dilemma

Single-Use Plastics Have a Massive Impact on the Environment

Single-use plastics (SUP) are items that are meant to be immediately disposed of after one brief use. Examples of SUPs are packaged beverage bottles, grocery store bags, plastic utensils, and disposable food containers. Shockingly, around 50% of global plastic output is single-use (Davidson, 2024). Convenience has rendered them necessary for fast-paced consumption, but it is appalling that around half of all plastic production is attributed to flimsy pieces of plastic that are used for mere minutes before polluting the planet.

Here are some other alarming statistics on plastic pollution (Davidson, 2024):

• The average ‘working life’ of a plastic bag is only 12 minutes.
• 100,000 sea animals are killed by plastic pollution each year.
• A truckload of plastic enters the ocean every minute.
• On average, humans ingest 44 pounds of plastic in their lifetime.
• Up to one million people die from illnesses linked to plastic waste pollution each year.

Why is plastic packaging harmful to the environment and health?

Terrestrial ecosystems, marine environments, and the atmosphere are polluted with plastic. Animals unintentionally ingest plastic, get trapped in debris, and suffer from oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and long-term toxicity. Additionally, 43% of marine mammals are affected by plastic debris, which causes low light and oxygen levels, tangles sea animals, and confuses them with jellyfish and phytoplankton prey (Pilapitiya & Ratnayake, 2024). 

In humans, chemical additives such as Bisphenol A (BPA) can cause many chronic diseases and developmental disorders. Alarmingly, BPA has been detected in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women, which provides nutrients to a growing fetus. Figure 1 depicts the modes of entry for plastic in the human body and some of the detrimental effects it has on public health. Besides health concerns, plastic also decreases the quality of soil, affecting agricultural industries. Furthermore, plastic leads to economic losses in cleanup expenditures, ecosystem degradation, tourism decline, and waste disposal costs.

Technological advances in waste management are not enough to remedy the issue of single-use plastics. They must be accompanied by changes in consumer behavior.

A research paper by Rabiu and Jaeger-Erben examines consumer behavior with single-use plastics to identify the role they play in everyday life. The study demonstrates how reducing SUP is a complex intervention process that could be linked to intrinsic factors such as “personal competence, connectedness, and autonomy,” and extrinsic factors such as other people’s behaviors, economic incentives, and accessibility of sustainable choices (Rabiu and Jaeger-Erben, 2024).

Plastic is utilized the most in food packaging, beverage cups, social events with pre-packaged items, and personal hygiene products. Figure 2 displays the plastic encountered by the study’s participants during their two weeks of observing their plastic consumption. Most notably, food packaging is the largest contributor to plastic use.

The culture of productivity in our society places an emphasis on convenience and immediate gratification, encouraging the purchase of packaged items. To the working individual, a grocery store that is open every day is more convenient than a farmer’s market that only occurs once a week for a few hours. This window of opportunity to make more sustainable choices is difficult to prioritize with a flooded schedule. The unfortunate tradeoff for the incredible convenience of grocery stores is the exorbitant amount of plastic packaging. This reliance on disposable products is further exacerbated by the lack of infrastructure for plastic-free purchases and a circular economy.

Circular Consumer Practices (CCPs)

In Figure 3, appropriation refers to the integration of everyday practices, and routinization refers to the appropriation of practices to the point where conscious monitoring is no longer necessary. In a circular consumer practice (CCP) model, waste is minimized by sharing resources, extending the usage of items, and purchasing products second-hand.

Everyday contexts, settings, and practice elements impact the appropriation and routinization of CCPs, which influences the respective environmental impacts. A lack of competence in repairs, difficulties with recycling certain materials, hindrance from market structures, and social norms may thwart CCP implementation. Furthermore, some unintended rebound effects and trade-offs may offset the environmental benefits (Rabiu and Jaeger-Erben, 2022). 

In summary, circular consumer practices have the potential to decrease waste production and improve environmental sustainability, but their efficacy is context-dependent and complex.

Empowerment is essential for transitioning individuals to decrease SUP in their everyday lives. One participant in Rabiu and Jaeger-Erben’s study stated that, “[i]t was interesting to realise how much plastic I am using like every hour of my day.” This demonstrates how plastic infiltrates our lives without consciousness, with one participant noting that, “[i]t was difficult to find viable alternatives for certain personal care products packaged in plastic” (Rabiu and Jaeger-Erben, 2024).

Even with intentional effort to avoid plastic consumption, it is nearly impossible to escape the clutches of SUPs in society. However, by implementing small habits such as bringing to-go cups, avoiding prepackaged snacks, and actively searching for plastic-free personal care alternatives, individuals took the initiative to lead more sustainable lives, even when they could not eliminate all their plastic consumption.

One participant noted that “[m]aking these small changes in my food choices felt encouraging. It was a conscious decision to opt for alternatives to SUP packaging.” The common denominator from the participants’ experiences is that society is not designed for a plastic-free lifestyle. It is not conducive to working, commuting, and socializing for individuals who desire a zero-waste life. A participant observed that, “[t]here is no functional and cost-effective infrastructure that allows shopping without single-use plastic” (Rabiu and Jaeger-Erben, 2024).

However, as the participants consciously observed and made an effort to avoid SUP consumption, they adopted sustainable mindsets and behaviors. With continuous thought and actions, these zero-waste practices will develop into habits, appropriating and routinizing circular consumer practices as Rabiu and Jaeger-Erben noted.

Analyzing and applying this model to the practice of using single-use plastics specifically, people must be compelled, empowered, and prepared to adopt new habits that limit the consumption of single-use plastics in order to reap the environmental benefits. Without the education, appropriation, and consistent routine implementation of zero-waste acts, any efforts will be in vain.

What does it take to get people to change their lifestyles to reduce plastic consumption?

It starts with both systemic change and individual commitment. We need infrastructure and policies that support a greener society and plastic-free alternatives. Just as importantly, we need individuals who are willing to make conscious, sustainable choices, even when they are not the most convenient. 

At the University of San Francisco, student leaders are pushing this movement forward by organizing zero-waste events and offering resources like the upcoming Bulk Refill Event hosted by ASUSF Senate, where community members can access free personal care items and learn how to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics.

To put this into perspective, the University of San Francisco has around 10,000 community members, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff. If each person refused just one plastic bottle per day over the course of a semester, we could prevent 1,070,000 plastic bottles from entering the waste stream. Unfortunately, the USF community struggles with waste sorting, as indicated by our failed Recology waste inspections. Therefore, it is not guaranteed that these bottles will be recycled. In fact, only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled, due to poor waste sorting practices and mixing plastic with non-recyclable materials (Davidson, 2024). Save our planet by refusing single-use plastic. As a community, we can be more sustainable. 

Every day decisions make a difference. Choosing to bring a reusable container, planning ahead for plastic-free options, or even just becoming more aware of your own consumption habits can help build a culture of sustainability. You have the power to reduce plastic waste, inspire your community, and change the world from here. 

 

Works Cited

Davison, Tamara. “21 Plastic Pollution Facts to Be Aware of in 2023 | CleanHub.” Blog.cleanhub.com, 30 Nov. 2023, blog.cleanhub.com/plastic-pollution-facts.

Pilapitiya, P. G. C. Nayanathara Thathsarani, and Amila Sandaruwan Ratnayake. “The World of Plastic Waste: A Review.” Cleaner Materials, vol. 11, no. 2772-3976, 1 Mar. 2024, p. 100220, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772397624000042, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clema.2024.100220.

Rabiu, Mubarik K., and Melanie Jaeger-Erben. “Appropriation and Routinisation of Circular Consumer Practices: A Review of Current Knowledge in the Circular Economy Literature.” Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, vol. 7, Dec. 2022, p. 100081, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2022.100081.

—. “Reducing Single-Use Plastic in Everyday Social Practices: Insights from a Living Lab Experiment.” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 200, no. 200, 1 Jan. 2024, p. 107303, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344923004378, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107303.