The Plastic Dilemma: Sorting it out

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THE PLASTIC DILEMMA: Sorting it Out

Marti Smith is a writer and musician happily living in the Cowichan Valley with her family.

Recycling plastics can be a mystifying process. Can onion mesh bags actually be recycled? Do candy wrappers get recycled with regular plastic bags? What about plastic lined paper bags? The answer to the last one, is unfortunately, no. Which means I can no longer in good conscience buy a certain brand of corn chips.

Stretchy and Non-Stretchy The way I see it is that there are two groups: the stretchy plastic category which includes grocery bags and all things that stretch; and a crinkly plastic category, such as all non-stretchy bags. The second category is also sometimes called: Other Flexible Packaging. I am happy to say I’ve solved the mystery of onion and avocado bags – they go in with the non-stretchy plastic, otherwise known as Other Flexible Packaging, or Category 9. Stiff, stand-up by themselves zip loc bags for things like granola, cat food and frozen berries, also get recycled with the Other-Flexible Packaging category. Island Return It and other recycling depots now accept Other Flexible Packaging. To make this process easier at our house, we have two recycling bins at home, one for stretchy plastics and the other for nonstretchy plastics. When they’re jammed full, we make a trip to Island Return It.

One of the reasons it can be so perplexing, even when you get the stretchy, non-stretchy thing, is that there’s so darn much of it, like an overwhelming mountain of plastic, and that’s of course, the real problem. But it’s so malleable and mutable, which some people say is a great thing, because it can be created into many different products. Like the company that turned scraps from funnels and component parts for conveyors and elevators into recycled plastic toboggans.

Some people feel very strongly anti-plastic, so they’re willing to take products out of their packaging and leave them in grocery store carts, in order to make a statement. Other people want to be a little quieter about their views, but they contribute to change by using alternatives to plastic like cloth mesh veggie bags or using glass jars at the bulk bin. And there are still others, who are willing to be part of change within the industry, such as organizations that are working on the creation of a circular plastic economy.

Circular Plastic Economy According to the Recycle BC website, they are supporters of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. The foundation proposes a circular economy for plastic, where it never becomes waste or pollution.

A video on their website explains: “If we continue like this, by 2040 the volume of plastic on the market will have doubled. And the flow of plastic in the ocean will have about tripled.”

Yes, it’s true, millions of plastic ends up in landfills, incinerators and in oceans. So, improving recycling is crucial, but we can’t recycle our way out of plastic pollution, alone. The foundation is calling for broad innovations, like eliminating single use plastics, delivering products to customers package-free or with renewable packaging and

only using plastics that can be reused, recycled or composted. As well they are proposing innovative technologies for new collection systems to accelerate the circular economy. The circular plastic initiative is also part of a larger vision calling for a regenerative and restorative economy.

As these broad sweeping changes are afoot, if we get our recycling into the right bins at Island Return It, or other recycling depots, less of it may end up in landfills and in our oceans.

A Note about Pre-sorting Pre-sorting plastics at home is easier and faster than doing it at the depot. If you’re still confused, put items you’re unsure about aside in a different bag and ask for clarification at the depot. Unfortunately, contamination of the stream creates more garbage. For further clarification, you can visit the Island Return It or Recycle BC websites: https://islandreturnit. com/ https://recyclebc.ca/

SORT PLASTICS IN TWO GROUPS FOR THE DEPOT:

Plastic bags and overwrap: Plastic bags for groceries, dry cleaning, bread, newspapers and flyers; bags for produce, dry bulk foods, pre-washed salad and frozen vegetables (without ziploc); outer bags for diapers and feminine hygiene products, paper towels, tissues, soft drink can flats; bags for water softener, salt, wood pellets and garden products; overwrap on mattresses, furniture and electronic equipment.

Other Flexible Packaging: zipper lock pouches for frozen foods like prawns, berries, deli meat. Bags for potato chips, quinoa, candy bars and cereal bags, dish detergent pods, packaging for dry pasta, pre-packaged deli meat, net bags for avocados, onions and citrus fruit. Padded protective plastic like plastic shipping envelopes, bubble wrap, plastic seals used on yogurt containers (cleaned, not just licked), tea bag envelopes, coffee foil bag, any regular Ziploc bags.

Non Recyclable Plastic: Paper padded protective shipping envelopes, shower curtains, vinyl packaging with zippers for bed sheets, vinyl tablecloths, garbage bags of any colour, cat or dog food bags, that are made of both paper and plastic, or plastic chip bags with paper liners.