SUSTAINABILITY

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?

ASK YOURSELF THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE, EXPLAINS RICARDO MULAS OF E6PR.

In summary, sustainability is the use of natural products and energy in a way that does not harm the environment, or the ability to continue or be continued for a long time(1)

Nowadays, we are exposed to all sorts of messages on how we most achieve sustainability and take care of our planet; organizations promote the three “Rs” (reduce, reuse and recycle), while companies market their products as “green”, “eco-friend- ly” or “degradable”, but what does this all mean? Asking yourself the right questions could help you make better decisions towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

Intertwined with sustainability are many different methods and processes, and understanding these is helpful to work out what is sustainable and what not. Here are some introductory definitions(2):

Š Reduce, to minimize the amount of waste we create.

Š Recycle, is the process of collecting and re-processing materials. Recycled is when a product comes from re-processed material, and recyclable is when the product can be re-processed, these terms should not be interchangeable, since recycled may not necessarily mean recyclable.

Š Reuse, is the process of collecting and re-purposing materials whether for its original purpose or to fulfill a different function.

Š Degradable, something that can be broken down into a simpler form mechanically, chemically and/or biologically, reflecting on the materials phys- ical and/or chemical properties. We’ll focus on the following degradation processes:

• Oxo-degradation, a mechanism that results from the addition of chemicals to accelerate the breakdown of materials by oxidation, usually with oxygen from the atmosphere. This process may not change the materials’ properties.

• Photo-degradation, a mechanism that results from the addition of chemicals to accelerate the breakdown of materials with UV light, usually from the sun’s light. This process may not change the materials’ properties.

• Biodegradation, a natural mechanism that results from digestion processes, assimilation and metabolization of organic compounds carried out by bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other organisms.

Š Compostable, a human-driven process that accelerates the biodegradation of a material through temperature, humidity, acidity and other conditions.

Š Lifespan, or lifetime, is the length of time that something is likely to live, continue, or function.

Š Useful life, a product’s service life.

Succeeding the dissection of the different methods and processes involved in sustainability, one can analyze an everyday activity and the impact this may have on our environment. For instance, when you are thirsty and purchase bottled water, you may only think about quenching your thirst. After today, ask yourself, what happens to the bottle?

The bottle’s useful life ends as soon as you drank the water, and if made from plastic, the bottle’s lifespan can be over 500 years.

The bottle may be reused if you fill it up again. Though, how many times will you refill the bottle? What happens when the bottle breaks?

Is the bottle from recycled material? Can the bottle be recycled? If so, it will be re-processed into a new product that will eventually fulfill its own useful life, could the plastic be recycled once more? Usually, each cycle means an inherent loss of properties (e.g. reduction of molecular mass); downgrading.

Reusing and recycling are helpful to continue the useful life of the plastic material, but to what extend? In time, the material loses enough properties that it may no longer be recycled and ends up as landfill, or waste, polluting our soil and water sources(3). What happens when a plastic material reaches a landfill or the open environment?

Naturally plastic will degrade over a 500year span, in the meantime it will occupy space, filling up landfills, or pollute our land, rivers and oceans. Artificially, chemicals are added to plastics to accelerate its decomposition; oxo-degradation or photo-degradation. What happens if oxygen or UV light don’t reach these items?

The material will not break down. What happens when it does? The plastic material will break down to ever smaller pieces of plastic, even reaching less than 0.2 inches in size. Studies show microplastics have entered the food chain(4), creating problems on its own.

What are the alternatives? During the past few years, plastic products, especially in the packaging industry, are being replaced by new materials promoted as biodegradable and compostable.

Biodegradation happens naturally, everyday organic matter (plants, trees, dead animals) in the environment is converted to simpler compounds, mineralized and redistributed through elemental cycles such as the carbon, nitrogen and sulfur cycles, nurturing ecosystems. Artificially, mankind accelerates the biodegradation process through compost.

Divided by scale an industrial/commercial compost is closely monitored to optimize the decomposition process of large volumes in a matter of days, while at its simplest level home/garden-compost breaks down food scraps, grass clippings, leaves, and low quantities of organic matter over a period of months. Keep in mind that compostable materials will only biodegrade in a compost system, the conditions and temperatures of a home compost will not break down bioplastic products.

The lifespan of a compostable product could almost be as fast as its useful life, biodegrading in a matter of days. Even better, the decomposed outcome is a dark, crumbly organic material that can be used as fertilizer in garden soil, helping it retain water, add nutrients and discourage diseases, pests and weeds.

Back in 2017, E6PR was created with the mission to innovate and develop high-end compostable and biodegradable packaging solutions with low to non environmental impact. Introducing the first ecological can holder designed to replace plastic rings, the “Eco Six Pack Ring” is made from natural plant fibers. The Eco Holders comply with the highest quality standards of performance, proven with over 5 years of continued use in 25 different countries by over 600 customers.

By using natural plant fibers, E6PR strives for a sustainable lifestyle. The eco-rings, being compostable, avoid the recovery and downgrading problems that recyclable options have. Consumers discard the fiber based eco-holders in the compost or organic bin, or as green waste, which in turn decompose into a nutrient-rich biologically active substance; fertilizer. When fertilizer is added to the soil, it boosts the health and vitality of plants.

As consumers we have the power of decision making, it is within us to determine what brands we support and why we purchase their products. Ask yourself what is the origin of a product, and its packaging, and where does it all end? Today, more than ever, it is very important to choose the sustainable option.

(1) Oxford Dictionary

(2) These definitions are particular to the writer based on different sources and references.

(3) UN: “Plastic Planet: How Tiny Plastic Particles are Polluting Our Soil”

(4) WWF: “Assessing Plastic Ingestion from Nature to People”