5 Modern Ways for Businesses and Consumers to Slash Plastic Waste

Salman Shahid

America remains one of the largest consumers of plastic products in the world despite increasing calls for eco-friendly approaches and materials. It shows the American nation seems less motivated than other nations to minimize its plastic consumption. 

Contrarily, the European Union has strictly banned single-use plastic items such as straws. This practice is more likely to reduce plastic pellet production by 74% at the end of the decade. But law and legislation in the US are failing to tackle the fast-growing plastic pollution crisis. So, what can the USA nation do to reduce its reliance on plastic consumption? Read this blog to explore five modern solutions to reduce plastic pollution!

Adopt Sustainable Alternatives

Plastic pollution emerges from the largest pieces of single-use plastic accumulation in landfills and tiny microplastics floating in the marine environment. The pollution crisis has become a persistent problem due to the non-biodegradable nature of single-use plastics and microplastics. Around 50% of plastic is used in food packaging, which ends up in landfills and oceans. Hence, what’s the most effective alternative to plastic food packaging? Custom mylar bags are a one-stop solution to replace plastic food packaging. 

Made from recycled and bio-based materials, mylar bags reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and oceans. And if you are wondering how custom mylar bags keep products fresh, its multilayered structure comes into play. With this structure and metallic surface, mylar bags prevent food-degrading factors from entering the bags. UV light, oxygen, and moisture are among those factors that degrade the quality of perishable items, including food, cosmetics, and electronics. 

Get Rid of Single-Use Plastics

You might be surprised to know that half of the plastic comes from throwaway items, which consumers use only once and then dump. Grocery bags, plastic wrap, disposable cutlery, and coffee-cup lids are the most popular single-use plastic items. 

To reduce the usage of single-use plastic items, think eco before you buy items. What you can do is replace these items with reusable versions. For example, bring your own reusable bag for carrying your purchases. It will only take you a few times to bring your own tote bags to store and a garment bag to the dry cleaner.  You can also take silverware to the office or a travel mug to the coffee shop instead of using plastic utensils. Eventually, it will become your habit. Put simply, try to purchase products with minimal packaging. If you bring your lunch, avoid packing it in disposable plastic containers. Alternatively, use reusable containers made from sturdy yet reusable materials. 

Use a Refillable Bottle

Using plastic bottles for drinking water? Then, you are also among those American citizens who buy around 50 billion water bottles per year. Purchasing these bottles every year turns into a huge plastic polluter in America. Because at the end of the day, plastic water bottles are thrown in the trash. But you can drastically reduce plastic trash if you switch to refillable metal water bottles. Refillable bottles not only help you get rid of plastic pollution but also save you significant money due to their extended reusability. 

By switching to refillable water bottles, you also make a safe choice by sticking with tap water. Plastic water bottles shed tiny plastic particles called microplastics and nanoplastics. These particles, which can be ingested and have been found in human blood, lungs, gut, and even the placenta. To prevent harm to both environmental and human health, start using refillable bottles instead of plastic. The refillable bottles are preferably made from stainless steel or glass that don’t leach chemicals into water. As a result, they benefit both the environment and humans. 

Utilize AI-Powered Waste Separation

The modernization of the recent era is due to tech and artificial intelligence without any doubt. When it comes to reducing plastic pollution, automated waste separation processes have gained traction in recent years. AI-powered waste separation reduces plastic pollution by using smart systems to sort plastics more accurately and efficiently. It improves recycling quality and diverts waste from landfills. This is achieved through AI-driven sorting robots and sensors in recycling facilities. These facilities use computer vision and spectral analysis to identify and separate plastics by type, color, and composition. Al also optimizes waste collection logistics. It is also used in smart bins and at a source level to improve sorting at the start of the plastic waste cycle. For example, one of the companies, “Recycleye,” uses AI optical air-jet sorters to sort plastic materials and separate them from mixed waste. The company developed a technology to separate food-grade polypropylene plastic from household post-consumer waste in 2023. 

Break Down Plastic with Biotech

Compared to eco-friendly options like paper-based materials, like kraft, plastic takes several decades to break down into soil. In this regard, it would be great to find a solution that not only breaks down plastic but also recycles it. Bio-tech-powered recycling systems have made this process possible. They use specific enzymes to split plastic polymers into their fundamental building blocks. Then, microbes, including bacteria and fungi, secrete enzymes that consume plastics while breaking them down for their own growth and metabolism. 

Once the plastic is broken down, the resulting carbon components can be converted into valuable products like biofuels, biochemicals, or new biodegradable plastics through microbial processes like fermentation. While talking about examples, Carbios is one of the organizations that leveraged biotech-powered recycling systems.  With such systems, the company breaks down and recycles plastics with biotechnology. 

Wrap Up!

Since plastic pollution has become a major crisis in America and other nations worldwide, there is a dire need to adopt innovative ways to reduce reliance on plastic consumption. Consider five major solutions to reduce the consumption and the dumping of plastic in landfills and oceans in this blog. Though the US legislature fails to cut down plastic waste, implementing these solutions will help businesses and consumers get rid of plastic waste. Doing so eventually leads to less plastic waste while aligning with sustainability needs.