Timothy Grant

THE DEMONISATION OF PLASTICS TO AVOID CHALLENGING CONSUMERISM MORE BROADLY.

Over the past 10 years, there has been increasing pressure from community and environmental groups to reduce plastic pollution, culminating in legislation and corporate declaration of targets to become plastics free or have plastic reduction targets.

While reducing the emissions of plastics into the environment is a laudable goal, there is significant confusion over the objectives of fossil plastic replacements. It sometimes framed as a need to be not fossil, to be degradable, biodegradable, compostable, renewable or sustainable – to avoid macro plastics or microplastics.

Few products meet all of these objectives and even if they can there are the plastic replacements can lead to higher environmental impacts including climate change, water use and land use impacts.

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