How many people today grab a takeaway coffee cup from the local cafe to drink on the go? We don’t know, but the number must be enormous.. Most every one of the above have a plastic top that will last 100s of years. Some cafes still use plastic cups that last a similar time. Is 10 minutes of coffee worth 100s of years of trash?
These items can be seen littering our gutters and on our streets all over the place. If they were all cardboard, they would still be littered, but they would, at least, be gone in a short time.
They do not need to be made of plastic.
On the way home from the gym last week, a distance of about 1 km (1/2 mile), I counted the items of plastic litter on the curb as I walked. In that short distance I counted 63 pieces of plastic litter. Plastic drink bottles, bottle tops, candy wrappers, plastic film, polystyrene fragments etc. That seemed to be a lot to me. I guess it is a generational thing. Our parents would have been horrified to see that amount, whereas it seems to go unnoticed by our youth of today. In another 20 years how many pieces will there be on this stretch, -- 200? What will today’s youth think of that new amount then when they are older? Will their children be so readily accepting of a higher amount of litter? July 2025 - Plastic Waste Solutions
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Industry makes push at plastics treaty for easier trade in recyclables
Posted on July 29, 2025 by DrRossH in Plastic RecyclingWhile United Nations agreements like the Basel Convention have put limits on global trade in plastic scrap, industry groups say it's important for the plastics treaty to find ways to facilitate shipments of clean recycled materials. Source: Industry makes push...
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California bill targets recycled plastic imports, requires PCR origin disclosure – USA
Posted on July 29, 2025 by DrRossH in Plastic RecyclingA proposed California law would require beverage makers to disclose the origin of recycled plastic and use third-party certification, aiming to boost transparency and support U.S. recyclers amid rising imports. Source: California bill targets recycled plastic imports, requires PCR origin...
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Experts warn against health risks of plastic pollution
Posted on July 15, 2025 by DrRossH in Plastic Waste NewsThe World Health Organization estimates that around one-quarter of all deaths are attributable to environmental harm, including chemicals, pollution and waste. Source: Experts warn against health risks of plastic pollution “Plastics are a health hazard around the globe, affecting numerous bodily...
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The rising challenge of methane emissions from waste – Australia
Posted on July 13, 2025 by DrRossH in Landfills and DisposalA major source of methane comes from waste - especially decomposing organic matter in landfills - and something needs to be done about it. Source: The rising challenge of methane emissions from waste - Inside Waste Australia’s Emerging Policies Unlike the European...
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UK sets base fee for plastic packaging under EPR scheme – UK
Posted on July 1, 2025 by DrRossH in Plastic RecyclingThe administrator for the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme has published the base fees for the 2025/2026 year.Called PackUK, the administrator will pass on the cost of recycling packaging to converters, producers, and suppliers, following the ‘polluter pays’ principle.… Source: