Antimony in fabrics

by Posted in 1.4 Additives Fact Sheets Tagged

Yet more reasons to reduce your plastic use …. quoted highlights from an extremely interesting article from the never dull O Ecotextiles PLEASE NOTE the quotes are the points that struck me, I strongly reccomend you read the whole article to place the quotes in context and access the citations.

“65% of the world’s production of fibers are synthetic, and 35% are natural fibers. (1) Fully 70% of those synthetic fibers are polyester.

There are many different types of polyester, but the type most often produced for use in textiles is polyethylene terephthalate, abbreviated PET. Used in a fabric, it’s most often referred to as “polyester” or “poly”. It is very cheap to produce, which is the primary driver for its use in the textile industry.

Annual PET production requires 104 million barrels of oil – that’s 70 million barrels just to produce the virgin polyester used in fabrics.

Antimony is used as a catalyst to create PET.

Antimony is present in 80 – 85% of all virgin PET. Antimony is a carcinogen, and toxic to the heart, lungs, liver and skin.

Antimony used in the production of PET fibers becomes chemically bound to the PET polymer so although your PET fabric contains antimony, it isn’t available to your living system. (3)

Antimony is leached from the fibers during the high temperature dyeing process. The antimony that leaches from the fibers is expelled with the wastewater…. Countries that can afford technologies that precipitate the metals out of the solution are left with a hazardous sludge …..Countries who cannot or who are unwilling to employ these end-of-pipe treatments release antimony along with a host of other dangerous substances to open waters.”

post

Down The Drain…..

by Posted in 2.1 reports, stats and studies Tagged

Where does all this plastic trash come from? Well dirty litter droppers get most of the blame and they are responsible for much of it – except of course when they aren’t.

These men were trying to transfer some polystyrene peanuts, a packaging material, from one box to another.A strong wind blew up and peanuts blew everywhere.

Here they are bouncing down the street……..

along the kerb….

up to the grid….

down the storm drain.

This being Istanbul, it wont be long before they are washed out into the Bosporus and so out to sea …

That’s one way plastic escapes out into the environment. Being non-biodegradable, once out there it will be around for some time looking ugly, working its way into the food chain, releasing poisons and posing a threat to wild life.

Plastic trash has been implicated in the deaths of all these animals

Polystyrene is just gross – you can find out more here …..

 

PVC

by Posted in 1.3 Plastic Types - Fact Sheets Tagged , , ,

 A white brittle plastic until you add plasticisers the most common being phthalates then it becomes soft and flexible. PVC is known as the “poison plastic” because of the lethal chemicals produced during its manufacture and possibly again when disposed of.

It is an ethane derived plastic.

PVC is one of the cheaper plastics and consequently widely used.

PVC is a polymer – a large molecule created by linking together smaller molecules.

It is a combination of oil and chlorine. Chlorine is a salt, the same salt you use in the kitchen.

Over 50% of the weight of PVC comes from chlorine which means PVC requires less petroleum than many other polymers.

It is a thermoplastic material. It will melt when heated to a certain temperatures and harden when it cools.

It is naturally rigid but can be made flexible with the addition of more chemicals including phthalates.

PVC can be used in either form – hard or soft and is used as an insulator and coating for electrical cables, packaging, cling film, bottles, credit cards, audio records and imitation leather window frames, pipes, flooring, car interiors and to make medical disposables.

PVC is used massively in the building industry. Most water pipes are now made from PVC. They replace metal pipes that were less adaptable, more easily damaged and a lot more expensive.

PVC is known as the “poison plastic” because:

  • Toxic chemicals are used in its creation.One of those is vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). VCM is a gas and a known carcinogen causing cancerous tumors in the brain, lungs, liver and various tissues in humans.
  • Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a chlorinated plastic.
  • Dioxins are unintentionally, but unavoidably produced during the manufacture of materials containing chlorine like PVC
  • Dioxin is a known human carcinogen and the most potent synthetic carcinogen ever tested in laboratory animals.
  • Burning these plastics can release dioxins.

Recycling & Biodegradability

PVC does not biodegrade

PVC is not as easy to recycle as other plastics but it can be done. Though opinions differ.For pro try reconvynal and cons go to Earth 911

Safe or lethal? The debate….

Lethal

Toxic chemicals are most certainly used in its creation one of those is vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). VCM is a gas and a known carcinogen causing cancerous tumors in the brain, lungs, liver and various tissues in humans.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), found that early-era PVC (manufactured before 1977) could leach VCM into drinking water to levels that exceed the maximum contaminant level of 2 micrograms per liter of water.
Dioxins, which are lethal, are released if PVC is burnt in a low temperature fire such as an open fire or house fire.

The green movement argue that the toxins used to make PVC endanger those who work in the industry and can pollute the environment. They also claim that the toxins continue to leach out over the products lifetime putting the user at risk.

Safe

Supporters of PVC say that in the beginning manufacturers did not realise the dangers of VCM and since regulations were put in place in the 1970s those dangers have been minimised. They also claim that now the product is safe for users the chemicals are inert and no leaching has been detected.

If PVC is disposed of properly, then there is no risk of dioxins being released. Though of course this does not answer for house fires.

The argument is made more complex when phthalates are involved. Phthalates are a group of chemicals added to PVC (amongst other things), to make it more flexible. These chemicals are toxins and are not bound to the plastic. This means they are able to migrate out of plastic into the surrounding environment. That they do this is fairly well established. Whether they do so in amounts that could be dangerous or not,  is not so clear cut – but I bet you can guess which side believes what.

For an interesting summary of the debate read this article from Mother Earth News

This is from a man who works with PVC in his family business

And this is from Greenpeace

Recycling & Biodegradability

PVC does not biodegrade

PVC is not as easy to recycle as other plastics but it can be done. Though opinions differ.For pro try reconvynal and cons go to Earth 911

There’s lots more on the different plastics and what they are used for  HERE

Find out about all plastic, the boycott  and us  here

Synthetic Fibres

by Posted in 1.51 Reusing & Recycling Plastic Tagged

Know Your Fibres

  • Textiles and ultimately clothing start with fibres.
  • Fibres are short fine hairs that can be twisted or spun into longer thread or yarn.
  • This may be woven or knitted into fabric.
  • Fibres (and then yarns and ultimately fabrics) can be can be natural, synthetic or chemically produced hybrid called regenerated fibres.
  • Read more about fibres and fabrics HERE

Synthetic Fibres
An Introduction

  • These are man-made from chemicals many of which are petroleum derived.
  • Most are derived from oil and coal.
  • Most do not biodegrade.
  • 60% of fibres used today are synthetic and most of them are are petroleum derived, plastic in fact.
  • The most common are: Acrylic Nylon and Polyester 

Acrylic fibre 

Resembles wool and so is used to replace that natural fibre.

Nylon

Used as a silk substitute. It is a very fine and strong fibre so can be used to make ladies tights.

A main ingredient of Nylon  is “the chemical adipic acid. Producing the acid was once the largest source of industrial nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas. Efficient pollution controls have reduced adipic acid emissions 61 percent between 1990 and 2006, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But the chemical still accounts for 5-8 percent of global human-caused emissions of N2O.” read more

Polyester 

Polyester is one of the most popular man-made fibres. It is the same  Polyethylene terephthalat, (frequently shortened to PET or PETE and was formerly called PETP or PET-P), that is used to make bottles and a lot of other plastic stuff.

When making polyester, “Antimony is leached from the fibers during the high temperature dyeing process which is then expelled with the waste water. If not properly cleaned this results in a hazardous water pollutant.  Acrylonitrile used to make acrylic fibres is classed by the EPA as a probable human carcinogen (Group B1).

Plastic Fabric Pollution

 synthetic fibres have the same qualities as plastic. The problems with a polyester sock are the same as with a PET bottle. Though you get more wear out of a sock eventually it gets thrown away and because it is now non-biodegradable rubbish it needs to be special disposed of. Which is expensive and not always effective. Often cheap clothes and fabrics are not properly disposed of and go on to pollute the environment in the same way a bottle may. Plus all the other problems attendant with plastic products (you can read more about the problems with plastic here).

Micro Pollution

And it’s not just end of life disposal that is difficult, synthetic fabrics pollute through out their life time. Everytime they are washed they shed thousands of non biodegradable micro plastic fibres that wash down the drains and into the oceans where they are now affecting the ecosystem, (see micro plastics for more)

The energy used (and the CO2 emitted) to create 1 ton of spun fiber is much higher for synthetics than for hemp or cotton. 

Fabrics that can be chemically recycled

The focus of this blog is the plastic rubbish created by our addiction to disposable products. As a result I sometimes sound dismissive of recycling. As a solution for overconsumption of  throw-away plastic products  it is pants-  boycott the ( plastic I mean not pants ). However as a solution to so many other plastic problems it is the bees knees.

Recycling is good and plastics are particularly suited to being recycled – and getting more so. It seems that as we built plastics,  so we can now  pull them apart and then rebuild them again… and again… and again …

And the science is getting better everyday.

Check out these ( copied from article sustainable textiles which I recommend you read in full)

Teijin for example developed a closed-loop, perpetual recycling system for polyester products whereby the products are broken down into polymers, and then processed into new fibre with characteristics equivalent to virgin fibres. The Tejin technology is featured in many of Patagonia’s outdoor garments.

Victor invented their own environmentally safe, closed-loop perpetual polyester recycling system powered by renewable hydroelectric energy. The fabrics made from this fibre are targeted at the interior design market.

Climatex‘s closed-loop system upholstery fabric is biodegradable. It is also good for human consumption and production waste is used as fertilizer by the farmers in the factory’s vicinity. The fabric is prominently flown around the world in the A380 Airbus.

There’s a lot to think about there

There are lots more ways to recycle, reuse and recraft waste plastic HERE

N.B.

Lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x

And before you go…

If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

post

Biodegrading and degradation – Plastic Lifespan,

by Posted in 1.2 Plastic The Product Tagged , 9 Comments

So most plastics are made from oil and most plastics do not biodegrade. See how and why here…

But what does that actually mean?

Biodegrading

Biodegradation refers to the breaking down of organic substances by natural means. Natural means, means the breaking down is done by naturally occurring entities – things that are made in the body such as enzymes ( clever things that enable chemical break downs) or micro organisms that inhabit the teeny tiny world ( bacteria, fungi and exceptionally small plants and animals ). Any plant-based, animal-based, or natural mineral-based product has the capability to biodegrade

The key point is, is that the process of biodegradation is an integral part of the natural cycle. This process could be called rotting or decomposing or other nasty sounding things and yes it can be smelly but it is the very basis of life. Because as natural materials break down they release all kinds of nutrients that are used to feed other living organisms. Orange rind becomes compost which releases nutrients the orange tree can utilize. The tree feeds and so has the energy to make fruit which we eat discarding the peel which then biodegrades into compost – feeding many other creatures along the way including worms. It’s a kind of magic

In short…..

Biodegrading is the breaking down of organic substances,  (plants, dead animals, rocks, minerals etc.), by natural means. It  happens all the time in nature. We live, we die, we rot and so we feed the next generation. Even if you are a rock. All plant-based, animal-based, or natural mineral-based substances will over time biodegrade.

Here’s how long it takes for some commonly used products to biodegrade, when they are scattered about as litter:

Paper ~ 2-5 months 
Cotton rags ~ 1-5 month
Natural fiber rope ~ 3-14 months
Orange peel ~6 months
Wool socks ~1 to 5 years
Leather shoes ~25 to 40 years
Tin cans ~ 50 to 100 years

Plastic – years? centuries? maybe never!

Why Plastic Doesn’t Biodegrade

Because they are man made, the majority of plastics do not biodegrade. “Nature doesn’t make things like that, so organisms have never seen that before ” says Kenneth Peters, an organic geochemist at Stanford University, quoted in this fantastic article I recommend you read

Which means the enzymes and the micro organisms responsible for breaking down organic substances  do not recognize plastic. Therefore plastic products are pretty much indestructible – they do not rot or biodegrade.

Except…

Plastic Eating Microbes

Of course it is not quite as simple as that. Some bacteria it seems can digest plastic. Don’t get too excited. They are rare and don’t eat a great deal but you can read the latest reports here

Biodegradable Musings

That said the term biodegradable can be difficult to define. It is often about the time something takes to biodegrade – the rate at which something breaks down. Arguably  everything, even man-made products, will eventually biodegrade. However if it takes centuries to do so, it is generally considered to be non-biodegradable.

It also depends where a product is dumped.

Why Landfill Doesn’t Work

“Many products that are inherently biodegradable in soil, such as tree trimmings, food wastes, and paper, will not biodegrade when we place them in landfills because the artificial landfill environment lacks the light, water and bacterial activity required for the decay process to begin.”

This is why newspapers landfilled back in 1952 can still be easily read!  The Garbage Project is an anthropological study ofwaste conducted by a group at the University of Arizona. From Greengood

Too Much Trash

The sustainable rate of biodegradation is only what an ecosystem can deal with. Too much and the microorganisms get overwhelmed and collapse sobbing, unable to cope.

Degrading

Of course plastic breaks, tears  and degrades – but only into smaller pieces of plastic. Read more about that here

 

Useful stuff to know

Degradable, biodegradable or compostable

So most plastics are made from oil and most plastics do not biodegrade. See how and why here… And yet you will find plastics described as degradable ...
Read More

Compostable Plastics Index

Plastic was the name given to early synthetic products such as cellophane,  that were derived from cellulose. These plastics  were biodegradable. Then they learnt how to make ...
Read More

Biodegrading and degradation – Plastic Lifespan,

So most plastics are made from oil and most plastics do not biodegrade. See how and why here... But what does that actually mean? Biodegrading Biodegradation ...
Read More

Plastic eating microbes

Is this a good idea?- much as I hate bad plastic I am rather attached to the computer and Dyson. Will they disappear before my very eyes ...
Read More

Degradation Initiators & Degradable Plastic

Traditional plastics do not biodegrade. Of course plastic breaks, tears and cracks. It weathers and sunlight makes it brittle, It falls apart – it degrades – but ...
Read More

 

Nike Reuse A Shoe Scheme

by Posted in 1.51 Reusing & Recycling Plastic Tagged , 1 Comment

 

You take your stinky old trainers to one of the drop off locations, they are collected up and shredded. They can then be incorporated into running tracks, basketball and tennis courts,  playgrounds and synthetic turf fields.

Whether you think we should be building plastic playing surfaces is another issue. However, if we are going to build them this, reduces the amounts of virgin materials used.

It also keeps thousands of shoes out of  the waste disposal system

You can find drop of locations using the map on the website or search for your nearest location here.

 

post

Plastics – a big list of the different types of plastic

by Posted in 1.2 Plastic The Product Tagged

Plastics can be made in a variety of ways from a variety of materials; shale gas, oil, plants even chicken feathers can all be used to make plastic.
However oil derived plastics are the most common.
Plastics are created from single units combined in a variety of ways. This process is called polymerisation. Different combinations result in different products and there are hundreds of them.
Plastics can be used to make everything from varnish to stockings, bottles to car parts by way of varnish, crisp packets and computers.
Most plastics do not biodegrade and last for centuries possibly for ever.
But then there are other plastics that are truly compostable with a lifespan of months and dissolve in the dishwasher.

Confused? Find out more here  What is plastic -an introduction.
Don’t know your P.E.T.s from your polymers?  Check out this collection of definitions essential for understanding plastic!

A List Of Plastics

Some quick notes

Click on the name to find out more

Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene -BOPP when polypropylene  is biaxially oriented, it becomes Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene -BOPP– the crisp crystal clear stuff used for greeting cards, the plastic wrapping round boxes of tea etc.  It is easy to coat, print and laminate to give the required appearance and properties for use as a packaging material.
Bioplastics are made from plants rather than oil.
Bio- degradable /Degradable Plastic has  additives to make it bio-degrade. NOT to be confused with compostable plastic!

Cellophane is one of the first plastics. Proper cellophane is plant derived and biodegradable. However the term is often applied to a petroleum derived product.

Compostable Plastic  has been certified compostable and can naturally biodegrade such as PLA plastic.

Degradable plastic with added chemicals to make them break down more quickly.

Ethane derived plastics – ethane comes from plants, oil coal and gas

Film plastics can be bonded together to create different kinds of product.All of which can be hard to RECYCLE

Halogenated Plastics include

  • Chlorine based plastics:
  • Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE)
  • Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC)
  • Chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE)
  • Polychloroprene (CR or chloroprene rubber, marketed under the brand name of Neoprene)
  • PVC
  • Fluorine based plastics:
  • Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP)

These are known as the poison plastics are carcinogens are produced when they are made and ageing when they are disposed of.

Film – different plastics can be bonded together to create all manners of film. Read more HERE

HDPE- High-density polyethylene plastic code 2  Used to carrier bags, toys, bottle s and a whole load of other stuff.  

LDPE- Low density polyethylene plastic code 4  used to make everything from soft clear bags to parts that need to be weldable and machinable

Nylon is often associated with the fabric of the same name but can be used to make all manner of things from fibre to  moulded objects.

Polyethylene (polythene) derived from ethane.

      • High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
      • LDPE- Low density polyethylene plastic code 4
      • Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX or XLPE)
      • Medium-density polyethylene (MDPE)
      • Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)
      • Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) 
      • Very-low-density polyethylene (VLDPE)


PLA a plastic derived from poly lactic acid that is certified a compostable plastic. Fact Sheet or all posts

Polyethylene terephthalat PET or PETE plastic code 1 most often used for making fibers and bottles

Polyurethanes  can be used to make almost anything from cushions to varnish. Used to make  flexible foam in upholstered furniture and rigid foam such as shoe soles. It also comes in a fluid form in  varnishes, adhesives and  sealants.

Polypropylene PP plastic code 5  is used to make ropes, thermal underwear, carpets, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types. Used in the automobile and construction industries, some car battery casings, oil funnels, and plastic drinking straws, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes.

Polystyrene – PS  plastic code 6 disposable (ha!) products to food packaging like fast food clamshells, meat trays, protective packaging  and loose fill peanuts. Difficult to recycle.

Polytetrafluoroethylene  (PTFE) is a synthetic non stick coating for cookware to armoured bullets. It is an efficient lubricant and can kill budgies. Check it out.

Polyvinyl chloride PVC  plastic code 3  PVC is known as the “poison plastic” because of the lethal chemicals produced during its manufacture and possibly again when disposed of.

 Silicon and silicone rubber– Plastic? Rubber? Just plain weird? Used for everything  from ice-cube trays to adult toys to cake tins it certainly gets around. So what is silicone??

The main polymers in use are

      • polyethylene,
      • polypropylene,
      • polyvinyl chloride,
      • polyethylene terephthalate,
      • polystyrene,
      • polycarbonate,
      • polyeurothene
      • poly(methyl methacrylate) (Plexiglas).

According to Wikkipedia they account for ” nearly 98% of all polymers”. Wikkipeida”

Most of the plastic products we use are derived from these polymers with alternative plastics accounting for the rest.

Most of the base components for these polymers are derived from oil.

Why Do Some Plastics Have Numbers?

Plastic codes are the number you find on some plastics to identify the polymers used. There are many more plastics than numbers and new plastics are being made all the time. Find out more here

 Brand Names

post

Silicone

by Posted in 1.3 Plastic Types - Fact Sheets, 4 About The Alternatives, 4.9 Useful to know Tagged , , 18 Comments

Plastic? Rubber? Just plain weird? Used for everything  from ice-cube trays to adult toys to cake tins it certainly gets around. So what is silicone??

Silicon is a natural chemical element. Silicone polymers are derived from silicon and so silicone is a  man-made product derived from silicon a natural element.
Silicon the natural chemical element, is generally found in solid crystalline form like sand.
Silicone, the product, may be a liquid lubricant, a semi-solid adhesive or a rubber-like plastic polymer

Uses
Liquid silicone is often used as a lubricant.
An example of a thicker form of rubberized silicone  would waterproof sealant used in bathrooms and window fitting.
Solid silicone rubber – is used for everything from cake baking cases to internal sanitary protection.

Silicone Rubber
Silicone rubber a manmade product  derived from natural products – silicon and rubber. It is made by curing or vulcanizing natural rubber. Silicon is injected into the long hydrocarbon chains of natural rubber under high heat and pressure. The result is silicone rubber.
Silicone rubber is a  silicon polymer with rubberized qualities.
It was  first produced under the chemical name of polydimethlysiloxane.
Silicone rubber is heat resistant so can be used to make cookware including oven mitts, tongs, pot holders and pan handles.
Silicone rubber also possesses non-stick qualities, so it can be formed into flexible cookware such as muffin and cake pans.

Silicone Generally
All silicone is inert, it does not react with other elements or compounds.
There are (as yet) no known health hazards of silicone.
Silicone is not biodegradable,  but it can be recycled easily – where facilities exist.
Silicone comes in two grades, food and medical grade silicone.

Do I boycott silicone?

Silicone, is  a man-made polymer which does not biodegrade, and so has to specially disposed of. Like other plastics  I try to avoid using it. Like other plastics, there are some silicone products I use,  because they help me reduce the amount of plastic, throw-away trash I would otherwise create.
silicone products I use or at least think might be useful

silicone products I use or at least think might be useful 

unbreakable reusable cups
I am not a paper cup – a pottery cup with reusable silicone lid.
plastic free menstruation silicone mooncups

Check out other synthetic polymers and plastics right here

 

What’s in a PET bottle?

by Posted in 1.2 Plastic The Product Tagged , , 9 Comments

I am lucky enough to live in a country that supplies clean drinkable tap water so obviously I don’t need to buy bottled water there. However we spend a lot of time in countries where drinking the tap water is not recommended. Bottled water is seen as the only way to go. We disagree. Bonkers? Maybe, but have you considered all the issues – lets start with the bottle.

Most of the plastic bottles water is sold in are made from Plastic #1  Polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET  is considered generally safe but there are a few issues you should be aware of:

Antimony  is used in the manufacture of PET. This is a heavy metal and one “that poses both acute and chronic health effects in drinking water” . There is evidence that antimony leaches from the plastic bottle into the contents.

The following is an edited extract from Westoffs research in to antimony in plastic bottles.

“Antimony concentrations in the bottled waters ranged from 0.095 to 0.521 ppb, well below the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 6 ppb…. However, storage at higher temperatures had a significant effect on the time-dependent release of antimony…. and could result in an antimony concentration of 376 ppb. …only a small fraction of the antimony in PET plastic bottles is released into the water. Still, the use of alternative types of plastics that do not leach antimony should be considered, especially for climates where exposure to extreme conditions.”  That means hot countries.

You can read the full report here …. and there is more …..

PETs claim to be a safe plastic is based on the fact that it does not contain BPA a known endocrine disrupter. But scientists at Goethe University in Frankfurt claim that other as yet unidentified estrogenic compounds do leach from PET plastic into the water. Lead researcher Martin Wagner said “What we found was really surprising to us, if you drink water from plastic bottles, you have a high probability of drinking estrogenic compounds.” Interested? read  here

And Mr. Sax agrees and  asserts that phthalates are present in PET bottles.  You can read his research here

Then there is  acetaldehyde. This isn’t so much a health issue as one of taste. Acetaldehyde is used in the manufacturing process and can  sometimes end up in the plastic by mistake. It has a strong taste and chemical odor that is detectable in parts 10 to a billion. When you say Coke tastes better from a glass bottle this may be why.

In many countries PET water bottles need to maintain a known composition. This means that they cannot be made from recycled plastics but have to use fresh, virgin oil that could be put to better use. In other countries, countries  that don’t have such stringent regulations, bottles may be made from recycled plastics. In fact “50+% of recycled #4 plastic was sold to developing nations in 2008. Many have much lower standards for their plastics and permit very contaminated plastics to be melted together and used in food packaging” find more ugly facts over at the Flotsam Diaries

Finally PET has a porous surface that allows bacteria and flavor to accumulate so don’t be using that bottle for too long.

In short I don’t want to drink from a bottle that harbors bacteria, leaches antimony and unidentified estrogenic compounds, that potentially contains vile tasting acetaldehyde and is possibly made from contaminated plastic, and we havn’t even got to the contents yet or how to dispose of the bottle.

Next up we will be looking at what’s actually in the bottle

So what do we drink?  We make our own clean water with our Steripen

post

Plastic trash for concrete blocks

by Posted in 1.51 Reusing & Recycling Plastic Tagged 9 Comments

On the whole I don’t approve of plastic recycling. Talk of recycling makes us feel good about our rubbish and diverts attention away from the real issue of our ever growing pile of plastic trash. However that said, there are some plastic recycling projects that make you go OOohh … could that work?

By mixing together ground-up plastic with cement and soil reclaimed from the brownfields, Miller was able to create a material just as strong as conventional concrete.

Read more: Plastic Concrete: Building Bricks Made From Landfill Waste | Inhabitat – Green Design Will Save the World

Find more hot plastic recycling schemes here

Read more about the plastic recycling myth over here Flotsam Diaries

 

post

Film Plastic

by Posted in 1.2 Plastic The Product, 1.3 Plastic Types - Fact Sheets Tagged , 5 Comments

Ok some things you can’t find plastic free and can’t give up. So which plastic packaging has the least impact?

A lot of food now is packaged in lovely looking ,printed, laminated plastic film.  Or to put it more simply several layers of plastic each with different properties stuck together.

This method of making plastic films leads to a very versatile product that looks good and has a wide range of uses.

On the down side these films are difficult to recycle.

Because they consist of different plastics bonded together it is difficult to know what they are and how to treat them and separating the films is tricky and so very expensive. Films therefore often don’t get recycled but burnt or landfilled. You can find out more about the plastic used to wrap your food here.

The best advice here is avoid the fancy graphics and shiny films and go for the simple, eausily recyclable polythene.

Polythene  Wrapped Products

Goodness ON LINE

Internet store Goodness can supply you with a whole load of  beans and other dried stuff in polythene bags. At least they used to. It’s a while since I used them so double check and please report back!

Please note, many  of the companies featured on their website DO sell stuff in film BUT the 3kg bulk buy bags in the Goodness range, (their own range), always come in polythene bags. At least they used to. It’s a while since I used them so double check and please report back!

Their onward packaging is all recyclable or biodegradable.

Tesco In Store

Sell bulk pasta in polythene bags

N.B

Obviously this is not an ideal solution and certainly not a plastic free one, but it is the best I can come up with.

The best solution is of course  to buy loose then you could use your own  bags and create no waste at all. There are very few shops around that do sell loose but  you can find them here.

 

 

post

plastic kills plankton

by Posted in 2.1 reports, stats and studies Tagged , ,

Microplastics may be killing teeny, tiny beasties. Particles of plastic of 20 microns in diameter (a width thinner than a human hair) called micro plastics and are being found in the oceans in ever-increasing quantities.

College of the Atlantic senior Marina Garland has been studying the problem.

“According to Garland, lab studies have been conducted indicating that aquatic microorganisms such as plankton can also mistake micro plastic particles for food and subsequently be killed by the adverse effects of the particle on the organism’s digestive tract. Additionally, said Garland, various toxins are known to cling to plastic particles through a process known as adsorption. As a result, plastic flotsam collected from oceans is often a concentrated source for such toxic chemicals as the pesticide DDT. Microorganisms that ingest the toxic plastic particles are often consumed by larger organisms, which then become toxic themselves. The concentration of toxicity in marine organisms continues to increase at the higher levels of the food chain through a process known as biomagnification.”

You can see her presentation here

Find out more about micro plastics here

Image of plankton from Pinterest