Every week or so, it seems as though there are new studies and striking headlines drawing our attention to yet another terrible consequence of plastic production, consumption, and waste. Researchers are finding tiny microplastics in the deep ocean sediments, diverse marine species, presumably clean drinking water, and human organ tissues. These advancements are helpful for scientists to better understand the scope and scale of the plastic pollution crisis, but their progress remains very disconnected from the day-to-day interactions we have with plastics products and packaging.

Scientists have been sounding the alarm about our reliance on plastics for decades, and the conclusions of their studies aren’t much different now than they were as far back as the 70s. See, for example: Edward J. Carpenter’s 1972 research articles on “plastic particles” found in the Sargasso Sea and plastic nurdles found along the southern coast of New England.

Although plastic pollution wasn’t making news headlines decades ago, the research did continue, and leading scholars published several important early findings. Early research suggests that scientists were particularly concerned about the persistent and resilient chemical structure of plastics. Because they do not readily break down, plastics pose a unique threat to coastal communities, humans, and marine life that persists and accumulates over generations. Material consequences of marine debris were unclear, but scientists did recognize that plastics could absorb and leach out toxic chemicals – amplifying possible damages far beyond the already complicated mix of different plastic polymers.

Meanwhile, top manufacturers within the petrochemical industry heavily marketed the utility of single-use items without assuming responsibility for the proven and possible harms that their production, use, and disposal would cause. See, for example, Rebecca Altman’s story on “how plastic bags came to rule our lives.”

Low-income and racial and ethnic minority communities in the Global North and historically oppressed populations throughout the Global South were among the first forced to deal with the real consequences of the single-use plastics boom. Plastics are noxious at every stage of their life cycle: from the air, water, and land pollution created throughout production to the economic, public health, and safety consequences of mismanaged plastic waste.

As plastics became more convenient and single-use consumerism was assimilated into mainstream culture, demand for new plastics wasn’t the only factor on the rise. Plastic waste has consistently been accumulating at a rate that exceeds the capacity of global waste management infrastructure. Industrialized countries producing the greatest share of plastic and single-use waste funnel their garbage into developing countries that lack the necessary capacity to process and manage all the waste that comes from more developed countries.

It’s clear that the consistent flurry of daunting plastic-related headlines about scientific studies isn’t compelling a strong enough response from the system churning out single-use products. As the problem increases in scope and severity, there is no better time for us to tap into the local knowledge of communities that are actively adapting to the harms caused by plastic production, consumption, and wastage.

High level government and corporate actors have historically overlooked and devalued the rich intergenerational, collaborative, and experiential knowledge that community members hold. Those living on the frontlines of petrochemical plants have unique insights on the consequences of industrial activity that are most harmful to their community. Families up-cycling and repurposing all they already own and value out of necessity have unique insights on how we can foster a culture of regeneration and transition away from a throw-away economy. Those living overseas with limited resources to pursue the same educational and workforce opportunities as those of us in industrialized countries have unique insights on pathways to innovation that do not require invasive or extractive forms of technology.

I believe that we have all the tools we need to transition away from single-use plastics. When we tap into the unique value of the knowledge and skills that different groups possess, we have all we need to construct a system that meets our needs while valuing the health of our populations, land, and waters. See Intersectional Environmentalist’s Waste page for resources on waste, regenerative economics and circularity.

One of the most powerful ways we can contribute to solving the global plastic pollution problem is by amplifying the voices of those whose knowledge has historically been excluded from critical conversations about development and social well-being. We can construct economic and sociopolitical institutions that uplift present and future generations by taking this charge in our work, in our schooling, in our civic engagement, and even in conversations across the dinner table!

The COVID-19 pandemic is an excellent example of how collective action can reduce our environmental impact and mitigate severe social problems. When everyone takes action based on the evidence-based recommendations of public health experts, we collectively slow the spread of the virus and protect our communities. Similarly, as more individuals (including our elected officials and corporate elites) heed the insights of climate and biological scientists regarding the impacts of climate change and plastic pollution, we reduce the risk of exacerbating harsh impacts for frontline, coastal communities.

In spite of all lessons that we could learn from this global devastation, multinational fossil fuel corporations have driven up oil production and created a rather undesirable situation for environmental interests. The supply of oil is at a peak, meanwhile demand has collapsed due to lowed economic activity during the pandemic. This has driven the price of oil below zero for the first time in history! Global oil consumption has been in free-fall as more countries introduce unprecedented measures to fight the coronavirus outbreak. The fossil fuel industry has failed to profit from this overproduction, and they shifted their efforts from fuel refinement to ethane cracking.

Simply stated, they’re diverting the methane gas and oil that we are not consuming as fuel to produce more plastic products. Ethane cracker plants are the facilities used to process the carbon-rich inputs used to create all kinds of plastic products. Their industrial activities cause immediate health and environmental detriment to nearby communities, known as frontline or fence-line communities, while exacerbating plastic pollution impacts around the globe. 

There’s more: Our team identified direct efforts by fossil fuel industry giants to ramp up demand for non-essential single-use plastics, especially plastic bags, by taking advantage of public fear and uncertainty during this time. What better time to take advantage of the public and run a manipulative campaign than a global pandemic? We are not surprised, as the fossil fuel industry has a long history of using misinformation to advance their profits at our expense. Still, this is upsetting and it’s actively misleading many concerned consumers.

The Plastics Industry Association is currently lobbying to quash plastic bag bans, even going so far as requesting that the United States Department of Health and Human Services publicly declare that banning single-use plastics during a pandemic is a health threat. Click here to read their letter.

The spread of misinformation has led many of us to question whether it’s okay to continue using reusable bags for our occasional, ultra-cautious grocery trips.

In a study cited by the Plastics Industry Association in their letter to the US DHHS, researchers at the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University found that reusable bags can contain bacteria, and users don’t wash reusable bags very often. The study was funded by the American Chemistry Council, which represents major plastics and chemicals manufacturers. Most notably: the study recommends that shoppers simply wash their reusable bags, not replace them.

There is no evidence that single-use plastics are safer than reusable items, and it’s important for all of us to recognize that single-use plastics have a number of opportunities to become contaminated during their manufacture, distribution, inventory stocking, and use. They are exposed to open air and surfaces like any other item you may be concerned about cross-contamination from. Single-use plastics could only be proven more sanitary if packaged individually in sterile conditions and handed to the customer in intact sterile packaging—much like you would imagine a syringe is packaged before use to draw blood. Clearly, that isn’t practical or realistic.

Here’s a breakdown of our options based on currently available scientific evidence:

The New England Journal of Medicine, the world’s leading medical journal for over 200 years, published data in mid-March of this year that shows SARS-CoV-2 is more stable and has a longer lifetime on plastic and stainless steel than on copper or cardboard. Viable SARS-CoV-2 was detected up to 72 hours after application on plastic, while none was measured on cardboard after 24 hours.

There is no evidence presented here to back the claim that “single-use plastics are often the safest choice” as has been pushed upon the US DHHS. In fact, the findings suggest that cardboard is a safer single-use material than plastic with respect to COVID-19 viability.  

Another scientific study focused on the stability of SARS-CoV-2 in different environmental conditions showed that the virus is more stable on plastic than on printing or tissue paper, wood, cloth, glass, or banknotes. SARS-CoV-2 remained detectable on plastic for 4 days, while on paper it was not detected after 30 minutes, on wood or cloth after 1 day, and on banknotes after 2 day.

According to the Center for Disease Control, COVID-19 is most often spread directly from person-to-person. However, viral spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects is possible. Guidelines issued by the CDC do not make a distinction between the items this may include, so we can safely assume that their recommendations apply to single-use and reusable items equally.

Single-use items are not sterile and are bound to be exposed to microbes before reaching their end users. This means that handling a single-use plastic bag, utensil, container, or cup likely poses an equal risk of infection as any reusable item.

That said, Maine, Massachusetts, and a growing number of other states are still moving quickly to allow for delays and suspensions of plastic bag bans. In New Hampshire, the governor actually issued an emergency health order requiring stores to use single-use paper or plastic shopping bags. 

We, at Debris Free Oceans, acknowledge that the nature of COVID-19 poses unusual risks. The virus may be contracted and transmitted asymptomatically, and it is understandable that reusable items such as shopping bags may be an object of concern. We urge you to make that decision based on your individual circumstances, but acknowledge that banning reusable items is an unsupported attempt that will not be a long-term solution to cross contamination.

Judith Enck, a former regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, has called the plastics industry’s recent actions “shameless” and exploitative. We agree with her statement that it is understandable to use single-use materials occasionally, when necessary or beyond our control, but “in terms of overturning or delaying laws, [Enck sees] no independent data that supports that move.”

We are all struggling in some way to navigate this new normal. Pro-environmental habits, plastic waste reduction among others, may bring about a sense of normalcy and fulfillment amidst all the current uncertainty. 

First and foremost, we strongly suggest that you wash all materials that may pose risks for cross contamination: reusables (bottles, bags, wash cloths) as well as commonly touched surfaces (steering wheel, door handles, cell phone, credit cards and wallet). If you find yourself under circumstances where you must resort to single-use materials, we suggest that you prioritize non-plastic alternatives in the best interest of your well-being and environmental health.

We stand in solidarity with all those who have made sacrifices to stay home, stay distanced, and protect our communities. We are privileged with the time and resources to consider reusables when so many of our neighbors, family members, friends, coworkers, and local leaders are charged with the challenges directly posed by this dangerous pathogen. Adhering to the guidance of public health professionals is the least we can do to support the courage and generosity of the healthcare workers and first responders at the frontlines of this crisis. 

REUSABLES

Keep a water bottle, cutlery set, coffee cup, and tote bag handy to avoid the most common single-use plastics on-the-go. This shouldn’t require for you to buy anything new. Get creative to make use of items already lying around your home!

• reduce your landfill contribution
• save time and money
• conserve energy
• elevate your personal wellness

MENDING AND UP-CYCLING

Explore online tutorials and browse crafting guides for inspiration to mend and up-cycle items that you already own. This should prevent you from needing to purchase as many new items!

• reduce your landfill contribution
• conserve energy and resources
• save time and money

RECYCLING

Search for your local waste hauler’s recycling guidelines to make sure you’re properly sorting and disposing of your waste.

• reduce your landfill contribution
• conserve energy and resources

GARDENING

Grow your own produce in your windowsill or yard. Try to avoid synthetic fertilizers and pesticides!

• reduce carbon pollution
• save money
• elevate your personal wellness

PLANT-BASED EATING

Replace animal products in your diet with whole grains, beans, legumes, produce, nuts and seeds. Engage the whole family with meatless Mondays!

• save money
• conserve energy and resources
• elevate your personal wellness

COMPOSTING

To start small with household scraps, check out this excellent guide! You may also have access to a neighborhood program with local drop-off locations, such as back2earth in Miami. Other municipalities may have larger community composting programs!

• reduce your landfill contribution
• reduce carbon pollution
  

LAUNDRY

Opt for the cold wash setting to save energy, and hang dry clothes when possible.

• conserve energy
• reduce carbon pollution
• save money
• extend the life of your clothes and linens

WATER USAGE

Turn off the tap when not in use, and aim to reduce the length of your showers. Try using a couple of your favorite songs as an engaging timer! Challenge yourself to finish before the songs end.

• conserve energy and resources
• save money

GETTING AROUND

Incorporate low-carbon alternatives to driving in your commute schedule. Walking, bicycling, public transportation (bus, train, subway, metrorail) or carpooling are all great options!

• save time and money
• reduce carbon pollution
• elevate your personal wellness

COMMUNITY

Attend events organized by like-minded individuals or community organizations. Bonus: keep your perspective informed by starting conversations with others whose values and actions differ from your own!

• elevate your personal wellness

SHOP LOCAL

Support organizations and small businesses with values that align with your own— every purchase you make is an investment in those individuals and their work, so choose wisely!

• conserve energy and resources