They're really hoping you won't notice that three-letter difference

[cimorene]

Have you noticed how the most popular goal post for brands claiming to be eco-friendly is now recyclable packaging? Like, it's so much more democratic than its old forerunner, recycled packaging.

Recycled packaging was so elitist! Hardly any companies, overall, could afford to claim that (without lying)! It was just too expensive! But now all those other companies that [want you to think that they] SUPER care about the environment too are proud to slap a 100% recyclable on there, and it's much easier to claim that. All you have to do is use glass, metal, cardboard, paper, or one of the recyclable plastics in a way that can be separated from each other!

("Recyclable plastics" is a several-hours-long rant on its own because plastic recycling is a scam, but that's not this post.)

Comments

[princessofgeeks]

THOSE EVIL MARKETING PEOPLE AGAIN

[cimorene]

lol, yeah, it's a futile wail about an immutable fact of capitalism unfortunately. But it's just been REALLY BUGGING ME LATELY.

[cesy]

Yeah, it really needs to be both of those to be eco, among other things.

[cimorene]

Yeah, although the fun thing with recycled plastic is that if it has already been recycled it's impossible to recycle it again! Although I don't think that means recycling it or using recycled is bad, obviously, but still.

Actually I understand some scientist or some lab in Finland has recently announced that they developed a method that actually does completely restore plastic so that (the one-recycle limit) isn't true anymore - presumably only specific kinds of plastic - so maybe this will change in the future, if other science bears it out and if the Forces of Capitalism cause the technology to be disseminated. One can but hope.

[cesy]

Yeah, it depends on the type of plastic, e.g. some bottles can recycle into new bottles, but most bags can only downcycle into furniture. There's some progress with increasing the types but it's slow and expensive.

[stranger]

I recall a screed -- from a Grumpy Old Man (TM), so grain of salt, but sometimes the grumpy old guys remember real things -- about current-use plastics being combined in packaging, so that separating them for recycling is impossible, and the whole thing is a huge waste of effort. Maybe by now it is effectively a scam.

What I have seen is a lot of restaurants, especially take-out places, using cardboard or paper bags instead of foam plastic containers.

[cimorene]

Yeah, you definitely don't get as much Styrofoam in take out anymore! It actually is recyclable, however, it's just that that type of plastic isn't always accepted by one's local facility.

Plastic mixing is still a problem and probably more so longer ago. But there's also probably a lot of variation there. A great deal of plastic packaging on groceries is recyclable here, for instance. But then again as we know, the packaging consumed by retail consumers is a tiny amount in proportion to the packaging consumed by business and industry.

[phosfate]

I haven't had anything in styrofoam in years, which is of course a good thing.

[viggorlijah]

I really really want this solved by legislation. I spend too much time as it is feeling guilty at the supermarket over what items I get - just make it so I can buy stuff without having to think through entire industrial life cycle trade-offs!

[cimorene]

I have been lowkey hoping that the legislation about packaging will improve soon, too. I've seen a trend towards removing unnecessary layers of plastic in packaging so maybe further developments are in the cards?

[yvannairie]

I've noticed this too. I've also noticed things getting repackaged in plastic instead of the cellulose paper it was packaged in before now when they can be like "Yeah you can 100% recycle this"

Also, people complaining about recycled/bioplastics being ugly, but that's more of a "what did you guys expect? That nothing changes?"

[cimorene]

Oh yeah totally, the vanishing cellophane! I've seen stuff that still uses cellophane labeled as plant based and biodegradable instead, which imo actually is better as long as you can compost it.

+💯 on the recycled plastic. Like oh, it's ugly? Okay let's just use all the rest of the fossil fuel in the planet then. I'm sure it'll be totally worth it because it'll be prettier.