Unless you've spent the last decade on a deserted island, you've probably heard about the huge environmental damage that single-use plastic is causing. We're literally drowning in plastic: according to Greenpeace, a truckload of plastic waste ends up in the oceans every minute. This may sound far-fetched to us, but microplastics can now be detected in our rivers and even tap water. It's no wonder we need to find a better alternative to packaging. We believe that the solution lies in recycling, and we're here to show you why the best solution is to use recycled plastic!
Recycling is the key to a sustainable future
The primary goal of recycling is to reduce the amount of waste generated, but it is also very important that the production of new products can be done in an increasingly environmentally friendly manner.
And why is this so important? Here are some thought-provoking facts to illustrate:
- environmental damage caused by plastic is one of the most well-known environmental issues.
- if the entire population of the Earth were to stand on a scale, we would weigh 316 million tons. In contrast, we have produced 6.3 billion tons of plastic so far.
- There are 5 trillion pieces of plastic in the oceans. That's enough plastic to wrap around the entire Earth 400 times.
- it takes about 450 years for plastic thrown away to completely decompose, so it's no wonder that plastic pollution is one of our most pressing problems.
It is clear, therefore, that to protect our future, we must focus on recycling.
Why choose recycled plastic?
In the fight for a sustainable future, there are several alternatives to the packaging issue. Why do we say we believe in recycled plastic? In short: because it has the smallest ecological footprint. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of the possible alternatives:
Glass
The big advantage of buying glass containers once is that you can fill them again and again, so you can even eliminate the issue of packaging completely for a while.
What could be its downside then? On the one hand, its weight: since glass is much heavier than plastic and aluminum cans, its transportation requires much more energy. On the other hand, according to research, even after multiple recycling, glass has the highest greenhouse gas footprint. It needs about 20-25 refills to compete with PET bottles in terms of green solutions.
Aluminum
Like glass, aluminum can be recycled infinitely, as demonstrated by the fact that, according to the Aluminum Association, nearly 75% of the aluminum ever produced in the world is still in use today.
In this case, too, the problems arise more during production: the production of aluminum cans requires bauxite, which is not mined in an environmentally friendly way. According to surveys, production produces almost twice as many greenhouse gases as plastic.
Plastic
Unlike the previous two, plastic can only be recycled a few times, but at least the process requires much less energy. Since it weighs about 40 times less than glass and is also space-saving, it requires much less energy to transport and has a much lower rate of greenhouse gas emissions.
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In recent years, people's opinions on this issue have also changed significantly: there are more and more conscious consumers and sustainable companies who want to do something for the future of our planet.
According to European Union statistics, in 2019, the average European used 34.4 kg of plastic per year, of which 14.1 kg was recycled plastic - a huge increase compared to previous years!
Increasing recycling is also among the EU's goals, which means that 41% of all plastic packaging is already recycled. Interestingly, Lithuania is the EU's top recycling country, recycling 70% (!) of plastic packaging.
We still have a lot to improve in this area at home, but according to surveys, 33% of plastic packaging is recycled here.
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So what is the conclusion?
On an individual level, the most you can do is to consciously buy recycled products and pay attention to selective waste collection yourself. In fact, you can significantly reduce your ecological footprint by choosing domestic brands, as this way the shipping time is much shorter.
Among Hungarian eco-friendly cleaning products, CYCLE products stand out, as they are made using recycled water and natural, environmentally friendly materials - such as acetic acid and citric acid. Apart from the spray head or closure, their packaging is also made of recycled plastic.
