10 Ways to Reduce Plastic Waste
This list was developed during the ‘Reduce Plastics’ Coffee Morning
held by the FSE Planning, Compliance and Special Projects Green Impact Team on
27th July. The FSE Planning, Compliance and Special Projects Green Impact team hopes
that these tips will help you to reduce plastic waste in your daily life.
1.
Reuse what you have before buying new items
Before buying new items, think about how you can reuse
everyday things that you already have in your home. For example you can reuse
old shopping bags or use take away containers and glass jars for food storage.
Look here for more useful tips: http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/reuse.html
2.
Use reusable water cups
Aim to eliminate the use of plastic cups for water by
equipping your office with reusable cups or glasses.
3.
Get a reusable water bottle
Bottled water produces 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per
year, and these bottles require 47 millions gallons of oil to produce. By using
a reusable bottle you will prevent some of these plastic bottles from ending up
in landfills and oceans as well as save money.
4.
Use a reusable coffee cup
In the UK we use 7 million disposable coffee cups every day
– that’s 2.5 billion every year. If you get take-out hot drinks often, invest
in a reusable cup or thermos. Styrofoam cups take 50-500 years to break down
and cardboard cups are usually lined with plastic making them very hard to
recycle.
The University sells hug mugs to reduce the use of paper
cups which cannot be recycled. Every time a hug mug is used in a FoodOnCampus
outlet there is a discount of 20p on hot drinks and soups.
5.
Carry a reusable bag
Get into a habit of carrying a reusable shopping bag with
you, so that when you decide to pop to a shop you don’t need to buy a plastic
bag. When shopping try to choose loose fruit and vegetables rather than
pre-packaged ones. Instead of using a chain supermarket, support your local
greengrocer or order a veg box from https://vegboxpeople.org.uk/location/university-manchester-university-place
6.
Stop using cling film
Cling film always ends up in landfill as it cannot be
recycled. Instead of using cling film, you can cover your leftovers with a
plate or a bowl, or transfer them into a container with a lid. You can also
cover your food with a cotton cloths which can be washed and used again. For
wrapping sandwiches, use beeswax paper or just put them in a tuppaware box.
7.
Refuse Straws
If you can, ask for no straw when ordering cold drinks. If
you’re not ready to give up the convenience of a straw, investigate the option
of using a reusable straw (glass or metal) or use ones that are biodegradable
or recyclable (eg. paper straws).
8.
Take a packed lunch
A good way to reduce the amount of waste from plastic
packaging is cooking at home rather than buying readymade meals. Readymade meals
are often packaged in non-recyclable plastic. By planning ahead and bringing
your own lunch you can eliminate plastic waste from food packaging.
9.
Refill your detergent bottles
You can buy refillable detergents such as washing up liquid
and laundry detergents. In Manchester city centre 8th Day Café (Oxford Road)
and Ancoats General Store (Great Ancoats Street) have detergent refill stations
and you will get a discount when refilling your detergent bottles.
10. Avoid
plastic in your bathroom
Recently banned micro plastics are not the only source of
plastic waste from your bathroom. Containers for common bathroom products, such
as liquid soap, shampoo or conditioner are often held in plastic containers
that take 450-1,000 years to break down. Try buying bar soap instead, or even
experiment with shampoo and conditioner in bar form.
More information on how to reduce plastic use and ways to
get involved:
· Complete
the Waste
Reduction Journal or Waste
Reduction Audit and share it with others for inspiration.