It's very tempting for companies to use plastic containers. They're less expensive than glass, they're lighter to ship, they don't have the possibility of breaking, however there's a huge problem worldwide with plastics and especially single use plastics.
This shouldn't come as a surprise by now. Only 9% of plastic is actually recycled.
The rest is dumped in landfills or burned.
This material, which was invented in 1907 called Bakelite, has become a massive mess for us all. Over the decades, large industrial petroleum and chemical companies have produced plastics for just about anything imaginable, like Tupperware, Nylon clothing, Teflon cooking tools, construction materials, and of course the ever infamous plastic grocery bags and water bottles.
Some types of plastics can take thousands of years to degrade. The degradation of plastics into microplastics are found in our oceans, our food source, our air and even our bodies. We are not yet aware of how these microplastics are affecting us internally.
Plastic pouches aren't any better. You've seen them in the grocery store. Laundry detergent companies offer laundry tabs in pouches instead of large plastic containers. Other companies offer liquid soap, dishwasher detergent, etc. and while it may seem like a sustainable option - not so fast - it's not.
The reality is that these are still plastics that cannot be recycled. That's right.
Plastic pouches are made up of multiple layers of different virgin plastics - meaning they are not made with recycled materials and because they have layers, they cannot be separated for recycling. The multiple layers are chemically bonded and they use waterproof seals that also cannot be recycled. If you're putting these pouches in your recycling bin - know that they're ending up in landfills.
Even if a pouch is made of a mono-material (one plastic material) it's still plastic and it doesn't guarantee that it will be recycled in your community. The only option would be a paper pouch with no plastic but these are not waterproof. If a paper pouch is lined, it's not recyclable and if it's lined with wax it can only be biodegradable or reusable.
Plastic pouches are basically marketing greenwashing by companies who want to appear as though they're offering sustainable products.
Glass is the best sustainable option.
Glass can be recycled, reused, repurposed indefinitely.
Glass is manufactured from natural raw materials such as silica (sand), soda ash and limestone - not petrochemicals.
Glass does not risk leaching toxins into soil and water.
Glass does not break down into microplastics which can harm us.
And so, this is why most of our products are either made of glass or paperboard.
Going forward, we will be sourcing out ways to incorporate more sustainable packaging.
There are instances when using glass isn't safe, such as in a shower or outside.
It's always important to reuse and repurpose those containers and keep them out of landfills. The goal is to eliminate the use of plastics, in any form, as much as possible, for our well being and that of our ecosystems.
You have the power to influence with your purchasing choices.