Asda Joins Other UK Supermarkets in Pledge to Cut Plastic Waste

It is not always realised how far back the use of plastic goes, most people tend to think of it as a fairly modern invention. However, horn and tortoiseshell are naturally occurring plastics, the first recorded mention of them being in 1284. Jump forward to the 1820’s when vulcanised rubber, gutta percha, parkesine and cellulose were discovered, and you are getting nearer to what some people think are the origins of plastic, as we know it today.

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Over the next 100 years there were various different developments in the field of plastics with the likes of gramophone records, stockings, babies rattles, and continuous photographic film all appearing in the marketplace. Two of the biggest impacts plastics were to have was the introduction of Tupperware in 1949 and the appearance of the plastic bag in 1950. From then on it became used for so many other things that it was soon part of everyday life for people all over the world.  The problem is that some plastics do not degrade, and something needs to be done about the amount we use. It is good to hear the news that Asda has joined other UK supermarkets in a pledge to cut plastic waste, which hopefully between them will make a real difference.

The Difference Between Natural and Synthetic Plastics

Natural plastics are made from products that occur in such things as potatoes and sugar cane.  Researchers have been trying for several years to develop more plastics from these, and have had some success.  The residue of sugar production, for example, known as blackstrap molasses, has been turned into acrylates and used in acrylic paints. Not only is blackstrap molasses normally expensive to dispose of, now it can replace one of the synthetic plastics. Natural plastics will degrade over time.

Synthetic plastics are manmade, and it is these that are causing a global problem. They are so tough they do not degrade. The microbes that would normally help with the degrading process cannot eat them, so they just stay as they were manufactured.

What Is Being Done About The Plastics Problem?

One of the places where a lot of plastic is used in packaging in with bags is in our supermarkets. Asda and several of the other large supermarket chains are taking action to combat this. They are slashing the amount of plastics used in the packaging of their own brands, doing away with plastic straws and introducing reusable cups into their restaurants. Plastic bags, which used to be free and are now charged for, will disappear from most supermarkets over the next couple of years. Asda has said that wherever they can remove plastic from their products they will, and where it is required, they will make it as recyclable as possible.

Plastic Pollution

Synthetic plastics are polluting our waterways, oceans and land and they have a toxic impact on humans and animals. There is growing global concern over the way they are affecting our world and lots of organisations, businesses and governments are all combining forces to try and stop this getting even worse. If something is not done to change the way we package our goods and stop using synthetic plastics for other things as well, by 2050 the oceans will contain more plastic, by weight, than they do fish.

Well done to the likes of Asda for making a start in reducing the plastic it uses, but you have to ask yourself if it is too little too late.