We need food. But do we really need excessive packaging? Here are the 7 basic rules that we need to start following when we purchase and consume our food to avoid generating a huge amount of “long life” plastic. It is simple, here you go!
Rule No. 1
Always refuse food with plastic packaging – bring your own container!
The basic way of getting rid of food packaging is not to get one at first. You can always bring your own container to buy your food, or bring along your cleaned used plastic bags to fill your desire food. Think twice before you spend, because with or without packaging, this makes a big difference!
Rule No. 2
Wash and dry your food packaging (especially plastic)
Only clean and dry food packaging can be reuse, upcycle or recycle. So take some time to rinse or wash your food packaging with the minimum water usage. Dry it completely.
Rule No. 3
Reuse your food packaging especially those with zip-locks
Food packaging is a type of useful resource. There are many types of packaging such as cans, glass bottles, boxes, plastics bags, plastic containers, foil packaging and etc. Reuse these to store your food or daily items. Tips: foil packaging is good for keeping vegetables fresh in the fridge, while zip-locks are good sealers for snacks.
Rule No. 4
Recycle the recyclables
If we are unable to reuse all food packaging we have, then send them to recycle. This is a circular economy model that we should kick start so that resources will be used to produce new raw material for other products. Paper boxes, cans and aluminium, glass bottles, plastic drinks container and stretchable plastic bags are commonly recycled to reduce waste.
Rule No. 5
Collect the foil packaging for upcycle projects
Most of the food plastic packaging is not recyclable as they are not made of pure plastic as they are a mixed product with other materials such as a layer of wax or aluminium. For example, snacks or sachets packaging is commonly known as foil packaging. Although it is non-recyclables, we can always put some effort to upcycle it and give it a second life!
Rule No.6
Make eco-bricks using the non-recyclables
Eco bricks are an example of low-grade recycling, which is better than no recycling. It is a simple project by just filling up empty plastic bottles with single-use plastics or non-recyclables plastics over time to achieve a required weight before sending it to the collection points for use in constructing low-cost houses or furniture. Make eco-bricks as a measurement of the plastic waste amount that come from your daily life!
Rule No.7
Check Rule No. 1. Send ONLY the dirty and oily packaging to landfill.
Always think of rule no. 1 before we actually deal with the other rules especially the last one. Send only food packaging that is completely dirty or oily to landfill for disposal. Otherwise, do not choose food with packaging at all!
Follow these rules, and you will see the difference you make.
Reference:
https://www.ecobricks.org/modules/
https://phys.org/news/2019-07-ecobricks-plastic-pollution.html
https://www.instructables.com/Upcycled-Food-Packaging-Tote-Bag/
https://www.mabeyshemadeit.com/back-school-pencil-case-lunch-idea/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1688918584372882/?nic_v2=1a2Xw0atC
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