As humans our needs are endless and at every opportunity, we try to acquire products that we consider important to us. These could be gadgets, clothes, books or even pizza. These products come in different types of packages but we are more concerned about the products than their package. Most times, these packages end up in the trash can almost immediately.
The culture of indiscriminate dumping of packaging waste plays a huge role in the pollution of our environment. It is not surprising that single-use packages make up the most waste. It is the norm for us to take out our parcels and throw the pack away afterward. Many people don’t seem to realize that this act is counterintuitive.
There are many ways to help reduce package wasting, but it starts with attitudinal change from everyone. By dumping your bubble gum wrapper carelessly or throwing your dirt into water, you make the world less habitable for other humans and wildlife. You can contribute your part by creating awareness, rendering community service, disposing the right way, repairing old packages, minimizing online shopping, reusing old bags, and more.
There is nothing wrong with packaging as it adds to the aesthetic value of a product as well as protecting it. The only issue is in how these packages are handled after use.
As you continue with this article, you’ll discover how to reduce package wasting, types, and dangers of packaging waste.
Types Of Packaging Waste
Each day, thousands of people engage in package wasting without realizing it. Here is a shortlist of how you may be guilty too:
- Not dumping your waste in the correct recycling bin.
- Dumping waste by the roadside.
- Dumping trash on the beach or on water.
- Online shopping splurge.
- Disposing of reusable products.
There are different packaging materials used by manufacturers across the world. The ones listed below are the principal components of packaging waste in our world today.
- Plastic Containers And Packaging: These are found in shopping bags, plastic bottles, Tupperware, etc.
- Steel Containers And Packaging: They are found in cans.
- Paper and Paperboard Containers and Packaging: They are found in paper bags, boxes, wrapping paper, cartons, and sacks.
- Glass Containers and Packaging: They are found in jars and bottles used to store food, drinks, and juices.
- Aluminum Containers and Packaging: These are found in most beverage cans and foil.
Dangers Of Packaging Waste
One plastic bottle or wrap in the wrong place can have a disastrous effect on that environment. Apart from the impact that package wastes have on the environment, they pose many health-related risks. If you’ve ever wondered what the negative effects of packaging wasting causes, here is a comprehensive list for you:
- Littering: Most of the litter found on the streets are plastic bottles and disposable cups. It is always a horrible sight each time the streets are filled with these wastes.
- Air Pollution: Packaging wastes are usually gotten rid of through incineration. This method poses a lot of harm because it releases toxins into the atmosphere. These gases are dangerous to humans and the environment.
- Water Pollution: Across the world, most waste that ends up polluting water bodies are from packaging materials. This is because most drainage channels lead into a water body. They end up being carried from smaller water bodies into bigger ones. The water becomes less safe for every new waste that ends up being added.
- Marine Life Endangerment: When the waste materials find their way into the water, marine life suffers as a result. A lot of these animals have died due to waste consumed intentionally or unintentionally. Some don’t consume them; rather, they get entangled in them, which causes them pain and can lead to death. Plastic wastes and industrial wastes are the biggest culprits resulting in the death of Marine organisms.
How You Can Reduce Packaging Waste
In 2020, due to the lockdown that happened as a result of the pandemic, many people did more online shopping than usual. These innocent actions might not have seemed like much, but they increased the number of packaging wastes already in existence. The boxes, wrappers, and paper bags used to wrap the products added to the already large collection of packaging wastes in existence.
With the recent progress in scientific research, many eco-friendly products are being made to replace hazardous ones. Also, people are starting to pay more attention to recycling. As time goes on, more people will become orientated on how best to sort wastes for easy recycling.
As was earlier mentioned in this article, the first step to solving this problem is taking personal responsibility. We’ll be addressing ways you can reduce the amount of package waste that occurs daily:
- Using Biodegradable Packages: Most times, it isn’t up to you to decide what type of packaging material your goods come in. When you have a choice to make, it is best to go for biodegradable packaging materials which are eco-friendly.
- Proper Disposal: People often dispose of their trash in the wrong bins. Perishable goods like food items ought to be separated from non-perishable goods. If you have recycling bins in your neighborhood, ensure that you know which bin is for which product. This might not seem like much, but it will help increase the ease of recycling.
- Creating Awareness: Building from the previous point, not too many people are aware of the need for proper sorting of package wastes. You can do your part by creating awareness. Start by telling people around you the effects of package waste on the environment, ways they contribute to it, how they can reduce it, and more. It’s easy to get your message across to a wide audience through the use of social media.
- Community Service: Volunteering to clean your environment plays a vital role in saving the environment. Major clean-ups are going on in different coastal areas around the world. Streets, beaches, parks are places that are filled with lots of waste products daily. These are the places you can volunteer to clean.
- Reduce by Reusing: You do not have to throw away your paper bag as much as it is of good quality. You can keep the shopping bag or other package for use at a later date. This way, you will help to reduce the amount of package waste that gets into the circulation through you. Rather than buying bags countlessly, why not keep them and save your money? This is a way you can reduce package wasting.
You can start by carrying your shopping bag along to the market when you go shopping. You can also take your coffee cup while you’re going to a coffee shop or water bottle when going out. This is a good way of maintaining an eco-friendly environment. There are lots of single-use products you can choose to use reusable products for. An important benefit of using this method is that it helps you save money.
- Repair Package: Most people are conditioned to throw away packages after one use. If the pack is still in good condition or requires minor fixes, by all means, fix it. This may be done with glue or tape. This reduces the number of products in the trash and prevents you from getting another item like that. Repairing your package for reuse helps you save money. In most cases, the cost of repairing is lesser than the cost of the product.
- Shopping the Right way: When you shop online, more packages will be used on the product to protect it from getting damaged in transit. Rather than encourage this, you can get your products from local stores around you. Also, online shopping for groceries or food delivery involves the use of more packages than necessary. Rather, you can visit the places around you to make your purchase.
Furthermore, when you do bulk shopping once in a while, you will require less packaging than when you shop at short intervals. Therefore If you decide to order, try to get all the things you need at once. You can wait a day or two to make a comprehensive list of items you need to buy. Using a single purchase method helps to reduce the excessive package wasting that comes with split purchases.
Conclusion
Packaging wastes are very harmful to humans and the environment. The information in this article provides you with not only ways to reduce packaging wastes but also the adverse effects of neglecting them. The key takeaways from this article are:
- Packaging is vital for the preservation of goods and products. Packaging wastes are harmful to our ecosystem.
- Waste won’t stop accumulating until we make a change.
- Volunteering isn’t something to be ashamed of.
- That change starts with you.
At Sting Auto Pack, we encourage best practices in handling packaging wastes. We manufacture state of the art carton sealers to make your packaging process seamless. Visit here to learn more about our products and services.