The article in the url below argues that plastic is making a bit of a comeback. And not just any old plastic, but the dreaded single-use plastic. After being the bane of environmentalists for the past couple of years, people are beginning to recognize there are at least some advantages to a material that is relatively cheap, sterile, and disposable:
"The war on plastics is being put on hold as the battle to contain coronavirus ramps up. Single-use plastic products, in the crosshairs over environmental concerns in recent years, are now getting a boost amid efforts to stop the spread of the virus. Personal drinking cups and reusable shopping bags are being shunned, while sales of bottled water, masks and wipes—made from plastic—have soared. At the same time, some recycling programs are being suspended because of concerns about the virus spreading."
Starbucks, which recently started testing coffee cups with a biodegradable liner, has stopped allowing customers to bring their own cups into the store to be filled by baristas. Instead, at least for the time being, the progressive firm will only serve plastic and their own (non-recyclable) cups, in order to optimize hygiene. Similarly:
"Fearing reusable shopping bags could spread the virus, New York state Sen. John Flanagan is calling for the state's plastic-bag ban to be suspended."
Environmental advocates recognize the threat this poses to their goals:
"Environmentalists say temporary moves away from reusable cups and bags could have a lasting impact on the fight against single-use plastics. They worry the move could raise bigger doubts about the hygiene of reusable products and disrupt fragile consumer habits."
They are correct to be worried as concern about the hygiene of reusable plastic products is legitimate (see Strategic CSR – Conspicuous virtue and Strategic CSR – Anti-plastic), along with the argument that, in practice, plastic bags are more environmentally friendly than their supposedly greener alternatives (see Strategic CSR – Plastics). As noted in the article in the second url below, all the research suggests that the value to the environment of banning plastic bags is, at best, debatable:
"Independent studies conducted from 2010 through 2019 by researchers in the U.S., the U.K., Continental Europe, Asia and elsewhere all concluded that single-use plastic bags—like the ones commonly found in grocery stores—rank better in almost every environmental category than bags made of paper, cotton or more durable plastics."
The only respect in which alternatives to plastic bags are better is litter. In terms of resource utilization, single-use plastic bags are almost always the most environmentally-friendly option. Yet, littering is the one activity in the plastic bag lifecycle that we have the power to correct (i.e., by improving recycling rates and technologies). But, the arguments need to be made in a clear and comprehensive way that minimizes the spread of misinformation. Yet, misleading or inaccurate information (combined with knee-jerk reactions) is something we are very good at. As a result, if preventing the spread of this particular virus is the main concern, the firms mentioned in the article seem to be over-reacting with the measures that have been taken to date:
"Upstream, a nonprofit, … defended reusables. 'Coronavirus mainly spread through coughs and sneezes, not your reusable water bottle or cup,' it said, adding that disposable items could harbor pathogens that settled during manufacturing and transportation."
As we have seen the implications of COVID-19 play out, I have been really interested in research about how societies adapt to major disruptions. It seems that, many of the changes to our routines that we introduce are things that we tend to hold onto, even after the disruption ends. Clearly, we are currently facing a major disruption to almost all aspects of our lives. What will be interesting is how many of the adaptations we are currently grappling with will remain permanent and how many will fade as we are allowed to emerge from our homes (at some point). In terms of university education, in particular, I am worried that people who support more online delivery will use the current experiment we are running to advocate in favor of not returning to the classroom once it is safe to do so. If so, I worry that something fundamental about our profession will be permanently lost.
Take care
David
David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2020
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War on Plastic Takes a Back Seat
By Saabira Chaudhuri
March 20, 2020
The Wall Street Journal
Late Edition – Final
B4
What Happens When Plastic Gest the Sack?
By Jo Craven McGinty
March 21-22, 2020
The Wall Street Journal
Late Edition – Final
A2
