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Tag: plastic utensils

kitchen zero waste sustainable living

5 Simple Tips to Purge Plastic from Your Kitchen

We can all do our little part in changing the way we live by being more conscious about our use of plastic at home. Many don’t realize the impact that plastic has not only on our environment but also on our health. From every step of the plastic manufacturing process, we are exposed to the toxins emitted through inhalation or ingestion through the air, water or soil we breathe, consume or touch. 

Plastic materials contain micro plastic particles and various toxic substances that are known or suspected to contain carcinogens that disrupt the human endocrine system leading to a host of health problems that affect human reproductive and nervous systems.

Plastic comes into our homes in various ways through various products. Many we may not even be aware of. There are the obvious household products like plastic bags, tableware, cups, milk jugs, food containers and personal care products that we know contain plastics. But then there are those products that are less obvious, like carton boxes of milk or cream, that are made of paperboard but also contain a thin layer of polyethylene (plastic).

For those who are interested in starting the journey to sustainable living and purging plastic from their homes, we start by identifying the common household products that have alternative eco-friendly options first. 

Replacing Plastic Kitchen Products with Bamboo

One of the most practical and eco-friendly materials for kitchen products is bamboo. There are many kitchen items that can be replaced with bamboo. If bamboo is not your preferred choice, you can also consider other wood products like teak, oak or birch. But we highly recommend bamboo because it is far more renewable than wood with its ability to grow and replenish in a matter of months where wood would take at least 50 years.

Start with your kitchen drawers. Open your kitchen drawer and you might find the following items in plastic form. Consider these easy swaps from plastic to biodegradable eco friendly ones as a simple way to purge your plastic from your kitchen.

  • Cutlery Organizer: If you have a plastic cutlery organizer in your drawer you can replace it with a bamboo expandable drawer organizer that offers the flexibility to fit most drawer sizes. They come in various compartment sizes. They are very practical and look elegant. You can typically get these organizers in a light bamboo natural colour, black painted wood or white painted bamboo.

 

  • Cooking Utensils: Many of us have plastic cooking tools in our drawers. Maybe you got them at the dollar store for a cheap price. Never thinking that the plastic would actually melt, flake and embed in your food as you cook. It’s toxic and you may want to replace it with bamboo cooking utensils

kitchen zero waste sustainable living

  • Cutting Boards: Your cutting board might be plastic and stored in your kitchen drawer. This is another plastic product you can replace with a bamboo board. There are many advantages to using an organic cutting board over a plastic one including its antibacterial properties and its resilience to scarring. 


  • Flatware and Other Cutlery: Perhaps you have stainless steel flatware at home, but some of us store various types of plastic cutlery products including straws, stir sticks, tongs and picnic cutlery in our drawer and we may not even be aware of this. You may already know that plastic straws have been banned in various regions in North America and replaced with paper, stainless steel or bamboo straws. Now you can also replace all other plastic products with reusable bamboo utensils from cutlery to stir sticks and more.

 

  • Bowls and Containers: In your deeper bottom drawers or cabinets, you may find plastic bowls and storage containers for your leftovers. In fact, your fridge may be full of these plastic containers. Remember that putting these plastic containers in your microwave can cause toxins to leak into your food. Plastic containers have additives called phthalates that provide its flexibility and resilience and may melt at a lower temperature and leach out to the food when temperature reaches beyond 100C (212 F) in the microwave. You can replace these with ceramic or glass that can be safely microwaved and also effectively store food in the fridge.

kitchen zero waste sustainable living

These are very common household kitchen tools that have eco-friendly replacements. With so many bamboo kitchen products now available even at the dollar stores, they are very affordable and accessible. Consider the biodegradable nature of bamboo or wooden products and the safer option of using glass, ceramic or stainless steel for more temperature resilience. 

It’s not too late to start making changes around your home and purge plastic from your kitchen. To find more eco-friendly products, visit the shop page.

Bamboo Plastic Utensil Disposable Cutlery EcoFriendly

Disposable Plastic Utensils Can’t be Recycled

It’s everywhere – plastic utensils! They are cheap to produce, convenient to use, and accessible everywhere. In restaurants, cafes, eateries and grocery stores, plastic disposable single-use cutlery are distributed to you with your take out food. We happily accept them because many of us have been misled to believe that disposable plastic utensils can be recycled. 

Every year, more than 100 million pieces of plastic utensils (spoons, forks, knives) are used and disposed of in landfills by Americans every day. These plastics take thousands of years to decompose and they are not recyclable. 

Why Plastic Cutlery Are Not Recyclable

One reason plastic utensils can’t be recycled is because they are too small and their shape is inconsistent making them difficult to be sorted by the recycling facilities. The second reason is that plastic utensils are made with different plastic types including plastic #1, #5, #6 or bioplastics which are not universally recyclable.

Plastic 5 is made of polypropylene (pp) – a tough, lightweight material with high heat resistance that is often used to make containers for yogurt, sour cream, straws and margarine. Plastic 5 is petroleum derived but it is considered by the EPA to be a safer plastic choice than many others in the market.

It’s glossy finish when used as plastic utensils make it grease resistant and easy to clean. Although some curbside local recycling facilities will accept plastic 5 containers, utensils are far too small to recycle so they are tossed into the garbage.

Plastic Utensil Disposable Cutlery

Plastic 6 is made of polystyrene (ps) – an inexpensive, lightweight and sturdy plastic with many purposes and uses. Aside from plastic cutlery, polystyrene is commonly used for take out containers, egg cartons, peanut foam chips for packing and disposable cups and plates. 

Because polystyrene is structurally weak and ultra-lightweight, it breaks up easily and disperses throughout the natural environment. Products made of polystyrene may leach styrene, a toxic human carcinogen, into food products when heated in a microwave and eventually ingested by humans.

Recycling is not widely available for polystyrene products. Because most curbside collection services will not accept polystyrene, this material accounts for about 35% of US landfill contributing to the growing waste pollution.

In addition to its impact on landfills, plastic manufacturing utilizes a large amount of power and petroleum which, through its extraction process, releases gases and chemical byproducts harmful to people and our environment.

 

So Why Do Businesses Still Distribute Plastic Utensil

With all the plastic waste that is polluting our environment and affecting our health, why do businesses still distribute plastic cutlery? 

Because of the attractive properties of plastic – durable, lightweight, easy to store, accessible and inexpensive, they are the preferred choice for many businesses in the hospitality sector. They are functional, practical and versatile. 

Plastic is easy to produce and widely available. By achieving economies of scale, the cost of plastic per unit is very affordable and allows businesses to keep their costs down. 

Many business owners continue to distribute plastic utensils because they have been misled to believe that they are recyclable. While some simply are not aware of the environmental impact they have on the planet. 

 

EcoFriendly Bamboo Cutlery as the Ideal Alternative

There are other options and materials available as an alternative to plastics. One of the best eco-friendly materials is bamboo. It is fast growing, durable with tensile strength, versatile and most of all biodegrades within months. 

Without all the toxicity that plastics emit, its organic, antibacterial nature makes it a safe hygienic alternative to plastics. Because of its natural fibres, utensils made of bamboo are typically not uniform in color and consistency. They are, however, durable, lightweight and recyclable – characteristics that are desirable for utensils.

Bamboo Plastic Utensil Disposable Cutlery EcoFriendly

Disposing of bamboo cutlery should not make one feel guilty. Bamboo is a natural fiber that you can compost. Later in the composting stage fungi break down the lignin that’s in bamboo into less complicated elements which can then be broken down by bacteria. From leaves to stem, 100% of the bamboo can all be composted within 2 months or up to 4 years depending on the soil conditions.

Unlike plastic, bamboo does not derive from petroleum and doesn’t require a large amount of power and nonrenewable resources for its production. Though it may dry out if put in extreme heat (like a microwave), it does not emit toxic carcinogens and is safer for your body. 

 

Make EcoFriendly Choices with Bamboo Disposable Cutlery

Bamboo Plastic Utensil Disposable Cutlery EcoFriendly

While governments begin to ban single use plastics all over the world, we can still do our part in helping with the transition to less plastic waste in the environment.

What We Can Do

  • We can decline to accept plastic utensils given to us by restaurants when we order take out
  • When buying utensils at the grocery store, we can choose biodegradable ones
  • We can also choose to use silverware at home 
  • We can buy reusable bamboo utensils that can be used for the next picnic, travel or outdoor adventure

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What Businesses Can Do

  • Consider alternatives to plastic cutlery by purchasing bamboo disposable cutlery
  • Do not freely distribute plastic utensils for your take out customers
  • Start to offer bamboo utensils instead of plastic ones at grocery stores

Start making the switch and replace your plastic utensils with more biodegradable bamboo cutlery for your next outing.

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