Only 9% of our waste gets recycled…here’s why

By now, we’re all aware that plastic generated for human use has become a problem. In fact, when we surveyed around and asked folks to estimate how much of a problem it is, most responded with something along the lines of “I don’t know, pretty big?”. As it turns out, the amount of plastic littering our planet was recently quantified by environmental engineers and the figure is staggering. Since just 1950, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic has been produced (or about 25,000x the weight of the Empire State building) and it’s estimated that 12 million metric tons will exist on our planet by 2050. This is a concerning number, we can all agree, but the fact that very little of that plastic has been recycled may be cause for more concern. Of the 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic produced, about 6.3 billion has been discarded. Of that, only 9% has been recycled, with the remainder accumulating as waste and more often than not ending up on our streets and in our oceans. This is largely due to the fact that it is often cheaper to make plastic from virgin material than from recycled, because plastics entering sorting facilities are often not clean enough to be sorted, and due to the variety of plastics available, which complicates the sorting process.

The good news is that the Canadian government has recently taken steps to reduce the production of hard-to-recycle plastic in our country. Last year, it was announced that by the end of 2021 key regulation would be introduced to limit the amount of single-use plastic across grocery bags, food ware, and more. This is a part of the government’s larger plan to achieve a plastic-free Canada by the year 2030.

So, you now know the exact figures behind our planet’s plastic issue, and you know that our government is taking steps to reduce plastic in our country over the next ten years. What can you do as an individual right now?

Bare Market is Toronto’s one-stop-shop for package-free goods & groceries

credit @baremrkt

Shop low waste for your house: It can feel daunting to reduce the amount of waste your household creates to zero, but it’s much more manageable to start in small areas of the home. For example, eliminating waste in the laundry room is as simple as refilling detergent from bulk stores like bare market and switching to wool dryer balls instead of disposable dryer sheets. Once you’ve tackled the laundry room you can move onto the kitchen, bathroom, and so on!

Recycle responsibly: When you do have to purchase single use, make sure to opt for glass if it’s available, as glass is more efficiently recycled. When it comes to plastic, try to opt for types 1 and 2, as they have the best chance of being recycled. Be sure to clean your recyclables thoroughly as well (that’s right, you can’t toss that sticky jar of peanut butter into the bin and expect it to be recycled!).

Order with Suppli to get takeout, without waste

The Wasteland Plan is a global effort to reduce waste located in Toronto.

credit: @the.wasteland.plan

Eat low waste: If you do plan to order take-out, ditch the waste altogether by signing up for Suppli! At Suppli, we’ve swapped the usual plastic take-out containers for reusable metal ones that can be dropped off at one of our 21 (and growing!) drop off locations, conveniently placed in areas you’re already visiting, like the local café or market!

Get involved: Our friends at The Wasteland Plan (TWP) meet regularly to collect plastic waste that is littering our local ecosystems. In addition to removing plastic from our streets and oceans, TWP always couples their clean-ups with fun activities like paddle boarding and volleyball! It’s a great opportunity to get outside, meet new friends, and do some good in the process.

Thanks for reading along! Do you have a low-waste tip you’d like to share? Realizing that your favourite restaurant down the street is still using hard-to-recycle plastic and want to take action? Feel free to get in touch with the Suppli team – we love to hear from you!