It’s no secret that plastic consumption is a major issue across the world and statistics show that eight million pieces of plastic pollution find their way into our oceans every day. Many of us are taking steps to be more mindful of our recycling habits, but 79% of plastic waste still ends up in landfills or the ocean.
Recycling your plastic waste is a great place to start, but we can help to reduce the harmful impact plastic has on the environment by cutting down on our consumption. There are plenty of easy ways to reduce the amount of plastic you use on a day to day basis, so read on to find out more.
Avoid single use plastics
Single use plastics like straws and disposable cutlery might be convenient, but they end up doing a lot of damage to the planet. Choose reusable or biodegradable products instead, like metal drinking straws or disposable cutlery made from bamboo.
Buy food in bulk
Recent years have seen a rise in shops offering staple foods like pasta, rice and cereal in bulk quantities. Instead of buying smaller packets of food (which are almost always packaged in plastic) take your own glass jars and containers to fill up on bulk items.
Cloth bags
Get into the habit of packing a few cloth bags each time you go to the supermarket to save you from using a new plastic bag each time. It’ll become second nature after a few weeks and you can keep a handy cloth bag in your handbag, car and by the front door so you’re always prepared.
Choose natural materials
You’d be surprised how many of our everyday products contain plastics; from microplastics in our beauty products to fibres in our clothes. Choose natural natural materials where possible, whether that’s a cotton t-shirt, bamboo toothbrush or cosmetic brands free of microplastics.
We’re passionate about the environment here at Batesy Skip Hire, which is why we aim to recycle 95% of all waste we manage on site. We understand it might not be possible to completely cut down on your plastic consumption, but we’re on hand to collect and dispose of your plastic waste in the most environmentally friendly way possible. Our recycling centre in Belfast accepts all plastics, plus green waste, cardboard, timber and more, so give us a call today or contact us via the website.
