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Single-Use Plastic Bans

Do you support bans on single-use plastics?

  • Total voters
    44
Carjosse

Carjosse

Sit Nomine Digna
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Location
Montreal, QC
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What do you think of single-use plastic bans that have become more and more common recently. My city Montreal is planning to institute a ban on single-use mainly taking aim at take-out restaurants using plastic utensils and Styrofoam containers but also meat packaged in those Styrofoam trays and plastic warp. The UK has passed a ban on plastic straws, cotton swabs, and other single-use plastics. The EU parliament has also passed a similar ban on single-use plastics. So do you support the efforts of many governments to ban single-use plastics and reduce waste?

Personally I support these and cannot wait until my favourite take-out restaurant is forced to use something other than Styrofoam.
 
Carjosse said:
What do you think of single-use plastic bans that have become more and more common recently. My city Montreal is planning to institute a ban on single-use mainly taking aim at take-out restaurants using plastic utensils and Styrofoam containers but also meat packaged in those Styrofoam trays and plastic warp. The UK has passed a ban on plastic straws, cotton swabs, and other single-use plastics. The EU parliament has also passed a similar ban on single-use plastics. So do you support the efforts of many governments to ban single-use plastics and reduce waste?

Personally I support these and cannot wait until my favourite take-out restaurant is forced to use something other than Styrofoam.
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I think it is perfectly acceptable to find recyclable and reusable alternatives to toxic, single-use Styrofoam and plastic containers that will take centuries to degenerate in landfills. I see no reason for continuing production of such items for restaurants, and I think it is acceptable to move towards a phase-out. I am not for a total ban on all uses of these items, mind you. But for restaurants? Certainly.
 
Felis Leo said:
I think it is perfectly acceptable to find recyclable and reusable alternatives to toxic, single-use Styrofoam and plastic containers that will take centuries to degenerate in landfills. I see no reason for continuing production of such items for restaurants, and I think it is acceptable to move towards a phase-out.
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I wish take-out restaurants would allow you to bring your own containers.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
There is probably some law against that based on a public health risk.
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But I am sure that can be changed with same legislation banning plastics. Student-run organizations at my school can do it, why not restaurants?
 
Voted maybe... as with any "ban" the onus is on the fine print but in concept we do need something to deal with these items that go right to landfills and take forever to degenerate or are painful to recycle into some other product. The only other concern is a plethora of products now seem to come in single use containers that less recycling processes have something they can do with them. Will take effort to undo all that but it would be a step in the right direction.
 
Carjosse said:
What do you think of single-use plastic bans that have become more and more common recently. My city Montreal is planning to institute a ban on single-use mainly taking aim at take-out restaurants using plastic utensils and Styrofoam containers but also meat packaged in those Styrofoam trays and plastic warp. The UK has passed a ban on plastic straws, cotton swabs, and other single-use plastics. The EU parliament has also passed a similar ban on single-use plastics. So do you support the efforts of many governments to ban single-use plastics and reduce waste?

Personally I support these and cannot wait until my favourite take-out restaurant is forced to use something other than Styrofoam.
Click to expand...

Are you going to include single use throw away diapers? You will if you are serious.
 
Carjosse said:
But I am sure that can be changed with same legislation banning plastics. [B}Student-run organizations at my school can do it, why not restaurants?[/b]
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I suppose as long as the serving utensils and personnel never touch the customer supplied containers it might be acceptable.
 
Crystal said:
Are you going to include single use throw away diapers? You will if you are serious.
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Some of these laws do like Vanatu's, most don't but they should.
 
Plastic is not like glass. It deconstructs and changes across time and is affected by chemicals and UV light.

Among other results, it can become weak, brittle and very difficult to fully sterilize or fully clean. Of course it also can be easily scratched, weakening it's structure, and bent causing a weakening permanent crease. There is no way to know what a prior user actually had it as they may have reused the bottle.

For example, for most consumer food and liquid bottles of consumable liquids or foods, generally a very cheap plastic is used. If someone subsequently put gasoline in it for a short time, this would have partially dissolved the plastic on the interior - meaning if a consumable then put back in it for resale that person would be drinking some plastic chemicals, which is not good for a person.

While a debate could be made over requiring recycling plastic containers, requiring reuse is very danger in many ways - whether for something that is consumed or for dangerous chemicals.
 
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I'm fine with it, leaving it up to the local community to decide.

Some of the places I shop at offer a choice of bags. I always pick paper bags at the supermarket. Shopping and cooking for my family - especially on holidays - always makes me feel nostalgic for the old-day meals I had with my parents and grandparents when I was a kid. Walking out of the supermarket with those large brown paper-bags just heightens the experience!
 
joko104 said:
Plastic is not like glass. It deconstructs and changes across time and is affected by chemicals and UV light.

Among other results, it can become weak, brittle and very difficult to fully sterilize or fully clean. Of course it also can be easily scratched, weakening it's structure, and bent causing a weakening permanent crease.

While a debate could be made over requiring recycling plastic containers, requiring reuse is very danger in many ways - whether for something that is consumed or for dangerous chemicals.
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Glass is the better choice! Don’t pick on restaurants. Ban all plastic everywhere. Including diapers, which are filthy and fill up landfills quicker than straws.
 
Chomsky said:
I'm fine with it.

Some of the places I shop at offer a choice of bags. I always pick paper bags at the supermarket. Shopping and cooking for my family - especially on holidays - always makes me feel nostalgic for the old-day meals I had with my parents and grandparents when I was a kid. Walking out of the supermarket with those large brown paper-bags just heightens the experience!
Click to expand...

Montreal banned plastic bags but a lot of places ignore it but others embraced it enthusiastically. In particular Dollarama, Canada's largest dollar store, their reusable bags are actually really good and really cheap, I see people with them everywhere now.
 
joko104 said:
Plastic is not like glass. It deconstructs and changes across time and is affected by chemicals and UV light.

Among other results, it can become weak, brittle and very difficult to fully sterilize or fully clean. Of course it also can be easily scratched, weakening it's structure, and bent causing a weakening permanent crease. There is no way to know what a prior user actually had it as they may have reused the bottle.

For example, for most consumer food and liquid bottles of consumable liquids or foods, generally a very cheap plastic is used. If someone subsequently put gasoline in it for a short time, this would have partially dissolved the plastic on the interior - meaning if a consumable then put back in it for resale that person would be drinking some plastic chemicals, which is not good for a person.

While a debate could be made over requiring recycling plastic containers, requiring reuse is very danger in many ways - whether for something that is consumed or for dangerous chemicals.
Click to expand...

No one is saying that, it is a ban. They want people to find other alternative materials for things like paper straws (A&W does that here) or bamboo utensils.
 
Right now I walk into the grocery store and the meat is in plastic or heavy paper trays covered in plastic wrap. What is the alternative to the plastic wrap?

The milk comes in a plastic container. What is the alternative?

All of the soda and water comes in a plastic container; including the big 5 ga bottles. What is the alternative?

Soda at the convenience store comes in a foam or plastic cup. What is the alternative?

Most of the personal hygiene products on the shelves come in plastic containers. What is the alternative?

When I buy oil, or brake fluid, or window wash fluid, or most any liquid at the auto parts store, it comes in a plastic container. What is the alternative?

I Googled most of these but didn't find much. Anyone have specific answers.

And wouldn't one answer be to develop biodegradable plastic?
 
Right now I walk into the grocery store and the meat is in plastic or heavy paper trays covered in plastic wrap. What is the alternative to the plastic wrap?

All of the soda and water comes in a plastic container; including the big 5 ga bottles. What is the alternative?

Most of the personal hygiene products on the shelves come in plastic containers. What is the alternative?

When I buy oil, or brake fluid, or window wash fluid, or most any liquid at the auto parts store, it comes in a plastic container. What is the alternative?

I Googled most of these but didn't find much. Anyone have specific answers.

And wouldn't one answer be to develop biodegradable plastic?
 
Chomsky said:
I'm fine with it, leaving it up to the local community to decide.

Some of the places I shop at offer a choice of bags. I always pick paper bags at the supermarket. Shopping and cooking for my family - especially on holidays - always makes me feel nostalgic for the old-day meals I had with my parents and grandparents when I was a kid. Walking out of the supermarket with those large brown paper-bags just heightens the experience!
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They make good compost.
 
ecofarm said:
They make good compost.
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And they were a popular teen-age guys' reference as to the lack of attractiveness of the neighborhood girls. With plastic, I bet that slight went out of favor. I'll have to ask my kid. I bet he's never heard of it!
 
Carjosse said:
What do you think of single-use plastic bans that have become more and more common recently. My city Montreal is planning to institute a ban on single-use mainly taking aim at take-out restaurants using plastic utensils and Styrofoam containers but also meat packaged in those Styrofoam trays and plastic warp. The UK has passed a ban on plastic straws, cotton swabs, and other single-use plastics. The EU parliament has also passed a similar ban on single-use plastics. So do you support the efforts of many governments to ban single-use plastics and reduce waste?

Personally I support these and cannot wait until my favourite take-out restaurant is forced to use something other than Styrofoam.
Click to expand...

If you're so concerned stop getting take out and stop using plastic.
 
Waddy said:
Right now I walk into the grocery store and the meat is in plastic or heavy paper trays covered in plastic wrap. What is the alternative to the plastic wrap?

The milk comes in a plastic container. What is the alternative?

All of the soda and water comes in a plastic container; including the big 5 ga bottles. What is the alternative?

Soda at the convenience store comes in a foam or plastic cup. What is the alternative?

Most of the personal hygiene products on the shelves come in plastic containers. What is the alternative?

When I buy oil, or brake fluid, or window wash fluid, or most any liquid at the auto parts store, it comes in a plastic container. What is the alternative?

I Googled most of these but didn't find much. Anyone have specific answers.

And wouldn't one answer be to develop biodegradable plastic?
Click to expand...

1. Some kind of sealable, washable or recyclable plastic container.
2. What? Milk bags are recyclable and cartons are too, no idea what plastic containers you are talking about.
3. They are reusable and recyclable. Can also be replaced with fountains and a container you bring yourself. Who is selling or lifting these 5 gallon bottles?
4. See above.
5. Recyclable or maybe these companies can adopt some kind of refillable container like sodas.
6. See above.
 
FreedomFromAll said:
If you're so concerned stop getting take out and stop using plastic.
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I am avoid eating at restaurants with Styrofoam containers or I forgo the plastic stuff. But that is no reason why there should not be a ban. If you have a problem, state your problem.
 
Chomsky said:
I'm fine with it, leaving it up to the local community to decide.

Some of the places I shop at offer a choice of bags. I always pick paper bags at the supermarket. Shopping and cooking for my family - especially on holidays - always makes me feel nostalgic for the old-day meals I had with my parents and grandparents when I was a kid. Walking out of the supermarket with those large brown paper-bags just heightens the experience!
Click to expand...
Paper bags also make for great cat toys and are reusable for wrapping packages. Size matters, of course.


Waddy said:
Right now I walk into the grocery store and the meat is in plastic or heavy paper trays covered in plastic wrap. What is the alternative to the plastic wrap?

All of the soda and water comes in a plastic container; including the big 5 ga bottles. What is the alternative?

Most of the personal hygiene products on the shelves come in plastic containers. What is the alternative?

When I buy oil, or brake fluid, or window wash fluid, or most any liquid at the auto parts store, it comes in a plastic container. What is the alternative?

I Googled most of these but didn't find much. Anyone have specific answers.

And wouldn't one answer be to develop biodegradable plastic?
Click to expand...
Doing away with harmful packaging is great. Some places allow you to bring your own coffee mug. Some Mom and Pop restaurants let you bring your own containers for leftovers. That's all I can think of at the moment.
I shall vote 'other', because, like you, I am looking for feasible alternatives.
 
Carjosse said:
I am avoid eating at restaurants with Styrofoam containers or I forgo the plastic stuff. But that is no reason why there should not be a ban. If you have a problem, state your problem.
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What exactly is the problem with Styrofoam and plastic?
 
Banning single use cotton swabs or q-tips... im going to have to go with a hard no on that.
 
FreedomFromAll said:
What exactly is the problem with Styrofoam and plastic?
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We're running out of landfill space. The landfills are leaking and contaminating aquifers. We're starting to need to pay other countries to dispose of our garbage. It's not sustainable.
 
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