WHY ECO-FRIENDLY BRANDS STILL USE PLASTIC BOTTLES
DutyBox makes bold statements about sustainability and zero waste practices. We promise that using our product you’ll drastically reduce plastic waste and contribute to global environment.
However, our bottles still come made of plastic. Let’s make it clear here.
Eco geeks believe that using glass, paper and other natural materials is so much better for the environment
Yes, our bottles are made of plastic and not from glass for a few reasons.
Plastic tends to get a really bad rep from environmentalists – that’s got a lot to do with the fact only 9 percent of it is recycled. That said, there’s so much more to think about in terms of what goes into manufacturing and recycling both glass and plastic, not to mention its afterlife. Which is truly the eco-friendliest choice when you get down to it, glass or plastic? Well, perhaps the answer isn’t as clear cut as you may think.
It’s important to note that glass is endlessly recyclable, back to its original use.
It never loses its quality and purity, no matter how many times it’s recycled…. but is it actually being recycled?
Problems with glass:
- First up, making new glass requires sand.
While we have tons of sand on beaches, deserts and under the ocean, we’re using it faster than the planet can replenish it. We use sand more than we use oil, and only a specific kind of sand can be used to get the job done (no, desert sand can’t be used). Mostly, sand is harvested from riverbeds and sea beds. Taking sand out of the natural environment also disrupts the ecosystem, considering microorganisms live on it which feed the base of the food chain. Removing sand from the seabed leaves shore communities open to flooding and erosion.
- Glass is heavier than plastic and breaks much easier during transit. This means it produces more emissions in transportation than plastic, and costs more to transport.
- Yet another thing to consider is most glass isn’t actually recycled. In fact, only 33 percent of waste glass is recycled. When you consider 1 million metric tons of glass is disposed of every year in UAE, that’s not a very high recycling rate.
There are many reasons glass recycling is so low:
- Glass put into the recycling bin is used as a cheap landfill cover to keep costs low:
- Consumers participating in “wish-cycling” where they toss non-recyclables into the recycling bin and contaminate the entire bin.
- Colored glass can only be recycled and melted down with like-colors.
- Windows and Pyrex bakeware are not recyclable because of the way it’s manufactured to withstand high temperatures.
- Last but not least, glass takes one million years to decompose in the environment, perhaps even more in a landfill.
In total, that’s about four major problems with glass that impact the environment.