September 5th marked 2024 Plastics Overshoot Day. This is the point in the year when the amount of plastic waste that has been generated exceeds the capability of waste management systems to handle it. As a result surplus plastic waste begins to build up and pollute environments. This is a shocking milestone, and demonstrates just how important it is that societies globally significantly reduce plastic production and consumption on an absolute basis.
While improvements in waste management systems are being made, these are still being outpaced by rising plastic production and consumption. Recycling isn’t a sufficient solution to the amount of plastic waste generated.
However, there are some very encouraging global efforts and collaborations in progress to tackle it. The most important of these is the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty, which is being developed by a collaboration of 175 nations who are negotiating on a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution. The negotiations are in their closing stages, and it is hoped that a conclusion will be reached by the end of 2024.
Meanwhile on a personal level, why not commit to ‘unwrapping’ one product that you usually buy packaged in plastic. At True Food you can choose from an extensive range of zero-waste, loose foods such as pasta, rice, cerals and dried fruit. We also have a wide selection of household and body care refills that all reduce plastic consumption by reusing existing plastic bottles. Recent new plastic-free products include glass-bottled milk, cream and yoghurt from a local organic farm.
Every positive plastic-free choice really does make a difference to the amount of waste ending up in our system!