We live in the information age and can immerse ourselves in daunting facts about disease, climate change and political controversy at the tap of a finger.
With the time constraints of a full life, it is easy to understand why many of us sometimes take news and social media posts at face value, rather than questioning sources. Today we take a look at five common myths when it comes to managing objects at the end of their lives.
1. Wet wipes are never flushable, even if the label says so
As much as the manufacturers would like us to believe it, the truth is that wipes clog pipes no matter what they are made of. The durability of wipes means they get caught in both household plumbing and at wastewater treatment plants, doing costly damage at both.
As more of these are flooding the market, they are causing major problems of backup and breakdown for homeowners and municipalities. Instead of using wipes, bring a sprayable hand sanitizer and cloth with you for times you feel you need a waterless “rinse.”
2. Dryer lint contains microplastics
Because most of us wear at least some clothing made from synthetic materials: nylon, fleece, spandex, polyester and acrylic, to name a few, our dryer lint inevitably contains plastic microfibres. These first get washed straight down the washing machine drain (unless you use a guppy bag or attach an effluent filter to your drain). They then get collected in your dryer’s lint tray.
Lint should be placed in the garbage, not your compost, lest you wish to start growing plastic food.
3. Biodegradable is not the same thing as compostable
The former simply means something breaks down into smaller pieces of itself, which everything does and so it is meaningless.
Certified compostable, however, means something will break down into food for the soil, aka microorganisms, fungi, et cetera.
That said, even certified compostable plastics are problematic as they can take longer to break down than a composting facility will allow for. They also can lower the quality of recycled plastics, when they are incorrectly placed in recycling bins.
It’s best to avoid even compostable plastics, and instead aim to reduce consumption overall. Toting your own reusable bag and water bottle around is a great step in this direction.
4. Cigarette butts contain plastic filters
Rather than being an acceptable form of litter, cigarettes need to be seen for what they are: plastic, not to mention their toxic contents, which are capable of killing fish in aquatic environments. Always dispose of extinguished butts in the garbage.
5. Plastic utensils are not recyclable
Although they are sometimes made of a type of plastic resin that is technically recyclable, the Recycle BC program that receives our curbside and depot recycling does not accept plastic utensils.
Recycle BC accepts a multitude of packaging and printed paper, but not products, like forks and spoons; all the more reason to bring your own reusable cutlery kit with you whenever you head out the door.
If hunting down the facts about sustainable practices feels overwhelming, how about passively tuning into one of Let’s Talk Trash Team’s 120 radio show podcasts to get informed? Each episode dives deeply into a waste-related topic, and are filled with engaging interviews and good tunes. Check them out on SoundCloud or CJMP.ca under podcasts.
Let’s Talk Trash is qathet Regional District’s waste-reduction education program. For more information, email [email protected] or go to LetsTalkTrash.ca.
