Toggle High

Contrast On

Account Settings

Company

5 Things You Didn’t Know Have Plastic in Them [Slideshow]

Matt

Sep 22, 2019

592 Views

1 Min Read Time

1 Share

GR8NESS RATING

GR8

MEH

PASS

Plastic items are undeniably one of the most essential inventions of the 20th century, having countless uses in almost all aspects of our everyday life. If used wisely and correctly, they can help us achieve things impossible with other materials, but currently, they have been used so extensively and without a proper recycling policy, that they are among the most pervasive pollutants in our environment. This article will help you learn some of the most secret uses of plastic, many of them being virtually undetectable at first glance.

Image by Artem Beliaikin / Pexels

1 of

Salt

What many people don't know is that common table salt contains trace amounts of plastic. A recent study sampled store bought salt from the United States, UK, France, and Spain and found that in most instances the ordinary table salt contained small fragments of plastic. Specifically, they found microfibers from primarily water bottles, one of the most commonly used and discarded plastics in the world. The same study suggests that lake salt and rock salt contain fewer or no traces at all, making them a better solution for those that care about minimizing their plastic consumption.

Up close shot of chewing gum with mint crystals

Image by Devon X / Shutterstock

2 of

Chewing Gum

Chewing gum is by no means a recent invention, as it has been a part of human culture and everyday life since ancient times, with studies suggesting as far back as 5,000 years ago. What is recent though, is that the natural gums (like Arabic gum and Chicle) have been replaced by plastics, artificial coloring, and flavors, that are non-degradable and potentially harmful for the environment and the consumer. Should you want to keep doing this habit, it’s best to choose brands that use natural tree gums that were traditionally used.

A small paper coffee cup that secretly contains plastic

Image by Andreea Ch / Pexels

3 of

Paper Cups

Most people might prefer paper cups for their beverages, as they believe them to be easily recyclable compared to plastic cups. The sad truth though, is that paper cups have an inner layer of plastic to prevent leakage and help them tolerate heat, something that makes them very hard to recycle. This directly contributes to the overall pollution and at the same time traces of plastic can dissolve in your hot drink, resulting in another hidden source of plastic consumption. Next time consider filling your thermos or reusable cup, instead of relying on the common paper cups, to help both yourself and the environment.

Lipstick and nail polish scattered around broken makeup

Image by Free Creative Stuff / Pexels

4 of

Cosmetics

Microbeads have been (justifiably) under pressure during the last years in the U.S. and across the world, as they are one of the main sources that pollute the water system and our bodies. They’re essentially small traces of plastics in toothpaste, creams, and similar products that help them look better, without contributing favorably in many other ways. Despite the recent bans since 2017, it’s still hard to determine if the market is completely free of them, while at the same time they are still found in cosmetics that you might order online from countries that have no similar regulations. Be sure to check if the brands that you regularly use contain traces of these sneaky plastic beads that harm yourself and our environment.

A single crushed can of coco-cola littered on the sidewalk

Image by Skitterphoto / Pexels

5 of

Tin Cans

Tin cans, along with glass and plastic bottles are the most common ways of storing mass-produced drinks, as they are cheap and easy to produce. While most people might think of them as a more, eco-friendly alternative to plastic bottles, they don't realize that tin cans include a thin layer of plastic coating to avoid corrosion. It’s a good idea to avoid them if possible, and always choose easily recyclable glass bottles instead.

View more Environment Articles

GR8NESS RATING

GR8

MEH

PASS

Matt

GR8NESS Writer

Matt is a GR8NESS contributing writer on such subjects as pets, CBD, pain relief, sexual health, time management, and family & parenting. When he's not placed in the awkward position of referring to himself in the third person, Matt tries to keep two Dachshunds, an 18-year old daughter, and one wife blissfully happy but not necessarily in that order.

Learn More

Expert Reviewed

Image by PicPolPhoto / Shutterstock

Environment

COVID-19 and the Return of Single Use Plastics

Since the COVID-19 pandemic turned life upside down across the globe, devastating economies and bringing health care to its knees, the fear of infection has translated into heightened consumer demand for single-use plastics. Due to the fears caused by the pandemic, even the most sustainability-conscious among us may now find...

Gina

Expert Reviewed

Image by TZIDO SUN / Shutterstock

Environment

The Impact of Online Shopping & COVID-19 On the Environment

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact on consumer purchasing behavior. While many local businesses are shuttered, limited to curbside pick-up, or operating at reduced capacity, eCommerce is still available. With many people staying at home, either under government orders or out of caution, online shopping may be the...

Anne

Expert Reviewed

Image by Vlad Bagacian / Pexels

Environment

Why Transition to Regenerative Agriculture

The threat of climate change and other environmental problems requires everyone to work together to halt and even reverse some of the human-caused impacts that threaten the planet. A lot of well-known solutions revolve around cutting down on carbon emissions. However, climate change is about more than too much carbon...

Stephany

Expert Reviewed

Environment

10 Beautiful Quotes about the Environment to Inspire You [Slideshow]

Our entire life support system depends on how well we take care of the earth. The environment is crucial to our very survival, as the saying goes, there is no planet B. However, humans, often unintentionally, have had a detrimental impact on the environment. There are many reasons why caring...

Stephany

The URL has been copied