Volume 11, Issue 3

Plastics in Class for October 2008

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table of contents

1. Getting the real scoop on plastics

2. Clean up is a breeze

3. Time to get started on Anti-Litter Calendar submissions

Getting the real scoop on plastics

With all of the media attention being given to plastics these days, it’s more important than ever to get the “real scoop” about plastics’ use and safety. For this reason, we’ve gathered three of the “hot topics” from the current headlines and presented short and concise explanations that are rich on facts and short on sensationalism. Additional information on these topics – and others – can be found on EPIC’s main web site or on the plastic bag web site.

The misunderstood plastic bag
The ongoing debate on degradables
The safety of polycarbonate plastics

The misunderstood plastic bag

Without a doubt, the plastic shopping bag has become the focus of much media and public attention as of late. Cities across North America – and beyond – are calling for all-out bans on the product or, failing that, want to implement taxes to reduce plastic bag use. Many of these cities cite Ireland as a shining example of a country that successfully taxed bags out of use. In reality, this wasn’t the case. 

The plastic bag has attracted much attention across the country.

In fact, Irish consumers responded to the plastic bag tax by switching to heavier gauge plastic bags (like kitchen catchers). So, although the check-out counters reported a 90 per cent reduction in the number of bags being handed out, the sales of the heavier bags increased by 400 per cent and the overall use of plastic within Ireland increased by 10 per cent.

More recently, Scotland’s all-party Environment and Rural Development Committee spent two years listening to expert opinion on the Irish bag tax before deciding against imposing a Scottish bag tax. The United Kingdom also decided against going forward with a tax.

Here in Canada, there are some municipalities that collect plastic bags in their municipal recycling programs. But the growing trend is clearly toward retailer in-store recycling programs. Every day, more and more retailers are coming forward with innovative programs to capture and collect plastic bags for recycling, where the bags are recycled into valuable products like plastic lumber for decking and railing. Composite lumber companies, like TREX, can’t get enough of the bags to fulfill the growing consumer demand for plastic lumber products.

And those Canadians who aren’t recycling their plastic shopping bags are more than likely reusing them. According to Decima Research, 92 per cent of Canadians are reusing their plastic shopping bags two or more times.

The debate over plastic bags has also called into question their environmental impact over alternative materials. In truth, plastic bags remain one of the most energy-efficient bag materials produced today. Compared to alternative materials, such as paper, plastic bags use 3.4 times less energy, produce one half of the greenhouse gas emissions and use 17 times less water in their manufacture. They are also a very small component of landfill (if all the plastic bags used in Canada were to end up in landfill, they would make up less than one per cent of residential solid waste by weight) and account for less than one per cent of urban litter.

The real facts about plastic shopping bags may be found on the Plastic Fast Fact Sheet. Fact Sheets on Polysytrene and Plastic Tubs and Lids are also available.

The ongoing debate on degradables

Another popular topic these days is degradables and the call for more degradable products. Many people mistakenly believe that a broader introduction of degradable products will essentially solve our landfill and litter problems. Again, this public perception doesn’t jive with reality.

Many countries are considering the ban from landfill of materials with more than five to 10 per cent organic content.

First off, it’s not good to have any degradable product in landfill because such products give off potent greenhouse gases, such as methane. For this reason, Germany has banned from landfill anything with more than five per cent carbon content and Europe is in the process of implementing a ban from landfill of anything containing more than 10 per cent carbon content.

Second, there is a big difference between degradable and biodegradable products. Degradability refers to the product’s ability to break down into smaller pieces or fragments. The product has been modified – in the case of plastic, its polymer chains have been shortened or weakened – to react to environmental factors like heat, moisture or sunlight. An example of a degradable plastic product is the photodegradable six-ring plastic beverage holder, in which the degradation process is activated with ultra violet light. Degradable products don’t actually disappear. They just break down or disintegrate into smaller pieces.

Biodegradable, on the other hand, means that the product not only breaks down into pieces, but that those pieces are consumed by micro-organisms. The key difference is that the biodegradable package leaves no plastic remnants behind because of biological decomposition by bacteria, fungi or algae. The package is actually consumed as a source of food and energy by micro-organisms.

Biodegradable products, such as plastics, are designed to biodegrade in a certain environment over a certain period of time. They are specially formulated for particular environments and won’t necessarily act in the same manner in other environments. So, for example, a plastic compostable bag that has been designed to biodegrade in a municipal or industrial composting facility won’t necessarily biodegrade in a landfill or in a park. Plus, a biodegradable product does have the potential to contaminate or jeopardize an existing recycling stream if it ends up there instead of where it is supposed to.

Another significant issue about biodegradable products is the need for certification. Many products currently available on the market aren’t certified, which means that they aren’t guaranteed to act as indicated. So although people’s intentions may be good, they may not always be fulfilled. Biodegradable products need to clearly state where and over what period of time they will degrade so that the individual knows how to accurately use the product. They must also identify the industry standard that the product meets. The available standards for plastic biodegradable products, for example, include ASTM D6400 for composting, ASTM D5271 for use in waste water treatment facilities, and ASTM D7081 for disposal in marine environments.

There’s no doubt that biodegradable and degradable products have an important role to play in our society, but, at this point, this role is restricted to niche environments where there is an infrastructure in place to handle the products. A biodegradable or compostable plastic bag, for example, would not have any role today outside of a municipal or an industrial composting facility. Such a product would not necessarily degrade in a back-yard composter or in any other environment. So unless that bag was guaranteed to end up in a municipal or industrial composting facility, it has the potential to pose more environmental problems – not fewer.

The safety of polycarbonate plastics

Bisphenol-A, otherwise known as BPA, has been another hot topic in the press as of late. BPA is used to make polycarbonate plastic bottles and is also found in some epoxy can liners. The Federal Ministers of Health and Environment recently announced their actions in regard to BPA as it relates to polycarbonate baby bottles and can liners for infant formula and food. As a precautionary measure only, Health Canada is recommending a reduction in BPA exposure for newborns and infants up to 18 months. This is despite the fact that the assessment found BPA levels in baby bottles were well within acceptable standards. 

The polycarbonate plastic bottle has been declared safe to use by the Canadian Federal Government.

In fact, the Federal Government went on to state that it supports the continued safe use of BPA. Regardless of this, a lot of Canadians have gone to the extreme in ridding their households of #7 plastics or of plastics altogether.

First off, it’s important to remember that the Federal Government concluded that the levels of BPA in plastic containers – including baby bottles – were well within the acceptable standards. This agrees with other leading health authorities, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has approved the safe use of BPA in plastic containers, including baby bottles.

The assessment reaffirmed the safety of BPA used to make polycarbonate plastic (PC) consumer products. In his announcement, Health Minister Clement supported the continued safe use of polycarbonate plastics in bottles and containers clearly stating “Canadians can continue to use hard [polycarbonate], plastic re-usable water bottles and plastic tableware if they so choose.” Health Canada’s proposed action on plastics relates only to polycarbonate baby bottles and this was deemed as “a precautionary action” as stated by Minister Clement.

Second, BPA is not used in all plastic bottles and containers. It is not even used in all bottles and containers imprinted with the resin code #7. The #7 code actually denotes “other plastics”, which can be a mixture or layers of different plastics that provide distinguishing properties, such as extending the shelf life of products. Examples of code #7 plastics that are not polycarbonate include squeezable ketchup bottles, films for deli and prepared meats, poultry or fish, 3 quart/2.84 litre plastic orange juice jugs, and the plastic bag containing wine in boxed wine cartons.

All plastics that are identified with the #7 code and are used in food and beverage containers at point of sale have been reviewed and accepted for use by Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

More information on Bisphenol-A can be found on the North American Bisphenol-A web site.

Clean up is a breeze

Be a part of making Canada a cleaner place by organizing a clean-up event with participants from your school. Every year, thousands of Canadians do their part to help clean up the shorelines of our lakes, rivers and streams by taking part in the annual TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. This year’s event takes place from September 20-28. As of the end of June, there were more than 32,000 people already registered to participate. The event attracted a total of more than 50,000 last year.

Educators are invited to participate in the annual event either as a Site Coordinator or as a regular participant. The former gets to choose and register a specific site, while the latter merely has to show up at a site of his choosing. Either way, it’s a win-win situation for you, Canada and the environment. Visit the TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup web site today and do your part to make Canada a better place to live and play.

Time to get started on Anti-Litter Calendar submissions

Click on the photo to download the 2009 Anti-Litter Calendar.

It’s that time of year again. A new school year and a new chance to get your students involved in the upcoming 2010 Anti-Litter Calendar Contest. The Contest is an annual one offered by EPIC to encourage students (and educators) to think about litter and about ways to get people to stop littering. Students across the country, from kindergarten through grade eight, are invited to submit colourful and imaginative posters with a strong anti-littering message.

Each submission is judged according to:

• Effectiveness in promoting an anti-litter message;
• Creativity; and
• The age of the artist.

Submissions may be either hand-drawn or computer generated, but they must be of good reproduction quality. The posters should measure 11” wide x 8 ½” high.

A total of 13 entries will be chosen for the 2010 edition of the Anti-Litter Calendar, which will be made available in electronic format on various EPIC web sites. All of the submissions for the 2010 Anti-Litter Calendar must be posted by November 30, 2009. Each of the artists responsible for a winning submission will receive two, four-colour copies of the 2010 Anti-Litter Calendar, along with a certificate recognizing his or her achievement.

Visit the Teachers’ Resource Area for an official registration form, along with additional contest details.

Classroom Activities

• Work with a local retailer that has an at-store plastic bag recycling program to organize a plastic bag collection drive at your school. See how many plastic bags your school can collect over a certain period of time (e.g. one year, six months) and then have your students research what those bags will be made into. If possible, follow the path of the plastic bags, beginning with your collection and finishing with them being recycled into new product. Check out the EPIC plastic bag web site for more information.
   
• Have your students describe the seven plastic resin ID codes that are frequently used to help recyclers identify the different types of plastic containers used in the household. Be sure to have your students identify the different resins, their special properties, and their applications – including the products into which they are recycled. For help, download the EPIC resin code ID chart.
   
• Get your students involved in the 2009 Anti-Litter Calendar Contest by having them create a poster with a powerful anti-littering message capable of stopping their friends from littering. Visit the EPIC Teachers Resource Site for more information and contest details.

is a standing committee of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association.
Fully committed to the responsible use and recovery of plastics resources.
5955 Airport Rd., Suite 125, Mississauga, ON L4V 1R9
Tel : 905.678.7748, x. 231 | Fax: 905.678.0774 | www.plastics.ca/teachers