So, Elizabeth doesn't like plastic straws or wet-wipes. I agree. BUT methinks this mandate is going to have deep repercussions and investment opportunities as new-old-tech comes back into play.
EX: Disposable hot drink lids. Ever seen a molded paper replacement? Neither have I. ...And we use billions of them in very short order.
A friend who is working on a Zero Waste plan just returned from a conference where they informed him that those compostable plastics don't actually compost, in most cases... so you can throw that problem into the mix.
Plastic eating utensils ....remember those crappy, tiny wooden spoons you used to get with a cup of ice cream?
Wood and paper products should boom. We may be trading one environmental disaster for another,. We'll see.
Carry your own spork. A titanium spork that will last longer than you will can be had for a few bucks.
That said, I haven't studied the footprint of producing titanium stuff.
>> Wood and paper products should boom. We may be trading one environmental disaster for another,. We'll see.
Yep.
I remember:
>>drink lids
I remember cardboard ones but they may have been cold drinks only.
>>spork
Prediction.
TSA will ban them. Ditto places like court houses. Cops will gun you down if you have a spork in hand. And heaven help you if you have one of those Swiss Army camping knives with a fold out fork and spoon in your car.
Oh and paper straws were worthless.
> paper straws were worthless
Look at how the drink industry has changed since paper straws were de rigueur. They could barely handle a 6 oz Coke. Paper straws will kill the smoothie industry, for example.
Yeah, milkshakes, malts anything thick.
The industry will find away around it: cardboard straws impregnated with cellulose resin. Or we all start bringing our own stainless steel straws and the restaurant provides a free straw sanitizer. Something.
Final Straw:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BslNm9Yo5s
>Final Straw
Pretty cool. But my first thought was, "Och, another thing I have to carry around!" Seriously, I had to go through security at a court house recently and the amount of stuff I had to leave in the car was amazing.
yes, mine too. I have not bought one. And I need a straw for cold drinks at the mo... bad teeth.
So these don't compost down?
https://www.ecoproducts.com/ecolid_renewable_hot_cup_lids.html
Judge backs NYC in ban on plastic foam food containers
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article212878979.html
Seattle Just Became the First Major American City to Ban Plastic Straws And Utensils
https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/07/seattle-just-became-the-first-major-american-city-to-ban-plastic-straws-and-utensils/
"Single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery and polystyrene cups could be banned in England as the government seeks to eliminate plastic waste.
A separate call for evidence will also investigate how to limit other polluting products such as wet wipes, tobacco filters and sachets."
Single-use plastic plates and cutlery could be banned in England | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/20/single-use-plastic-plates-and-cutlery-could-be-banned-in-england
<time warp>
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2018/07/a-brief-history-of-how-plastic-straws-took-over-the-world