There’s an notorious statistic that the common American consumes a bank card’s price (5 grams) of microplastics each week. Now, it is not completely clear simply how correct that stat is. However two issues are positively true: 1. We’re consuming and respiration in additional microplastics than any human in all probability needs to, and a couple of. It is clear that we now have a serious plastic waste downside on this nation.
The excellent news? It looks as if annually persons are changing into increasingly more conscious of how pervasive this problem is, and sensible leaders are arising with options that might assist us reduce it down.
In her analysis for Effectively+Good’s upcoming Local weather Problem, way of life editor Erica Sloan obtained to know an revolutionary new model known as Cupboard Well being that’s tackling the pharmaceutical trade’s single-use plastic waste downside specifically. For the newest episode of the Effectively+Good podcast, our director of podcasts Taylor Camille was in a position to sit down with the founders, Achal Patel and Russell Gong, and speak to them about how their concept to create reusable packaging for over-the-counter medicines turned a actuality—together with an look on Shark Tank earlier this 12 months.
Why focus particularly on drugs packaging? Using plastic within the healthcare sector has elevated considerably in recent times: In line with the American Medical Affiliation Journal of Ethics, the US healthcare system generates 14,000 tons of waste every day, and 20 to 25 p.c of that’s plastic. What’s extra: 91 p.c of that plastic just isn’t recycled.
Cupboard Well being affords reusable glass containers for over-the-counter medicine—like acetominophen or lactase enzyme—that may be refilled. Every container comes with a magnetic label for the highest that features the main points you want about your drugs, and you should purchase further refill packs everytime you want extra, moderately than shopping for an entire new bottle. This different is supposed to chop down on the reported 194 billion plastic drugs bottles produced yearly.
Sloan factors out that drugs is one a part of our lives by which most of us hardly ever suppose twice concerning the plastic we undergo. “I feel most individuals simply take over-the-counter medicine, even prescriptions, and are not actually fascinated about the eco impression of these bottles or the place they are going as a result of these medicine are one thing that you could take, so it is probably not a factor that is in your thoughts,” says Sloan.
Associated Tales
But these bottles we undergo is usually a important contributor to air pollution and hurt the setting, wildlife, and human well being. To study extra about Sloan’s reporting on microplastics and Cupboard Well being, take a look at this week’s episode of the podcast:
All April lengthy at Effectively+Good, we’re celebrating Earth Month and organizations, manufacturers, and founders that stroll the stroll and speak the speak in relation to preventing local weather change and caring for our planet. So keep tuned for extra.
