By: Allan Griff
I typically begin my monthly column with a reminder that there are no toxic plastics. The material’s negative public image is a result of plastics being seen as corporate, variable and science-based. This has led to bag bans and other restrictions, often based on the visible presence of litter. But the belief that plastics are toxic in and of themselves has become mainstream, as seen in CNN’s reporting that McDonald’s will stop using plastics straws in the UK and Ireland. No matter that paper substitutes are bonded with plastic. No matter that anything reusable risks bacterial contamination. Plastics are bad for us, and the CNN article included repetition of the “more plastic than fish by 2050” meme, and the lead illustration (plus a 1.5-minute video) reinforces the image of fish eating the plastic and us eating the fish and somehow getting poisoned in the process…
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