Why plastic-free products are often still made of ... plastic

But how can such products still be sold as ‘eco-friendly’? Is it a case of deception or incompetence? According to Ad Ragas, Professor of Environmental Science at Radboud University, the answer lies mostly in a vague conceptual framework. “The line between what is and is not plastic is diffuse.”

A question of definitions

This lack of clarity has been around for years, according to Ragas. He points to the car tyre industry. “They claim that car tyres give off rubber particles, but car tyres also contain synthetic rubber. That is in fact plastic. This engenders a discussion about definitions: which polymers fall under the category ‘plastic’ and which do not? If you make a list, there will always be a new type that falls just outside it. The producers then say: that's not plastic, while science says it is.”

For example, laundry detergent strips contain polyvinyl alcohol. “That is not a classic plastic like polypropylene, but it is a synthetic polymer,” Ragas explains. “Chemically, it is a plastic, but producers are not always aware of this. Therefore, they should be more cautious in claiming environmental friendliness, and seek expertise first.”

The core problem, according to Ragas, is that there is no single definition of plastic. “Other than that it is a synthetic polymer made from organic material. But our bodies also make polymers, and we don't call them plastic. So the definition is not black and white.”

From washing machine to river

What actually happens to polymers that end up in the sewer via the washing machine or dishwasher? Ragas: “Polyvinyl alcohol is a synthetic polymer that largely disintegrates when it comes into contact with water. There is still a debate about the extent to

which polyvinyl alcohol disintegrates, and whether the residues are harmful to the environment. But most synthetic polymers don’t dissolve in water. Instead, they can break down under the mechanical forces in a washing machine or dishwasher, although they still remain long and string-like. The hotter and longer you wash, the more plastic particles are released. By the way, most of the microplastics in wastewater do not come from laundry detergent strips, but from clothes. That is because synthetic clothes crumble during washing.”

Sewage treatment plants subsequently remove most of the microplastics from wastewater. But still, on average, about 1-5% of those plastics end up in surface water. “During heavy rain periods, the water treatment system cannot cope and an overflow occurs,” explains Ragas. “This can lead to more plastics ending up in surface water.”

Once in the environment, these plastics mix with other sources. “It is estimated that 80% of microplastics in surface water come from larger plastic objects that ended up in the water as a result of human activity and are slowly degrading,” according to Ragas. “Only 10 to 20% comes from sewage, depending on the location. But this is an estimate. You see, the problem is that a river is like a big cement mixer: everything gets mixed up. This makes it almost impossible to trace exactly where plastics come from. It also makes it harder to take appropriate action.”

Impact on humans and animals

The impact on ecosystems is worrisome, although Ragas says not everything has been proven yet. “Fish and other animals ingest plastic particles, with soil animals such as worms being particularly at risk. French research has shown that oyster growth decreases when they are exposed to plastic. Other organisms that filter water, such as mussels, are also particularly vulnerable.”

And people? “We don't ingest plastic only by eating fish,” Ragas stresses. “We drink from plastic bottles, use tea bags that give off plastic particles in hot water, and twist plastic caps open and shut on a daily basis. That friction releases plastic particles.”

On average, a person ingests about a million plastic particles a year, Ragas says. In fact, tiny plastic particles have already been found in human blood, similar to particulate matter. “So far we see no immediate health effects, but the long-term consequences are unknown. Several studies on the topic are still in progress.”

Plastic-free society?

The fact that producers still put ‘plastic-free’ labels on their packaging is due to a loophole in regulations, according to Ragas. “European legislation does not sharply define what plastic is. As a result, questionable environmental claims remain possible. Stricter rules would help, although enforcement costs money. But those rules would make the market fairer.”

A completely plastic-free society is not realistic, according to Ragas. “Plastic is indispensable for things like medical applications, such as prosthetics and devices. However, there are gains to be made in consumer products. For instance, clothing made of plastic is not a necessity, and we would do well to reconsider our approach to food packaging. If we organise our society differently, we could avoid up to 90% of plastic exposure. As people, that is something we need to think through carefully together.”