As I’ve written a few times over the years since I began this blog, packaging is the bane of my existence. On Monday morning, I was wrestling with a plastic package for a nasal spray that I use occasionally to clear my sinuses and reduce post-nasal drip and related cough. The thing was hermetically sealed. No way to open it without a pair of sharp scissors. And even that was a struggle. I ended up cutting off one edge, then slicing straight down the middle of the plastic, then adding a diagonal cut to release the treasure so ridiculously enclosed. Throughout this mission, I had to be careful not to hurt my fingers on the sharp edge of cut plastic.
Why is this necessary? Are the manufacturers that fearful of someone opening their precious package in the store and stealing the goods? As it is, you can’t even access this product in a CVS or Walgreens without summoning a sales clerk with a set of keys to open the plastic-covered shelving, which has become ubiquitous in recent months to prevent shoplifting (another dubious trend).
And must we really rely on so much plastic for packaging? All that discarded plastic eventually breaks down into microplastics, which have worked their way into the global ecosystem—and our bodies. Microplastics, defined as less than 5 millimeters across, have been documented in human lungs, maternal and fetal placenta tissues, human blood and breast milk. They have been detected on the top of Mount Everest and in the depths of the Mariana Trench. They are in the air, our food, our water. Here’s a really thoughtful overview of the extent of microplastics’ spread from Science News.
While research into the health impact of ingested microplastics is not yet definitive, there is ample reason for concern. At the very least, according to research immunologist Nienke Vrisekoop of the University Medical Center Utrecht, microplastics are a form of air pollution. We know that familiar forms of air pollution, such as smog and car exhaust, stress our lungs. Vrisekoop, who is quoted in the Science News article, expects the same will be true of microplastics.
What to do? We can’t avoid plastics altogether, not yet, anyway, but at least we can try to reduce their use in our daily lives. I’m looking at you, bottled water. I may not yet have an alternative to that nasal spray, but I’m considering writing to the manufacturer to let them know what I think of their packaging. And of course, recycling plastics is a no-brainer.
There’s a famous line in the 1967 film The Graduate, when a very young Dustin Hoffman, at a college graduation party hosted by his parents, is advised of the one word that should define his future: “Plastics.” Indeed, it has defined all of our futures. Just not in the way we expected.
Evelyn Herwitz blogs weekly about living fully with chronic disease, the inside of baseballs, turtles and frogs, J.S. Bach, the meaning of life and whatever else she happens to be thinking about at livingwithscleroderma.com. Please view Privacy Policy here.
Image: Naja Bertolt Jensen
H J Milligan says
Hello Evelyn.
Wholeheartedly agree with you.
We do try to use as least plastic as we can.
A year ago I was admitted to hospital for the unglamorous problem of a bowel blockage. Got sorted. What overwhelmed me was the use of plastics during my care, ivs etc and due to an overzealous ‘bowel unblocker’ so many ‘adult diapers’. I think all the savings in plastics we had done over the years was used up in that week in hospital.
Best wishes Heather
Evelyn Herwitz says
That sounds like quite an ordeal, Heather! And yes, there is SO MUCH medical waste. I’ve been thinking about this especially since Covid. All the masks and protective equipment, necessary but polluting. It’s a huge issue. Agree totally with your assessment.
Take care!
Patricia Osten says
Couldn’t agree more!! But all this protective packaging dates to the Tylenol poisonings 1982. Manufacturers were under pressure to make their packaging tamper resistant – okay – seems reasonable! So, these protective companies started using more (and more and more) rigid materials which demonstrated to these civic minded guys a few more benefits (besides protecting their customers). Specifically, 1) more rigid packaging meant less products damaged in transit = less lost money 2) the cost of all this additional packaging and 3) additional coat of equipment & manpower to install was added to the manufacturing cost which — ta da!! resulted in higher retail prices!! Of course most of the additional costs were of a one time set up etc but let’s not confuse any of this with “”Protecting Our Customers…..Win,win for whom??
Working in an industrial giant served to make me a cynical consumer.
Evelyn Herwitz says
And I couldn’t agree with you more, Patricia! Funny you should mention the Tylenol poisoning, because I was just looking that up the other day in relation to this issue. And I well remember when that happened, and all the hysteria. I appreciate your well-earned cynicism! Be well.