As experts increasingly say recycling is not working, public policy experts are working to find other ways to cut down on plastic consumption and waste.
Attorney General William Tong held a two-day plastics forum in New Haven with doctors, environmentalists, lawmakers, and other attorneys general to talk about solutions.
“There's plastic in everything we use, and where does it go?” Tong asked.
The forum included several panels of experts talking about public health education campaigns, policies and regulations, and even solutions from the private sector.
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A study by Greenpeace in 2022 estimated the average American throws away 300 pounds of plastics a year, and that people only recycle roughly 5% of plastics.
Experts are also working to educate the public that many plastics aren’t recyclable.
“I think what we’re hearing here is that we are recycling a very small percentage of what we think are recycling,” Tong said. “That maybe we’ve been lied to about how much can be recycled.”
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California took the step earlier this week of filing a lawsuit accusing Exxon Mobil of misleading the public on how many items are recyclable.
Tong said Connecticut likely won’t join that lawsuit because the complaint is based on California law. But he is looking for other solutions.
One potential solution is cutting down on the reliance on single-use plastic items, including cups, plates and plastic silverware.
Caroline Vanderlip, founder and CEO of Re-Dish, said purchasing reusable items can cost more upfront.
Her company makes items for hospitals, schools, and companies that offer cafeterias. She said reusable items can produce a savings in the long run, though, in part because it produces less trash.
“We are replacing that single-use cup, that single-use container, that single-use plate with a reusable product,” Vanderlip said.
Rep. Tom O’Dea (R - New Canaan) said Connecticut lawmakers are considering legislation, including incentives for people switching to reusable items.
Other ideas include putting more responsibility on the plastics industry to get people to recycle and reuse.
“As I tell my kids: when you go someplace leave it better than when you arrived,” O’Dea said. “And I believe that’s what we should do with the planet.”
It’s not just environmental concerns. Public health officials are raising the alarm on microplastics.
“In many ways, we’ve evolved our system in a way that’s rigged to enhance our plastic exposure when its’s not really necessary,” said Leonardo Trasande, a pediatrician and epidemiologist at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine.
Grossman said anyone who is pregnant or raising a small child should be especially concerned.
He suggested families stop using nonstick cookware, opt for wooden toys instead of plastic and research the types of plastic they use.
He also warned against using plastic containers when microwaving food.
