Stop Talking Trash: How one man, one dog, and a truck are transforming waste into recoverable resources

Resource Recovery Project founder, Ed Ehlers, never talks trash. Instead, he collects recoverable resources (a.k.a. recyclable materials) from his project members in Clifton, VA, and makes sure that they get to a facility where they can be used again. 

Several years ago, Ehlers was walking his dogs and would habitually pick up trash wherever he found it. He noticed that many littered items could have been recycled, but instead they were treated as waste. He looked more closely at the recycling system and found it to be broken in many ways. It’s complicated, messy, and hard for the average person to understand. Traditional commingled curbside recycling is not very successful, through the lens of resource recovery. Many municipal recycling centers have contamination rates of 25-40%, meaning that at least one out of every four items we throw in our blue bins, while technically recyclable, ends up as trash because it is dirty, contaminated, damaged, or can’t easily be separated. And once our recycling has been sorted, not every stream even has a market for the facility to sell it to. So where do those things go? You guessed it: in the trash pile. Incredibly, according to the Recycling Partnership, only one in ten recyclable items flowing through the municipal recycling system will actually be recycled.

Enter: the Resource Recovery Project.

Disrupting the Status Quo

Ehlers set out to change this process. In April 2021, with a grant from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, he recruited a few dozen of his neighbors in Clifton, VA as pilot project participants. He distributed “Big Green Bags” for people to put their recyclables in and drove around once a week to collect them in his pickup truck. His conditions: he would take anything clean and dry that was “not yucky”– and no medical, hazardous, or food waste. Once back at his sorting center, he would manually separate everything into bins, bags, and boxes. Over time, he researched take-back, recovery, and recycling programs for 31 different streams – from traditional things like cardboard and aluminum, to trickier items such as beauty care packaging and holiday lights. “Solutions are as variable as the resources in the world. There is no magic bullet,” he says.

Since the project’s inception in 2021, Ehlers (and one part-time helper) have processed 76,500 pounds of resources by hand, with an astounding 96% recovery rate. Where does it all go? He personally delivers or sends items to the proper destination, including municipal recycling facilities, donation centers, and business-based collection centers. One day you may see Ed delivering a truckload full of bicycles to the bicycle donation drop-off at Fairfax County’s I-66 Transfer Station. Another day he may drop off a box full of health and beauty aid containers at Nordstrom Rack’s Beauty Cycle collection point. Wherever he goes, Ed carefully weighs, tallies, and tracks everything he handles. Good data helps him understand his business and its impacts, which he proudly shares several times a year on the Resource Recovery Project website and social media accounts. The metrics show that this project is possible, that it is efficient, and that it is making a difference.

Greater Goals

Ed’s aim is to demonstrate that single stream curbside recycling, if done well, can be effective at diverting unwanted items for reuse, repurposing, recovery, or recycling. It may not be glamorous work, but it is certainly innovative and important as our society faces ever-increasing pressure from waste and pollution. The Resource Recovery Project offers proof that one person, a dog, and a pickup truck are all that’s necessary to begin finding a new and better way of doing things. Let’s all #StopTalkingTrash!

And bonus for us at Clean Fairfax: Ed Ehlers not only serves as our Board Secretary, but he also features as a member of our Speakers Bureau. Want to learn more about recovering resources, improving recycling success, or how to deal with hard-to-recycle items? Head over to our Speakers Bureau page and request a speaking appearance by Ed at your group’s next gathering.

#StopTalkingTrash!

Demystifying nature and restoring native landscapes with Pollinative

Founded in 2024, Pollinative Sustainable Land Management is a mission-driven native landscaping and educational services company which is leading the charge in sustainable land management in the DMV. 

We sat down this spring with Founder and CEO Rob Nowell to talk about his new venture, what inspired it, his vision for changing the sustainability landscape (pun intended!) in our region, and more!

Sustainable Land Management

Pollinative promotes balance with nature when designing and maintaining a yard. There are of course human needs and aesthetic qualities that can be inhibitors to giving back part of your yard to nature. Pollinative strives to educate and demystify nature and lower the barriers to going native, so that you don’t have to compromise and can sleep better at night knowing you’re helping boost your local environment.

Committed to sustainability in all aspects of their business, Pollinative uses electric and battery powered equipment as much as possible. The company also avoids the use of chemicals, which can be challenging when it comes to invasive removals, but is critical for protecting native plant, animal, and insect health. Additionally, they encourage clients to retain yard debris as much as possible, especially if they have available space in the yard. – Did you know? A dead tree actually supports more species than a living tree! – Yard waste eventually decomposes into fertilizer and soil that would otherwise have to be purchased and transported to the homeowner’s yard. 

Pollinative Origins

Likewise, having seen his family’s trash reduction from composting food scraps and brown cardboard, Rob wondered if he could help others take the leap. On a snowy February day, Rob offered to his local Facebook group a local composting dropoff site. The response was overwhelming, and he knew he was onto something. 

With several years of landscaping experience, Rob has observed first-hand the high costs of yard maintenance and the lack of resources and services specifically devoted to native landscaping. He saw an opportunity to enter the space and become that resource for others who have faced similar challenges on their own property. 

On Earth Day 2024, Pollinative officially opened for business offering sustainable landscaping services including: seasonal maintenance, invasive removals, and native garden design and installations. With each new project, Rob continues to share his knowledge and contagious passion for sustainability wider and farther. Explore all that Pollinative has to offer on their website! https://gopollinative.com/

#GoNative!

Editor’s Note: Clean Fairfax occasionally works with people who need to complete community service hours ahead of a court date. This summer, we were approached by a person who had gotten pulled over and ticketed for littering a cigarette butt. They spent 25 hours cleaning up trash in and around their neighborhood, and this experience inspired them to share this article with other members of the community.

Ever since an assembly at school when I was in fourth grade, I have been environmentally conscious. I have been an avid recycler since I got a car at sixteen. Back then, you had to separate the recycling and drive it somewhere to drop each type of material into bins. For the last seven years, I have also picked up trash in my neighborhood every week after trash day because the animals inevitably get into it and spew trash around the neighborhood. I had quit smoking for thirteen years but recently started again. Although I was very conscious of doing my part for the environment, cigarette butts were a different story. I figured I couldn’t put an ashtray in my car because it would smell really bad, so I would throw them out the window, subconsciously thinking they were so small, what impact could they make?

I did just that one day and was pulled over by a police officer for littering. He gave me a ticket and I thought I could just mail in a fine and that would be that. When I saw a court date on the ticket I asked if I could just mail in the payment. During that conversation I realized this is a criminal misdemeanor and I would have to appear before a judge. Boy was I surprised! I have a business working with kids and I cannot have a misdemeanor on my record, so this threatened my entire livelihood. My friends and family could not believe that I of all people got a littering charge, but that’s where my thoughtlessness around smoking got me.

I called a lawyer as soon as I got home and paid him $700.00, knowing that I could also end up owing a fine of up to $2,500. He told me to voluntarily do community service before my court date and there was a judge in Fairfax County who would put everyone in jail for 30 days for littering. Cue more shock! I had a month to do community service and all the while I was terrified that I could possibly go to jail, lose my income, let down my team who would no longer have their jobs, and I could have a record and a huge fine to pay. I knew I deserved it so I braced for the worst.

I spent 25 hours picking up trash for Clean Fairfax in my area during the intense summer heat. Driving through my community, it looks pretty clean. Once I got up close, it was filthy. The amount of trash on the streets and sidewalks was just awful. I was quite shocked at the amount of single use trash. Whether it was a McDonald’s cup, a Chik-Fil-A bag with food containers inside, napkins, straw wrappers (sooooo many straw wrappers,) small alcohol bottles–on and on the list went. Almost everything I picked up was a single use item from food and drink establishments like Starbucks or Panera, which means the individual impact of throwing one or two things out onto the street, or an overflowing trash can that no one empties for weeks, makes the biggest impact. The closer I physically got to a store that served food or drinks, the more trash there was to pick up. It was so obvious what was causing all the trash accumulation. It was rarely big items I picked up, almost always small things, clearly caused by individuals throwing one thing here or one thing there, or not bothering to pick something up that didn’t quite make it into the trash can.

The second most common items I picked up were smoking related, including cigarette butts, lighters, empty cigarette packs, or items like the plastic ends of black and milds. There was very little smoking related trash in residential areas, but still a great amount of single use items. I could not believe the amount of butts on the streets and sidewalks. The bus stops were most definitely the worst for trash and for butts, and they even have a trash can at each stop. I learned that cigarette butts wreak havoc on the environment because they slowly leak a chemical cocktail of highly toxic and carcinogenic substances into soils, waterways, lakes, and oceans.

Once I was pulled over, I knew I was never going to throw a butt out the window again, but I didn’t realize until that day how simple the solution was. I was not going to get an ashtray due to the smell. BUT, the easiest and simplest solution was to just get a water bottle, half filled, and put each butt in there. How simple!!!! Of course. If I had bothered to put any thought into it at all, I could have figured that out. Instead, for one month, I worried every day about my career and income, having a criminal record, possibly paying $3,200 total, and maybe even going to jail. How ludicrous when all I needed was a water bottle. I also had to shorten my summer vacation because I had to be back in town for court. How I cursed myself for being so stupid.

I knew I was guilty, I was not going to deny it, so I did expect the worst going before the judge. I have never been so nervous in my life. By the grace of God, I stood before the judge and it was dismissed. I deserved worse, but I was incredibly thankful that my team and I were still going to have jobs and I paid $700 in total instead of $3,200.

Although I never would have littered any other item, I hope someone reads this and understands the impact that cigarette butts and all the other trash we generate have on our water and soil. I also hope to make people understand that, for example, throwing just one McDonald’s cup out the window or onto the street, is causing a pile up of trash and making our community disgusting. We all have to live here, it’s all ours, and we should each do our part to keep it clean. 

How I wish we as a society could somehow stop making so many single use items and for people to do their part and go out every now and then and pick up trash. I can see now that it would make a monumental impact on all of us and our communities. I am now aware that littering is against the law in the state of Virginia and expensive, so if nothing else motivates citizens, let it be that. Awareness is important.

Signed,

Lesson Learned!

Re-Thinking the 3Rs for a Sustainable Future

In our quest for a more sustainable planet, we have long hailed the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) as the solution to handle our waste. But after 50+ years of recycling, and no less plastic waste on our hands, it’s time to rethink this paradigm.

There are many more Rs that belong in our vernacular and help us reframe our thinking away from single-use and waste towards recovery and resource. The new paradigm includes: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Repurpose, Rot, then Recycle Right. Each step offers practical ways to minimize waste, make a positive impact on our environment, and help maintain the circular flow of our resources. Let’s dive into each of these Rs and explore how they can be integrated into our daily lives!

Rethink

Rethinking our habits and choices is about being conscious of the environmental impact of our actions. It involves questioning our consumption patterns and seeking sustainable alternatives. For instance, opting for public transport over driving or choosing renewable energy sources can make a significant difference.

When applied to the consumer market, rethinking can look like reassessing your relationship with stuff: perhaps conducting a household plastic audit, considering what items you have before buying a new thing, or taking your consumer dollars to brands that are dedicated to sustainable sourcing, production practices, and values. Other easy examples are remembering to keep your reusable bags in your car so that you have them every time you go to the store, or keeping an extra refillable water bottle in your bag so you can get a drink wherever you are.

Refuse

The first step towards reducing waste is to refuse unnecessary items. Say no to single-use plastics, excessive packaging, and disposable products. By refusing these items, you reduce the demand for their production, which in turn lessens the strain on our planet’s resources.

Reduce

Reducing our consumption means being mindful of the resources we use. It can be as simple as buying fewer clothes, cutting down on food waste, or choosing products with minimal packaging. By consuming less, we conserve resources and reduce waste.

Reuse

Instead of discarding items after a single use, find ways to reuse them. This can be done through creative repurposing or simply using durable, multi-use products. For example, glass jars can be used for storage, and cloth bags can replace plastic ones.

Repair

Before throwing away broken items, consider repairing them. Many things can be fixed with a little effort, saving money and reducing waste. From mending clothes to fixing electronics, repairing is a sustainable choice that extends the life of products.

Repurpose

Repurposing involves finding new uses for old items. It encourages creativity and reduces waste. For instance, an old ladder can become a bookshelf, or wine corks can be turned into coasters. The internet is full of great DIY projects and inspiration for repurposed items!

Rot

Composting organic waste is a natural way to return nutrients to the soil. Kitchen scraps, yard waste, and other biodegradable materials can be composted, reducing landfill waste and enriching the soil for gardening. In fact, food waste makes up about 24% of landfill waste and accounts for 58% of methane emissions from landfills; composting (whether at-home, drop-off, or through a collection service) can help dramatically reduce this emission!

Recycle

Recycling is perhaps the most well-known element of the 3 Rs adage. Fundamentally, it involves converting waste materials into new products. The industry and societal emphasis on recycling over the past 50 years has been partially beneficial, in that a large proportion of the population is aware of recycling and has adopted it as a daily habit. Wherever true recycling is possible, it is beneficial in that it recovers resources so that they can be used again, rather than making products out of raw materials that are used once and then go to a landfill. However, recycling has also been used by marketers as a conscience soother: don’t worry, you can buy all that you want and feel guilt-free as long as you recycle the container or wrapping! While recycling is an important tool in the tool-belt, it is not the silver bullet solution to our plastic pollution and waste problems that we have been led to believe it is.

The truth is, recycling also takes a lot of energy and resources. And many materials, especially plastics, are never recycled at all. It’s important to be aware of the state of recycling in your community; follow local guidelines to ensure materials are properly processed, always clean and sort recyclables to avoid contamination, and advocate for better and true recycling (not down-cycling or advanced recycling) practices. And remember—recycling is the last step in the circular system of resources!

If you’d like more information on the myths of recycling and tools to advocate for your community, check out our partners at LitterFreeVA.org.

Living Thoughtfully With Less Plastic at Trace

Located in bustling downtown Vienna, Trace – The Zero Waste Store invites you in to investigate their bulk food and refill store. The shop has a sleek boutique-meets-natural-food-co-op ambience that both calms and stimulates. Without the clutter of packaging and plastic, products are displayed artfully yet efficiently. Whether you are a first-time browser or a regular refiller of bottles and jars, friendly staff is there to assist you when desired. Remember to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) and containers! 

Trace founder, Mala Persaud, is passionate about being part of the plastic pollution solution. After a trip to Belize in 2016 where she saw incredible quantities of plastic bottles, bags, wrappers, and caps strewn across the beautiful landscape, Mala was inspired not only to make a change in her own life, but also to help others. Her store is the embodiment of that intention: to provide healthy, clean products free of plastic ingredients and packaging. Mala is a stellar example of talking the talk AND walking the walk.

About the Store

At Trace, you will find everyday items for your kitchen, bath, and laundry room, as well as fun and cheeky gifts for special people in your life. The bulk food section offers nuts, seeds, grains, and other dry goods with a handy weighing and labeling station. For bath and beauty products, you have many choices for refill items, plus beautiful glass pump bottles for purchase if you forget your own container – as well as a selection of donated containers available for free! The store also carries a number of household cleaning products such as dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, and surface cleaners. There are refillable personal care products from razors to dental floss.

Many of the items for sale at Trace may seem like novelties to folks who are at the beginning of their journey to reduce plastic waste. Once you try them out, however, you may find that you highly prefer the low-waste lifestyle, and realize that the upfront cost of purchasing a sturdy reusable item more than makes up for the cost and hassle of constantly buying things that you use once and throw away. Additionally, there are numerous products that make excellent gifts: organic cotton tea towels, vegetable-based candles, sustainably sourced chocolates, and artisan olive oils & vinegars to name just a few!

First-time visitors need not feel nervous trying to navigate the store. Friendly staff members are there to walk you through the refill process. They will demonstrate how to use the scale to get a tare weight of your container, fill up, and reweigh to record the product amount. The staff can also explain any unfamiliar products. At checkout, you will be refreshed by a smooth and paperless transaction!

Greater Goals

As part of the mission of Trace, Mala Persaud is dedicated to getting the word out about the importance of reducing plastic waste. She regularly speaks and writes about her work to share her message with the community. Whether she is tabling at community expos, acting as an “Ask Me Anything” recycling expert, or selling sustainable products, she is spreading the word on how people can make changes in their lives that will make a difference. Her efforts were recognized recently with a Fairfax County Environmental Excellence Award in the Organization and Business Category! Congratulations, Mala.

Clean Fairfax is excited to welcome Trace back as a sustainable vendor at our Earth Daze event on April 28, 2024 at Aslin Beer Company in Herndon, VA. Bring your container and reusable bag for all of your refillables!

Embracing Low-Waste Living: Discover Virginia Mercantile in Clifton, VA

Nestled amid the rolling hills and lush wooden landscapes in the town of Clifton, Virginia, lies a hidden gem for eco-conscious and eco-curious shoppers – Virginia Mercantile. This sustainable haven is more than just a store; it’s a commitment to mindful living, environmental stewardship, and community investment in support of small & local makers and business, as well as the planet.

We were intrigued by Virginia Mercantile’s sustainability mission, their engaging posts on social media, and many of the products showcased online, so we decided to take a field trip to Clifton to check it out. We were moved by the friendly and inspiring conversations we had with employees and the owner, Robin Moser, about the store’s commitment to eliminating plastic packaging, lifting up local makers and their products, as well as fostering a community of learning and practice around sustainable habits (from bringing your own bag, to sorting your recycling, to refilling beauty, home, and cleaning products at their refill station). We are excited to announce Virginia Mercantile as the very first feature in our new Sustainable Spotlight series!

About the Store

At Virginia Mercantile, you’ll find a carefully curated selection of products that prioritize sustainability, durability, and ethical sourcing. From reusable household items and zero-waste essentials to locally crafted goods and organic pantry staples, every item on the shelves reflects a dedication to reducing waste and supporting eco-friendly practices. There’s even a Refill Station–with bars, cleaners, soaps, lotions, shampoos and more boasting scents that rival salons and clean ingredients you can trust! The shop truly embodies their vision that sustainability is for everyone; it doesn’t require radical behavior changes, just small adjustments; and it doesn’t mean sacrificing beauty or function for an eco-friendly alternative.

Greater Goals

The low-waste movement is gaining traction across the country, especially as concern for the climate grows, and sobering truths about the state of recycling and plastic, microplastic, and water pollution emerge. Many brands are facing pressure from consumers to answer to their environmental impact, and consequently, the market has seen a wave of new, greener alternatives to everyday products. But what sets Virginia Mercantile apart is its unwavering commitment to fostering a low-waste lifestyle beyond just the products it sells. The store serves as a hub for educational information, community events, and initiatives aimed at empowering individuals to make environmentally responsible choices in their everyday lives. It was clear to us early on that Virginia Mercantile seeks to meet customers where they are on their sustainability journey–something that resonated with us and our mission of encouraging environmental stewardship and urban sustainability in an increasingly complex information landscape and a fast-paced and growing Fairfax County. 

So whether you are a seasoned eco-warrior or just beginning your journey towards sustainable living, Virginia Mercantile welcomes you with open arms. We implore you to step inside, explore the aisles filled with eco-friendly treasures and Virginia-made goods, and join us and the folks at Virginia Mercantile in our shared mission to create a greener, cleaner Fairfax County & planet for generations to come!

Happy Holidays from Clean Fairfax!!

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and gift-giving. But amidst the festivities, it’s important to consider the environmental impact of our choices–from the items themselves, to their packaging, transport, and eventual disposal. Sustainable gift giving is not only a responsible way to celebrate the holidays, but also a meaningful way to express your love and thoughtfulness for the people in your life and the planet we all call home! In this guide, we’ll explore some ideas for sustainable holiday gift giving that align with eco-friendly values.

1. Experiences Over Things:

Consider giving the gift of experiences instead of material possessions. Tickets to a concert, an art or cooking class, or a weekend getaway not only create lasting memories but also minimize the carbon footprint associated with the production and disposal of physical items. In Fairfax County, we are fortunate to be situated close to city attractions, charming historic towns, the outdoors and adventure escapes, and a breadth of cultural and culinary experiences–we encourage you to look locally at all that our great region has to offer!

2. DIY and Upcycled Gifts:

Tap into your creative side by making DIY gifts or repurposing items you already have this season! Handmade candles, personalized recipe books, thrifted or upcycled clothing can all be thoughtful and unique presents that demonstrate your dedication to sustainability. It’s a win-win!

3. Give the Gift of Time:
Offering your time can be one of the most meaningful gifts. Volunteering for causes that improve your community is truly a gift that keeps giving! Alternatively, creating personalized “coupon” books with offers for things like a home-cooked meal, a day of babysitting, or a garden makeover not only reduces consumption, but strengthens relationships.

4. Support Local Artisans:

Whether it be at the farmers market, craft & artisan fairs, brick & mortar shops, or online, we are big fans of supporting local makers and small businesses. Handcrafted items often have a smaller environmental impact compared to mass-produced goods, plus a lower transportation cost to get to you. Whether it’s a piece of jewelry, pottery, artwork, or baked goods and craft beverages, you’re not only giving a unique gift but also supporting the local economy.

5. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Products:

When shopping for items to give, opt for gifts that prioritize sustainability. Look for items made from recycled or organic materials, such as bamboo utensils, reusable straws, bags, and containers or eco-friendly clothing. Use your power as a consumer to support brands and products from companies that are committed to ethical and environmentally friendly practices. Moreover, be conscious of product packaging and when you can, skip the bag!

To help get the sustainable gifting going, we’ve put together a handy gift guide featuring some of our favorite gift ideas from environmentally-friendly cleaning products, to reusables, at-home composting, produce gifts and more!

• Reusable produce bags: perfect for the farmers market and the produce section at the grocery store!
• Reusable sandwich and snack bags: such as these from Stasher.
• Countertop compost bin & compostable bag can liners: The EPA estimates that food constitutes as much as 24% of our municipal solid waste, composting can help divert and reduce some of that waste as well as return valuable nutrients to the soil! Many brands offer countertop bins, such as this one from Utopia Kitchen, which is a convenient and simple way to get started. If you have a curbside collection service or local dropoff option, be sure to grab some compostable can liners too (TIP: look for certification seals on bags such as the BPI certification. Certifications ensure that products are actually compostable at commercial composting facilities, but they do not necessarily mean bags will break down in backyard compost piles).
• Swedish dishcloths: replace paper towels with this washable, absorbent cloth!
• Check out the Clean Fairfax storefront for more sustainable product ideas!
• Eco-friendly cleaning products, concentrates and refillables: companies like Blueland, Grove, and the Zero Waste Store offer a variety of home cleaning products, oftentimes with minimal packaging and easy concentrates to refill your bottles at home. 
• Reusable containers and bento boxes: perfect for meal prep, lunch boxes, leftovers, and even carryout from your favorite restaurant! There are many plastic options on the market, though we love lightweight metal ones for their durability and ease of travel. Glass containers are also great options for at-home. Check out these options from ECOlunchbox and black + blum!
• Reusable straws and utensils: glass, metal, and bamboo all make durable alternatives for these common single-use plastic items.
• Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) memberships: support local farmers by gifting or subscribing to a CSA program! In exchange for your membership “share” you receive a box of seasonal produce or other farm goods throughout the farming season–perfect for the home chefs and foodies in your life! Explore CSA programs near Fairfax County here. 
• Refillable and low-waste stores. We are lucky to have two low-waste stores offering sustainable items, bulk goods, and refills on products like soap, shampoo, cleaning products, etc. in Fairfax County: Trace – Zero Waste and Virginia Mercantile. Some organic grocery stores (e.g., Whole Foods, MOM’s, Fresh Market) also have bulk food sections and carry refillable products, so be sure to check out the locations near you–and bring a container!

6. Charitable Donations:

In lieu of traditional gifts, make a donation to a charitable cause in the recipient’s name. Choose organizations that align with their values, whether it’s environmental conservation, education, or healthcare. This thoughtful gesture contributes to positive change in the world.

7. Reusable Wrapping and Packaging:
Extend your commitment to sustainability by using reusable gift wrap or fabric gift bags. Traditional wrapping paper is often not recyclable, contributing to unnecessary waste. Be creative with your packaging, using newspapers, fabric, or existing containers to add a personal touch.

This holiday season, let’s embrace the spirit of giving in a way that respects our planet. Sustainable gift giving is not only environmentally responsible but also is an opportunity to inspire others to make conscious choices. By prioritizing experiences, supporting local businesses, and choosing eco-friendly products, we can create a holiday season that reflects our commitment to a more mindful & sustainable way of living. Let’s celebrate the joy of giving while leaving a positive impact on the Earth for future generations!

“Compostable,” “made from plants,” “biodegradable,” “plant-based” and “bio-” plastic — surely all of these mean the same thing, right? That we can chuck that coffee cup, that plastic spoon, and our green plastic bags in the compost pile and they’ll naturally biodegrade there?

I wish, but no.

High levels of waste production have spurred a resurgence of composting in the DMV area. Expansion of food-scrap collection locations in Fairfax County, and the rising popularity of curbside collection programs (such as Compost Crew—which recently signed a contract to pilot curbside residential compost collection in Alexandria City), have given even more residents options to divert some of their waste, without having to compost at-home. Yet as composting becomes more popular, concerns of contamination and wishful composting—not unlike wishcycling—are bound to arise. Chiefly, as more consumers, businesses, and municipalities look to make changes in their purchases and perhaps lessen their reliance on pesky and highly-polluted single-use plastic, they may turn to the shiny new thing being pushed by the plastics manufacturing industry: bioplastics [aka: any of the synonyms listed above].

This is a good thing right? Bio-plastic sounds so clean and green! And the marketing behind many of these products does a fantastic job reinforcing these impressions. Yet, just because a plastic item was “made from plants,” does not mean it wasn’t also made in-part from or using fossil fuels. In fact:

Plant-based plastic is a type of bioplastic that is created from agricultural scraps, often from corn, sugarcane, wheat or food waste. The term ‘plant-based’ refers to the source of the material itself, not how the resulting plastic will behave after it’s been thrown away.

But, there’s a catch! Only 20% of the ingredients need to be from renewable, organic materials in order for a plastic to be labelled ‘plant-based’. This means the resulting plastic could still be non-biodegradable and be made from up to 80% fossil fuels!

Not so green after all…

Natracare, 2023.

Compostable plastic alternatives (and confusion) on the rise

Walmart just announced that it plans to offer an alternative to single-use plastics with the launch of a Great Value (their store brand) commercially compostable cutlery product line. Similarly, the spirit-maker Bacardi is introducing biodegradable bottles for its products, and Mars-Wrigley will debut Skittles with biodegradable wrappers in the U.S. this year (Vaughan, 2023). Around the globe, bioplastic straws, bags, wrappers, packaging, and other substitutes for plastic items are flooding the market, promising a way to make single-use use more sustainable.

Yet, there is an important caveat to these products that appear to be biodegradable, and even claim to be compostable. Oftentimes, these items must be composted in a commercial facility—i.e., they cannot just go on the food scrap pile in the backyard, or worse, chucked on the ground.

A survey from BPI and Closed Loop Partners’ Composting Consortium found that consumers often struggle with the “compostable” and “biodegradable” messaging on packaging. Confusing, misleading, and differentiated messaging are all significant hurdles in successful, large-scale consumer and commercial composting.

Some highlights from the study include:

49% of respondents had trouble distinguishing between the terms “biodegradable” and “compostable”; up to 50% of respondents thought they could compost packaging labeled “made from plants”; and nearly one-third of respondents said they would incorrectly put compostable packaging in a recycling bin. 

Labeling and design impact how consumers dispose of packaging…Improper end-of-life disposal can result in compostable products ending up in recycling streams or landfills instead of being processed as organics. It can also result in organics contamination, a costly issue that can result in commercial processors rejecting entire loads of organic material.

Consumers frequently do not understand the differences in materials that can be composted in commercial programs as opposed to at-home systems. Plus, “compostable” products are “biodegradable,” but the inverse is not always true; biodegradable is a broader term that means materials will break down but not necessarily at the speed needed for successful composting.

Pyzyk, K. (2023, July 11). Consumers don’t understand ‘compostable’ messaging on packaging, survey finds. Industry Dive. packagingdive.com.

The study concluded with recommendations that increased clarity and education needs to accompany production of these products. Specifically, they hope that manufacturers and policymakers will promote labeling consistency and standardization to help reduce contamination in recycling and organics collection streams. As a consumer, be sure to look for items with the BPI certified-compostable label on them!

Looking local

A current example of this compostable confusion in Fairfax County can be found at local Farmers Markets and the produce/meat sections of some grocery store chains. Here, we’re finding plastic bags (often tinted green) with claims of compostability printed on them. These products represent a well-intended alternative to the single-use plastic “t-shirt” bags, yet there is not always clarity on how and where to dispose of the bags. Be sure to read the fine print here! Again, these items must often be composted at an industrial/commercial facility, or can only be “recycled” at grocery store collections. So, if you find yourselves with these “green” bags, certainly dispose of them properly in your curbside compost collection, bring them back to the food scrap/compost collection tents at the Farmers Markets, or take them directly to the I-95 Landfill Complex or the I-66 Transfer Station compost area!

Ever wonder what exactly it is we do at Clean Fairfax? Or how we possibly get it all done? Our Executive Director, Jen Cole, sat down with EcoPrint last month for a feature article about the Council on its blog, which you can find here!

https://www.ecoprint.com/blog/2023/06/clean-fairfax-makes-environmental-clean-up-easy/

This past Memorial Day Weekend officially kicked off the start of summer 2023, and with a new season comes new environmental news!

Clean Energy Investment Milestones

Global investment in clean energy is set to outpace that in fossil fuels for the first time, according to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). According to the report, about “USD 2.8 trillion is set to be invested globally in energy in 2023, of which more than USD 1.7 trillion is expected to go to clean technologies – including renewables, electric vehicles, nuclear power, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency improvements and heat pumps – according to the IEA’s latest World Energy Investment report. The remainder, slightly more than USD 1 trillion, is going to coal, gas and oil” (Browning, 2023).

In short, “For every dollar invested in fossil fuels, about 1.7 dollars are now going into clean energy. Five years ago, this ratio was one-to-one” (Browning, 2023). While this spending trend is moving in the right direction, “current fossil fuel spending is significantly higher than what it should be to reach the goal of net zero by mid-century,” according to an IEA spokesperson (Browning, 2023). Moreover, demand for these traditional polluting energy sources is set to reach an “all-time high or six times the level needed in 2030 to reach net zero by 2050” while investment in new fossil fuel supply will increase 6% in 2023 (Browning, 2023), thus demonstrating the difficulty of weaning an industrialized world off of oil and coal, and the uphill battle that remains in the global decarbonization fight.

Plastic Pollution Treaty Talks begin in Paris

Over 2,000 participants gather in Paris this week to continue discussing a proposed treaty to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis. The group, known as the The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics, “is charged with developing the first international, legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. This is the second of five meetings due to take place to complete the negotiations by the end of 2024” (Adamson and McDermott, 2023). The focus of this session is to make critical decisions about “the objectives and scope of the text — such as what kind of plastics it will focus on” (Adamson and McDermott, 2023).

As “humanity produces more than 430 million tons of plastic annually, two-thirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste, filling the ocean and, often, working their way into the human food chain,” there is an increasingly urgent need to address the plastics problem (Adamson and McDermott, 2023). Solutions however, vary wildly by who you ask—with industry representatives, manufacturers, public health professionals, government officials, and environmental groups & leaders all bringing their own perspectives. Each of these perspectives may steer the treaty talks in very different directions. Some of these possibilities include:

[A] focus on human health and the environment, as desired by the self-named “high ambition coalition” of countries, led by Norway and Rwanda, with limits on plastic production and restrictions on some of the chemicals used in plastics. The coalition is committed to an international, legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution by 2040. It says that this is necessary to protect human health and the environment while helping to restore biodiversity and curb climate change.

Alternatively, the treaty could have a more limited scope to address plastic waste and scale up recycling, as some of the plastic-producing and oil and gas exporters want. Most plastic is made from fossil fuels. Countries supporting this plan include the United States, Saudi Arabia and China. The U.S. delegation in Uruguay said national plans would allow governments to prioritize the most important sources and types of plastic pollution. Many plastics and chemical companies want this approach, too, with a plastic waste treaty that prioritizes recycling.

The International Council of Chemical Associations, the World Plastics Council, the American Chemistry Council and other companies that make, use and recycle plastics say they want an agreement that eliminates plastic pollution while “retaining the societal benefits of plastics.” They’re calling themselves the “global partners for plastics circularity.” They say that modern plastic materials are used around the world to create essential and often life-saving products, many of which are critical to a lower-carbon, more sustainable future.

Adamson and McDermott, 2023

It looks like an ambitious treaty and first-of-its-kind commitment to curbing global pollution is in sight, climate activists just hope it is not poised to be weakened by the powers of the plastic and oil industry lobbying…Stay tuned for an update soon!