Countdown Removing Straws from shelf - more plastic targeting

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#2100990 3-Oct-2018 19:10

MikeB4:

da5id:

The third image is also of Wellington beach. The round things are called 'Nurdles' and aren't ocean pollution due to rubbish. They have been spilled by a local company, IML Plastics.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/06/frustration-mounts-over-thousands-of-plastic-nurdles-at-wellington-beach.html

Those "nurdles" are ocean pollution.

They wash in from the ocean, but they from overspill from a local factory. Nothing to do with plastic from the public littering.

da5id

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#2100993 3-Oct-2018 19:13

MikeB4:

da5id:

The first image is from a "West Coast Beach" according to captioning I see online. And it was washed up after a cyclone - so goodness knows how far it has blown to get here.

The second image is from a Petone, Wellington clean up crew. The angle at which the image is taken makes it look more than it is -

Most probably the result of a whole day cleaning the beach. Kind of bad, yes, but not too bad for a whole beach.

The third image is also of Wellington beach. The round things are called 'Nurdles' and aren't ocean pollution due to rubbish. They have been spilled by a local company, IML Plastics.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/06/frustration-mounts-over-thousands-of-plastic-nurdles-at-wellington-beach.html

The photo I posted was Lyall Bay. The Peone photo was from a small area the total was huge. As a boatie I can tell you our seas are a mess and plastic in on the Islands and all the coastal beaches is getting worse, beaches I used to see no plastic on are now covered. You could do well with taking a walk along our coast. The problem of plastic is NOT a myth

Both photos are from Petone, according to the linked article which has the exact same pic. I am only going from the story, however, and do not know the area. Unless you mean the first pic, and then I am not sure.

http://www.wellington.live/2018/08/20/masses-of-rubbish-cleaned-at-petone-beach/

MikeB4

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#2100995 3-Oct-2018 19:15

we could of course do nothing and doom the planet and our Mokopuna. What is on the beaches and in the rivers an streams is minute compared what is in the oceans. Plastic is putting the foundation of our food chain at serious risk.

MikeB4

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#2100998 3-Oct-2018 19:19

da5id:

MikeB4:

da5id:

The third image is also of Wellington beach. The round things are called 'Nurdles' and aren't ocean pollution due to rubbish. They have been spilled by a local company, IML Plastics.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/06/frustration-mounts-over-thousands-of-plastic-nurdles-at-wellington-beach.html

Those "nurdles" are ocean pollution.

They wash in from the ocean, but they from overspill from a local factory. Nothing to do with plastic from the public littering.

That is irrelevant it is there and it needs to be stopped.

tdgeek

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#2101019 3-Oct-2018 20:03

MikeB4:

we could of course do nothing and doom the planet and our Mokopuna. What is on the beaches and in the rivers an streams is minute compared what is in the oceans. Plastic is putting the foundation of our food chain at serious risk.

This is like the EV Govt Subsidy thread, not important. Millenials have a short term view. I want it, and I want it now. Thats ok, its the times we are in. But plastics, EV, climate change are important, and I expect the vast majority here are not millennials.

I guess I could also say who cares about the Middle East conflict and any other human caused disasters.

allan

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#2101109 3-Oct-2018 22:50

freitasm:

Yes, but supermarkets stop buying plastic bags and giving away for free, instead selling bags to everyone who needs one. PROFIT!

Seriously, this belongs in the plastic bag discussion, but I can only see this as the main reason for supermarkets to remove the free plastic bags from checkouts. I doubt any supermarket or large corporation have the nature interests at heart.

I'm afraid I won't take supermarkets seriously until they stop selling cucumbers wrapped in plastic, plastic tubes with 5 apples, 6 tomatoes on a plastic tray with cling-film over the top, cabbages/lettuces wrapped in plastic, etc.

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#2102329 5-Oct-2018 20:55

Coil:

I used a paper straw at Burger Boy on the weekend, Was soggy and tasted like something weird after a few minutes of sitting in some black death (Coke).

Drink water without a straw. Better for the environment. Better for you.

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Bluntj

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#2103659 9-Oct-2018 08:28

It has been fascinating to watch what I considered to be a lovely beach home being renovated lately.

Firstly they erected a scaffolding structure over and around the house and then covered it in white plastic. A two storied house (plus) could easily be built inside.

Then all the building materials would arrive day by day and week by week all shrink wrapped in vast amounts of white plastic.

It got me thinking as to how many million plastic shopping bags could be made from all this (single use) construction plastic(on just one house) and just how much plastic is being used in this way up and down NZ.

I am also led to believe that almost all pallets (of goods) in NZ are also wrapped in single use plastic.

The mind boggles at all this and I can't help wondering if the NZ supermarket shoppers are being made scapegoats at perhaps to the supermarkets advantage?

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#2103667 9-Oct-2018 09:01

allan:

freitasm:

Yes, but supermarkets stop buying plastic bags and giving away for free, instead selling bags to everyone who needs one. PROFIT!

Seriously, this belongs in the plastic bag discussion, but I can only see this as the main reason for supermarkets to remove the free plastic bags from checkouts. I doubt any supermarket or large corporation have the nature interests at heart.

I'm afraid I won't take supermarkets seriously until they stop selling cucumbers wrapped in plastic, plastic tubes with 5 apples, 6 tomatoes on a plastic tray with cling-film over the top, cabbages/lettuces wrapped in plastic, etc.

All of which ensure the quality of your produce. If you're unhappy leave the packaging at the store - but I want my product wrapped in plastic to ensure quality.

A telegraph cucumber not wrapped in plastic will break down incredibly quickly due to moisture loss. Likewise half cabbages and iceberg lettuce wrapped in plastic prevent against moisture loss.

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#2103732 9-Oct-2018 09:58

Have you ever purchased anything from Bunnings or Mitre 10? All encased in thick, hard plastic that takes a Stanley knife to get off. Gotta keep that freshness in.

Edit: Isn't it amazing how Lebanese cucumbers manage to survive the supermarket experience without being wrapped in plastic at all?

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

sbiddle

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#2103770 9-Oct-2018 10:39

Rikkitic:

Edit: Isn't it amazing how Lebanese cucumbers manage to survive the supermarket experience without being wrapped in plastic at all?

Not amazing at all. They're a very different texture and skin. They're not all wrapped for the very same reason short cucumbers aren't wrapped - they don't suffer the same degradation and moisture loss that a telegraph cucumber will.

Having said that though - many lebanese cucumbers will be wrapped as they're normally sold in snack packs.

(Oh and BTW I did spend close to 30 years in the product industry hence my knowledge of why this is done)

MikeB4

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#2103779 9-Oct-2018 10:50

I am anti pointless packaging but the wrapping of Telegraph Cuccumber is justifiable. The wastage of the fruit ( yes it is a fruit)spoiling before consumption due to dehydration out weighs the use of the wrap in this case. I have experienced purchased Telegraphs outlasting ones we have home grown.

Rikkitic

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#2103815 9-Oct-2018 10:59

As these things go, this discussion has morphed from straws and plastic bags to the evils of plastic in general. Plastic is literally everywhere. It is everywhere because it is inexpensive and extremely useful. Unfortunately, it is used for all kinds of purposes that make no practical sense and apparently only have marketing value. The encasing of hardware in unnecessary heavy plastic wrapping, which I find particularly offensive, is an example.

I don't believe plastic is inherently evil and I find it unfortunate when that gets suggested by some activists. What I would like to see, and what I think would go a long way towards solving many problems associated with plastic, is a more judicious use of the material. As pointed out above, plastic has legitimate applications that are useful and valuable. It should be used for those and only those.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

sbiddle

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#2103823 9-Oct-2018 11:07

Rikkitic:

I don't believe plastic is inherently evil and I find it unfortunate when that gets suggested by some activists. What I would like to see, and what I think would go a long way towards solving many problems associated with plastic, is a more judicious use of the material. As pointed out above, plastic has legitimate applications that are useful and valuable. It should be used for those and only those.

Can't agree more. The outrage from some people over plastic use has gone too far - as plastic has plenty of legitimate uses.

Clearly many of the people who complain have never visited a UK supermarket - literally 95% of produce is prepackaged.

scuwp

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#2103864 9-Oct-2018 11:48

I had to laugh yesterday (or cry?) when I studiously rocked into the local supermarket with my 'Countdown' reusable bags, you know the ones that they will replace for free when they wear out. I asked the lady at the checkout if they were replacing many of them, she indicated that they were replacing a few and it was growing every week, as obviously the number in use also grows, so that's logical.

I then asked her what they did with the old ones to which she replied "Oh we put them in the soft plastic recycling bin with the other plastic bags...because they are made of plastic!"

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

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