4 ms·

That's my main concern too. Right when people started taking plastic pollution seriously and progress was beginning to be seen, suddenly everyone is wearing ch

by fiblye 6y ago

That's my main concern too. Right when people started taking plastic pollution seriously and progress was beginning to be seen, suddenly everyone is wearing cheap plastic fiber masks that litter the streets everywhere; food items are quintuple wrapped in plastic; plastic screens are up everywhere to separate people; and cheap, single use, hygienic items made of plastic and wrapped in plastic are being distributed like candy. I'm worried that it'll take decades to cut down on it again.

wahern 6y ago
> food items are quintuple wrapped in plastic I'm not sure precisely what the balance of all evidence looks like in this particular case, but I suspect that plastic wrapping might be better able to harbor pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, than the skins of most fruits and vegetable, excepting perhaps leafy greens for the obvious reason of increased surface area. From what research literature I have read over the years (regarding cutting boards, Influenza, Ebola, SARS, etc), it's my understanding that in general pathogens of all types survive longer or at the very least remain functionally transmissible longer on non-porous surfaces. Not just longer, but significantly longer, such as to make it a worthwhile consideration from a health & safety perspective where such a vector matters--which is probably rarely if ever. Even waxed fruits and vegetables might be better in this regard than plastic. If people prefer packaging to mitigate contact transmission (e.g. when people inspect loose items), brown paper bagging is the best route in lieu of some expensive, synthetic micromaterial. I realize the packaging is to soothe paranoid shoppers, and plastic is the easiest way to do that. But perhaps someday the public will be educated enough to be more discerning regarding what plausibly helps and what doesn't, notwithstanding the lack of any substantive need.
- fiblye 6y ago
  That's the reasoning behind people recommending wooden cutting boards over plastic. Supposedly, bacteria just stick in the little crevices made by every cut in a plastic board and remain there, while they end up dessicated or absorbed by wooden cutting boards. I think people already have a habit of washing down fresh fruits and vegetables because they're assumed to be dirty to some extent. I think when people eat things from a plastic package, they assume it to be sanitary. Most people probably aren't washing down chip bags before opening them and sticking their hands inside. They probably aren't doing it with wrapped apples either.

by fiblye 6y ago

wahern 6y ago

> food items are quintuple wrapped in plastic I'm not sure precisely what the balance of all evidence looks like in this particular case, but I suspect that plastic wrapping might be better able to harbor pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, than the skins of most fruits and vegetable, excepting perhaps leafy greens for the obvious reason of increased surface area. From what research literature I have read over the years (regarding cutting boards, Influenza, Ebola, SARS, etc), it's my understanding that in general pathogens of all types survive longer or at the very least remain functionally transmissible longer on non-porous surfaces. Not just longer, but significantly longer, such as to make it a worthwhile consideration from a health & safety perspective where such a vector matters--which is probably rarely if ever. Even waxed fruits and vegetables might be better in this regard than plastic. If people prefer packaging to mitigate contact transmission (e.g. when people inspect loose items), brown paper bagging is the best route in lieu of some expensive, synthetic micromaterial. I realize the packaging is to soothe paranoid shoppers, and plastic is the easiest way to do that. But perhaps someday the public will be educated enough to be more discerning regarding what plausibly helps and what doesn't, notwithstanding the lack of any substantive need.

fiblye 6y ago
That's the reasoning behind people recommending wooden cutting boards over plastic. Supposedly, bacteria just stick in the little crevices made by every cut in a plastic board and remain there, while they end up dessicated or absorbed by wooden cutting boards. I think people already have a habit of washing down fresh fruits and vegetables because they're assumed to be dirty to some extent. I think when people eat things from a plastic package, they assume it to be sanitary. Most people probably aren't washing down chip bags before opening them and sticking their hands inside. They probably aren't doing it with wrapped apples either.