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The focus here is on the environment. However, plastic is linked to many health issues as well.

hirundo 5y ago
Plastic packaging makes hygienic food more accessible as an effective and cheap barrier to pathogens, incoming and outgoing. Such public health interests should be balanced against their toxicity. It's easier for wealthier people to substitute with restaurants, servants and higher quality materials. So a general plastic ban would amount to a regressive tax on sanitary food.
- gogopuppygogo 5y ago
  That penn and teller episode with the petition for removing dihydrogen monoxide from schools was fantastic. https://youtu.be/zVxypRWZODQ https://youtu.be/zVxypRWZODQ
  - amanaplanacanal 5y ago
    Using obscure terminology to confuse people certainly makes a good joke :-) I'm not sure it really tells us much though.
    - waterhouse 5y ago
      It tells us that people are willing to sign a petition to ban a thing while clearly not having done their research on the thing, just because an authoritative-seeming stranger told them something plausible. It means that such petitions shouldn't be taken seriously; and, to the extent that they are serious, it implies something about people's recklessness with regard to policymaking. (I wonder how such a survey would fare today, when most people have smartphones with browsers and an internet connection.)
- ncallaway 5y ago
  Agree that a case by case analysis is appropriate, but I don’t really see any world where the cost/benefit analysis of plastic and water would be anywhere near the same ballpark
- caenorst 5y ago
  Why is this comment downvoted? It seems to be nuanced, or are there some studies showing that this is absurd? I'm genuinly curious
  - cmrdporcupine 5y ago
    Because of the "dihydrogen monoxide" snark.
    - caenorst 5y ago
      Oh that was trolling, didn't pay attention about this part...
refurb 5y ago
Such as? BPA-free plastics are common. I mean, we implant plastic medical devices in humans.

Plastic packaging makes hygienic food more accessible as an effective and cheap barrier to pathogens, incoming and outgoing. Such public health interests should be balanced against their toxicity. It's easier for wealthier people to substitute with restaurants, servants and higher quality materials. So a general plastic ban would amount to a regressive tax on sanitary food.

gogopuppygogo 5y ago
That penn and teller episode with the petition for removing dihydrogen monoxide from schools was fantastic. https://youtu.be/zVxypRWZODQ https://youtu.be/zVxypRWZODQ
- amanaplanacanal 5y ago
  Using obscure terminology to confuse people certainly makes a good joke :-) I'm not sure it really tells us much though.
  - waterhouse 5y ago
    It tells us that people are willing to sign a petition to ban a thing while clearly not having done their research on the thing, just because an authoritative-seeming stranger told them something plausible. It means that such petitions shouldn't be taken seriously; and, to the extent that they are serious, it implies something about people's recklessness with regard to policymaking. (I wonder how such a survey would fare today, when most people have smartphones with browsers and an internet connection.)
ncallaway 5y ago
Agree that a case by case analysis is appropriate, but I don’t really see any world where the cost/benefit analysis of plastic and water would be anywhere near the same ballpark
caenorst 5y ago
Why is this comment downvoted? It seems to be nuanced, or are there some studies showing that this is absurd? I'm genuinly curious
- cmrdporcupine 5y ago
  Because of the "dihydrogen monoxide" snark.
  - caenorst 5y ago
    Oh that was trolling, didn't pay attention about this part...

refurb 5y ago

Such as? BPA-free plastics are common. I mean, we implant plastic medical devices in humans.