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Tips to Avoid Eating Microplastics
Microplastics are found everywhere. Every body of water, deserted beaches, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and even inside of us. While we may not be eating a credit card's worth a day, we can all agree the less we ingest the better. Here are some ideas from Plaine Products to help you avoid eating microplastics. Avoid Plastic Bottled Water As this infographic from Statisa.com shows, the biggest known source of microplastics which enters our bodies is bottled water. Based on 4 separate studies, the average number of particles per liter is 94. Carrying a reusable glass or metal water bottle is the best for hydration on the go.While switching over to tap water will reduce your exposure to plastics, research has found microplastics there too. To help minimize that risk, the NY Times has a list of water filter picks that are certified to reduce microplastics. Which means they’ve been rigorously tested in an accredited lab. They’re certified only to reduce since the filters cannot guarantee total elimination. Their picks include under-sink filters, such as the Aquasana AQ-5200, and the Brita Elite, a pitcher filter. Tips in the Kitchen to Avoid Eating Microplastics While much of our food storage these days is in plastic, it's best to switch to glass for cooking and reheating food. Extreme temperatures can cause plastic to break down and be more likely to end up in our food. To avoid this: Don't microwave or cook in plastic containers Wash plastic by hand instead of putting it in the dishwasher Use bamboo or metal cooking utensils Use bamboo or glass cutting boards Some research suggests that plastic cutting boards can be a significant source of microplastics in your diet since repeated cutting on their surface can dislodge particles that stick to food. Wood cutting boards also have some other advantages: They’re better for your knife blades and last longer than plastic when properly maintained. Health Concerns about Microplastics To date, most of the concerns for human health has focused on additives, like phthalates, BPAs, and PFAs in the plastics, but not the plastics themselves. However new studies have found that in certain small marine species, microplastics have been shown to reduce growth, hinder reproduction, and shorten the lifespan . According to The Conversation, laboratory toxicology experiments, particularly among mammals, are few, but they have shown that high doses of microplastics adversely impacted liver function, altered metabolism and other important biological reactions in mice, and tended to gather in certain tissues in a manner that was related to the size of the particles.
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Book Report: Total Garbage
Hi, it's Lindsey McCoy, Co-Founder & CEO of Plaine Products. I recently read Total Garbage: How We Can Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World , by Edward Humes and there were so many great ideas, suggestions, and revelations I had to share a few.Humes starts by reminding us we've swallowed around 285 pieces of plastic today. We do so every day. Plastic is in the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. But he quickly moves on from plastic alone and talks about waste in general, which is why I enjoyed it. His premise is that waste, itself, is the enemy. Combatting waste is an untapped opportunity to improve our health, economics, and the environment. And, since waste is driven by habit and choice, not necessity, it's a problem we can solve. The book covers five areas to explain how we can fix our waste: how we heat, cool, cook, how we power our places, how we get around, the stuff we buy, and what we eat and drink.I'll share a few highlights from each section, but the book is well worth the read! In addition to ideas, it shares the entertaining and inspiring origin stories of a few Plaine Products partners including GoGo Refill in Maine and Ridwell in the Pacific Northwest. How We Heat, Cool & Cook The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides for tax rebates on a variety of home appliances, including heat pumps and electric and induction stoves. I've never been a fan of electric stoves, but the new induction ones get rave reviews from chefs in the book. Switching away from a gas stove, both for health and environmental reasons, is now a purchase we're looking into making! How We Power Our Places Solar panels are also available for rebates under the Inflation Reduction Act, and many utilities are supporting consumer solar as a way to drop their own carbon footprint. Hop online and check out the options in your area.Some ideas are counterintuitive to me, but science supports them. I recently learned that the most effective thing we can do to affect the carbon footprint of laundry is to set the washing machine to cold instead of hot. And, if you have a modern dishwasher, it's more efficient to use it full than it is to hand wash your dishes. How We Get Around For short trips consider biking, e-biking, or walking. It's not only good for the planet it's so important for our bodies to move. We spend so much time sitting each day, finding places to shop or eat that we can get to without driving is a win on many levels.More and more communities are allowing electric golf carts. Golf Carts are a great way to move away from fossil-fuel cars if walking and biking aren't an option. The Stuff We Buy Gabby Buckley, founder of Fill More, Waste Less in Cincinnati, Ohio.Check out local low-waste store options for new ways to consume. They have products that support reuse, refill, plastic swaps, and low-toxin living. There is a list of stores that carry Plaine Products on our site and a longer list of options on the Refinery Collective Directory.Join local secondhand and borrowing groups. There are lots of local Buy Nothing groups on FaceBook, as well as second-hand options for sale on Facebook Marketplace, one of the pros of social media. Websites like Craig's List also have second-hand items. Most cities also have thrifting and second-hand shops as options.Avoid plastic containers where possible, paper and metal are more sustainable packaging options. What We Eat & Drink Making a meal plan is always a goal in my life, but I never thought about it as a way to reduce food waste. If you know what you're cooking over the week you won't buy more than you need. It's just important to be realistic about meals you have time to prepare at home each week.Consider switching over some portion of your lawn to growing food or native plants. It saves money, helps local animals and insects, and can be a good reason to get outside and move during the week. Knowing We Can Fix Our Waste Gives Me Hope In addition to these tips, Humes gives us 8 new R's to reframe our thinking: Rethink, Repower, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle, Rot. All of these are powerful steps towards helping us understand how we can fix our waste. The world doesn't have to function as a trash dump. It's within our power to create a better future through the choices and purchases we make, and the businesses and groups we support.
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Plastics in Food and Personal Care
A 2023 Consumer Reports article shared research demonstrating that plastic-related chemicals in food and personal care products & packaging are migrating as we use them, making their way into our bodies. The focus of this study was phthalates , a chemical used to make plastic more flexible and durable, but other chemicals found in plastic also turned up, including bisphenols such as BPA. Phthalates have been linked to along list of health concerns , even at very low levels. While the focus of this study was on food, phthalates are also found in many personal care items.Growing research shows that phthalates are endocrine disruptors, which means that they can interfere with the production and regulation of estrogen and other hormones. Even minor disruptions in hormone levels can contribute to an increased risk ofseveral health problems , including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, birth defects, premature birth, neurodevelopmental disorders, and infertility. Plastics in our Food and Personal Care Unscented products help avoid plastics in food and personal care as there's nowhere for DEPs to hide.The Consumer Reports article explains that in addition to leaching from plastic packaging, phthalates sneak into food throughout the manufacturing process. They can come, "from the plastic in the tubing, conveyor belts, and gloves used during food processing, and can even enter directly into meat and produce via contaminated water and soil."According to the FDA, in personal care, the primary phthalates used in cosmetics have been:dibutylphthalate (DBP) , used as a plasticizer in products such as nail polishes (to reduce cracking by making them less brittle);Dimethylphthalate (DMP) , used in hair sprays (to help avoid stiffness by allowing them to form a flexible film on the hair); andDiethylphthalate (DEP) , used as a solvent and fixative in fragrances. The FDA's latest survey of cosmetics, conducted in 2010, found that DBP and DMP are used rarely. DEP appears to be the only phthalate still commonly used in cosmetics.Thanks to FDA requirements, consumers can tell whether some products contain phthalates by reading the ingredient lists on labels. However, thanks to industry lobbying, regulations do not require listing individual fragrances or flavors, so this is a place where phthalates can hide undetected. This is a great reason to purchase unscented or fragrance-free products Without a generic fragrance ingredient to list, there is nowhere for DEPs to hide. Plastics in Hair Care Styling Products The other place plastic can be found is personal care, in hair spray and other styling products. According to Byrdie.com , "phthalates are often used in products that provide flexible hold, like hairspray, due to their ability to act as a plasticizer. However, there is significant research that supports avoiding phthalates due to their adverse effects on human health." Even more concerning, "heat can accelerate their release so they should be avoided when heat styling."This is one of the reasons Plaine Products has expanded our styling options. Not only do our products offer plastic free styling products, all of the ingredients are plant-based. In our styling gel we use amaranthus caudatus seed extract to make hair more manageable for styling. Another hero ingredient, linseed extract (aka flaxseed), promotes the alignment of hair fibers, reducing frizz. Flax is an emollient that contributes to smooth and healthy hair.You no longer need to compromise your health in order to have safe, effective personal care products. Natural ingredients continue to be found that allow consumers to buy eco-friendly, sustainable shampoo and styling products that are good for them and the planet.
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Practicing Mindful Consumerism
In a world that generates an overwhelming amount of waste, practicing mindful consumerism is more important than ever. Consumption is inevitable, but there are steps you can take to reduce the impact of that consumption to benefit both you and the planet. What is Mindful Consumerism? Mindful consumerism is all about making thoughtful, intentional choices when it comes to the products we buy and the brands we support. It's about seeking quality over quantity, sustainability over disposability. There may not always be a more sustainable option out there, but it’s important to try your best to find one. Tips for Practicing Mindful Consumerism Buy Less: Before making a purchase, ask yourself if it's a product you truly need. Buy Well-Made: If you are able, invest in quality items that are built to last, reducing the frequency of replacements. Research Brands: Support companies with a commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. Look for certifications like B Corps, organic, fair trade, and cruelty-free. Reduce Single-Use Items: Replace disposable items with reusable alternatives, like our line of refillable hair and body care products. Look Local: Support local thrift stores or resale markets, or join local donation groups. Minimalist Mindset: Focus on owning only what truly adds value to your life. Donate, Recycle, and Upcycle: Instead of tossing items that you no longer need, donate, recycle, or give them another life by upcycling. It’s easy to buy into the allure of fast, mass consumption. But it is crucial to embrace mindful consumerism and make choices that benefit ourselves and the environment whenever you can. It's not always easy, but it is always worth it!
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Back-To-School Sustainability Tips and Swaps
It's that time of year again - Back-To-School! Going back to school doesn’t need to create more waste and does not have to mean more plastic, despite what the plastic-filled school supply aisles might lead you to believe. Read on for how easy it can be to be an eco-friendly student with back-to-school sustainability tips we all can use. Swap Your School Supplies Use what you have first and buy new only when you need to. Once you’ve used up everything, including the last of the paper in that old notebook, consider the plastic-free options. Swap plastic highlighters for wooden highlighters. Avoid notebooks, folders, and binders with plastic covers and choose those made from 100% recycled paper or cardboard instead. Look for metal pencil sharpeners and rulers and choose 100% stainless steel scissors so they are 100% recyclable. Bring Your Own Lunch School lunches can involve a lot of single-use plastic, but they don’t have to. There are many plastic-free options from reusable water bottles to reusable sandwich bags and cutlery sets. There are also great, plastic-free lunch boxes to choose from including bento-style boxes and tiffins. Shop Your Closet Ditch the back-to-school clothes shopping and shop your closet instead. Better yet, try thrifting! Buying clothes, shoes and accessories secondhand extends their lifespan and can also save you money. Walk, carpool, or take public transportation to school Play a role in reducing carbon emissions by reconsidering your commuting habits. Choose to walk, carpool, or utilize public transportation for your journey to school. By taking these greener options, you contribute to a cleaner environment and demonstrate your dedication to a sustainable future. By following a few eco-friendly tips and embracing plastic-free swaps in your daily routine, you can make this Back-to-School season your most sustainable yet.
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Plastic Free Styling Gel Soars with Clean Ingredients
Plaine Products' plastic-freeStyling Gel is a versatile, light styling aid for all hair types. It perfectly blends the hold of a gel with the softness and manageability of a styling cream. This gel can add texture or volume to straight hair, tame flyaways and frizz, or enhance and define curls. With aloe as the main ingredient, it will nourish and moisturize hair while adding control.While the fact that our styling gel is packaged in a reusable aluminum bottle that can be returned to be refilled and reused makes it unique, the clean beauty ingredients make it even more special.Hero Ingredients Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract comes from expressed oil from the dried ripe flax seed (also known as Flax or Linseed). The central part of its seed is rich in proteins containing arginine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid, as well as other essential amino acids. These amino acids have regenerating and strengthening properties for the hair. In addition, they promote the alignment of hair fibers, reducing frizz. Flaxis an emollient that contributes to smooth and healthy hair Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract helps to improve the compatibility of hair and make it more manageable for styling. Algin comes from brown algae and is often used in skin care for its emulsifying, thickening, and film-forming benefits. It improves the thickness and texture in products, making them easier to use.Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a naturally-derived sugar used in cosmetics and beauty products because of its ability to serve as a surfactant and emulsifier. It is often seen in hair products because it is gentle on hair and imparts a smooth, velvety feel. Why Plastic Free Styling Gel? At Plaine Products we are always considering what products to add to the lineup. We want to avoid unnecessary products that support the overconsumption that plagues much of the beauty and personal care industry. However, we heard from our customers repeatedly that more options were needed when it came to styling products. The new plastic-free styling gel and deep conditioner are the first entries in a stronger move into styling products!
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Reducing Plastic Waste in Hospitality
Plaine Products is partnering with hotels and short-term vacation rentals to offer refillable options for personal care products. This is a positive step in reducing plastic waste in the hospitality industry by eliminating the need for single-use plastic containers such as shampoo and conditioner bottles, and soap packages! It also offers a wonderful guest experience, thanks to clean ingredients and salon-quality products.According to sustainability and plasticsexpert Marissa Jablonski, "a single 200-room four-star hotel can use about 300,000 pieces of single-use plastic in a month if it is at full capacity." The estimate includes 20,000 plastic water bottles, 49,765 plastic amenities and amenity packages, 216,693 pieces of plastic for food and beverage operations, including plastic wrap, storage bags, and latex gloves, and 13,375 plastic bags. The number does not even include plastic laundry bags used by third-party services to protect laundered clothing for staff and guests. Or bags used by food suppliers. With the significant amount of possible plastic waste generated by hotels, it's clear that there is a need for more sustainable alternatives. Reuse and Refill in Rentals and Hotels "We have been thrilled to see the number of Airbnbs, VRBOs, property management companies, and boutique hotels that have been reaching out to us looking help reducing plastic waste," says CEO and cofounder Lindsey McCoy. "We are working with these companies in a variety of ways," says McCoy. For single rental units, we follow our traditional model of sending full bottles as refills and taking back empty bottles to be reused.For larger boutique hotels and property management operations we can provide bottles to be refilled on-site with our bulk buckets (which can also be returned to be reused). We also offer bulk refill options for hotels with shower-mounted dispensers. Our interest is in making it as easy as possible to use less single-use plastic personal care items in the hospitality industry. We have added hospitality options toour wholesale program. "As a property manager overseeing multiple Airbnbs and hosting numerous guests, guest experience is crucial to us. However, the increasing waste generated by traditional shampoos and packages has raised concerns. I have been moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle personally and in my business. I believe that your hair & body wash can help us make a significant difference." There are governmental efforts being made that will help in reducing plastic waste in hospitality. Thanks to CA Assembly Bill 1162 as of January 1st, 2023,Californian hotels with more than 50 rooms will cease to provide guests with personal care products such as shampoo, conditioner, or soap in single-use plastic containers. The measure will roll out to smaller establishments in 2024 and hopefully set an example for other states to follow as they move towards more eco-friendly alternatives. @masonloftsnashville If you're interested in staying at hotels that carry Plaine Products, you can consider Loyal Duke Lodge or Mason Lofts at West End in Nashville, Tennessee. These establishments have embraced the initiative to reduce plastic waste and provide a more sustainable experience for their guests.
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A look at our new bottles!
At the core of Plaine Products is our mission to eliminate single-use plastics and to increase our bottle reuse. With that in mind, we are so excited to announce a new design for our bottles! This new look increases the lifespan of our bottles, resulting in even more reusability. The design evolution is happening in two ways that work together to ensure all of our bottles are reused as much as possible. Why Focus on Bottle Reuse? Plaine Products focuses on reuse for two reasons: to reduce plastic pollution and to avoid contributing to climate change. By reusing, we avoid pulling resources out of the earth to make new products. It also prevents the use of additional energy to recycle and reshape old bottles into new ones. Plastic is made from fossil fuels, so each time a plastic bottle is made, used, and sent to the landfill (where they’ll continue to wreak havoc on our environment for centuries to come!), additional greenhouse gasses are being released into the atmosphere. Our aluminum bottles, on the other hand, never need to end up in a landfill. Metals can be reused and recycled infinitely without quality loss. Despite this fact, recycling remains our last resort. For us, the more we reuse our bottles before we recycle them, the better. New Bottle Printing to Increase Lifespan We currently recycle approximately 20% of the bottles returned to us due to dents and chipping and/or scratching of the printed labels. Keeping in line with our mantra of progress over perfection, we wanted to do better. To reduce that number and to extend the life of our bottles in general, we worked with our manufacturer, Trivium, to source a printing option that’s similar to the printing on aluminum drink cans. Our new bottles are printed during the manufacturing process on the cylinder and then shaped, leading the print to be permanent. Paint rubbing off our old bottles (photo by @emma_sustainiacs) Our packaging is completely free of single-use plastic! As a small company, we are testing the new printed bottles on our most popular products: the 16 oz. shampoo and conditioner in both Rosemary Mint Vanilla and Citrus Lavender. We cannot wait for our new bottles to arrive at your door! New Labels to Enable Reuse of Older Bottles We’re so thrilled about this huge step towards progress and hope to be able to transition our entire line of products to the permanent print bottle one day. In the meantime, we’ve found a solution to match the look of our new bottles while ensuring that none of our current bottles go to waste! A sneak peek of our new and improved product line-up! In 2017, we started Plaine Products with just 3 products. Five years later, we now offer more than 30 individual products! With our new printing option, we wanted to better reflect the variety of product and scent options we now carry. Instead of our basic label on metal, you'll now find a soothing color palette expressed through our products. To match the look of the new, printed bottles we are adding labels to the rest of our products. These new labels will enable us to reuse the rest of the bottles we have, including the ones with chipped printing that would have previously been recycled. This also allows for our older shampoo and conditioner bottles to be repurposed for new products instead of being recycled. And a bonus—the labels should also help protect the aluminum from small dents and dings! Label Process - Applying new labels to old Plaine Products bottles To test the durability and longevity of our labels, we ran them through our industrial bottlewasher and found them to remain pristine even after 8+ washes. Once the bottles are finally ready to be recycled (hopefully after 10+ uses), we will be able to recycle the bottles through traditional recycling. We’ve ensured that our labels are recyclable through our membership with PACT Collective. The PACT Collective is a nonprofit that ends packaging waste in the beauty and wellness industry by finding solutions for hard-to-recycle materials; we work with them to recycle any broken pumps! This is a HUGE win for reuse and we believe it’ll take Plaine Products to the next level. We couldn’t have done this without you and your support. Thank YOU for refilling with us.
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Why We Choose Aluminum
We founded Plaine Products to provide natural, quality products in sustainable packaging, making it easier for everyone to use a little less plastic in their lives. But why did we choose aluminum? Read on to find out. Durability The heart of our model is reuse, so it’s important that our bottles can withstand being used multiple times by multiple customers. Aluminum is the perfect solution; it's lightweight but strong, easy to clean, and doesn’t break down easily like cheap plastics. Recyclability Plastic is notoriously under-recycled - in fact only about 9% of all plastic ever created has ever been recycled. That statistic is even worse in the United States, with only 6% of our plastic actually being made into new products. Aluminum is a totally different story. Aluminum is much easier to recycle, and it does not lose quality when you recycle it, unlike plastic. While our bottles are meant to be reused, when it is time to retire a bottle, we can breathe easy knowing it will actually be recycled. Health Safety Aluminum offers a safe, chemical-free option for our packaging. Plastic, a petroleum derivative, is linked to dangerous toxins and various negative health outcomes. We pledge to keep our products as safe as possible, so plastic bottles are not an option. Aluminum has been proven safe for packaging use, and any negative health impacts of aluminum are due to excessively high exposure levels (which is uncommon). Our aluminum bottles have an internal cosmetic-grade liner to make sure there is no leaching into the products. The liner is made from epoxy phenolic resin which is BPA free and has been determined food safe by German and US FDA standards. For us, the choice is simple. Our bottles are durable, easy to reuse and recycle, and better for the planet. We choose to reuse, refuse, reduce, repair, and recycle aluminum. Join us!
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