Hello Everyone,
As a blogger, we tend to share our experiences, our learnings as well as our struggles. I started my blogging journey a couple of years back to share my experiences of motherhood, twin pregnancy and everything related to it. But now, apart from sharing my knowledge and experience regarding motherhood, I also want to share and raise awareness that can help all of us to build a better world for our children. And I got such an opportunity to write with a purpose through #causeachatter campaign hosted by Blogchatter. The campaign is being categorized into three main categories:
- Mental Health Talk
- Environmental issues
- Gender
I have chosen to write on environmental issues as we are still not fully aware about the consequences of our acts and the hazard that it brings to the environment around us. There are so many changes in our daily lifestyle that we need to adapt which has a huge impact on the environment. Today, I am going to share one such daily activity that every household does.
But most of us are unaware of the fact that how harmful it is for the environment .
It is a simple daily activity of cutting off the edges of the milk packets.
Surprised??
Wondering, how the tiny tip of the milk packets can be so harmful to the environment?
Have you ever thought where all these tiny plastic pieces finally land up?
Well, the answer is these tiny plastic tips are difficult to be recycled. Hence, a big threat to the environment.
A simple change in the way we cut the milk packets can bring a huge difference.
Let me tell you how and why we should stop snipping off the edges of the milk packets.
Why small plastic pieces are not recyclable?
To understand this completely we need to know the composition of the plastics used in the milk packets. The milk packets contain low-density polyethene known as (LDPE). To recycle this kind of plastic, it needs to be compressed at high temperature and in certain shape; else, they add no value.
If they don’t end up at recycling units then it disintegrates into microplastic, that is like the size of microbeads used in gels and tooth paste. These microbeads further enter water bodies and landfills by rain and wind that leads to clogging.
Hazards that these Minuscule Triangular plastics bring in
- These tiny microplastics enter our eco-system and harm both animals as well as human beings. The microbeads enter water bodies and are unknowingly consumed by marine animals causing their death.
- Moreover, this minuscule plastic also finds it’s way to landfills and obstruct the easy flow of water.
- The milk packets tiny triangular edges are contributing to an alarming rate to plastic waste every single year. More than one-third of ‘branded plastic’ that goes into garbage daily from household comes from dairy products packages.
- These microbeads generated from milk packets lay idle in landfills for years together and when they catch fire usually in summers, the chlorinated plastic on burning produces cancer-causing furans and dioxins.
Alarming Statistics of garbage produced only by the milk packets
In June 2019 Tejaswini Anathkumar, chairperson of Adamya Chetna’s tweet went viral when she revealed that Bengaluru alone can stop generating 50,00,000 small plastic pieces getting in the garbage if they cut the milk packets right.
Imagine the figure that entire country would be producing every single day.
Let’s wake up before its too late. All we need to do is stop cutting off the edges in tiny triangular pieces and adapt eco-friendly alternative steps.
Eco-friendly alternatives
- Give a horizontal cut and stop snipping off the edges.
- If by mistake you cut the edges of the sachet, then slip them inside the big packet and don’t let them go loose.
- A company called CuriOski has come up with an innovative designer dispenser, ideal for the 500ml milk packet so if you find it difficult to pour milk after cutting it horizontally. Then this dispenser is your saviour.
A simple horizontal cut but it can create a huge impact on the environment. By adopting this measure we can reduce plastic waste drastically and prevent clogging of drains. These minuscule plastic pieces obstruct the natural flow of water during the rainy season, leading to clogging and causes flash floods in several urban cities.
Since 2019, I have been practising this with not only milk packets but other plastic packets too. My humble contribution to create a better world for my children. We can all bring this small change in our daily life. There is absolutely no reason for not doing it except being lazy about it or not caring for the environment.
Hope this article helps in bringing change and reduce plastic waste generation.
All that is needed now is the support of every household in bringing this change for the betterment of the environment.
Do share your thoughts on this simple change that can save us from milk packet menace.
This post is part of the #causeachatter campaign hosted by Blogchatter.
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A very thought provoking article, we usually cut off the corner without realising it’s impact
Yes, Harshita and these tiny plastic edges create a havoc. We do it without realising. Glad that you found it useful.
this is an eye opener.. I never ever thought about it until you highlighted this issue.. thank you so much for sharing this insight . I’ll be super careful now
Thanks, Sonam for liking it. Yes, i too had not realised it until I stumbled upon the the tweet couple of years back . Since then have been practising as well as raising awareness around it . Thanks once again for stopping by.
Glad to see your post for causeachatter Debi. Honestly dear I had never paid much attention on this issue but after reading your post I had realized that we are committing big mistake and harming our environment. I had watched video and really like eco friendly suggestion of that pouring cup. Will check this and suggest to my family in India.
Ya, even i was not aware of this until i stumbled upon the viral tweet in 2019 and practising it since then. Effortless and free of cost activity but a huge impact on the environment. All we need is awareness.
I read about not cutting off edges of milk packets for difficulty in recycling few days ago and stopped it ever since. Small changes like these can make a huge difference. Hope more people follow this.
Yes I knew how this microplastic simply adds to the landfill sites, adding up to the environmental problems. Hence I cut the poly with no small edge being torn apart.
Must tell this is a eye opening for all of us thank you for sharing this information will never do this again.. As one have to take a serious step towards this.
The sole intent of this article was to spread awareness. At times we do few things thinking it won’t effect much but when compounded it has grave consequences.
some years ago i had read about this and since then i dont cut off the corners, i also ensure that others in the family follow the same. thank you for writing a detailed article on the same
Some time back I had read about this in a paper and since then implementing it too. What is small to us when compounded can become grave and impact the nature adversely.
This is very thought provocing post. I am sure most of us have never thought in this prospective.
Debi, I have read about this information in a forward message but the explanation was not clear. And in your post I found the reason for it , I shall too stop snipping the edges of milk packets and if I do by mistake then will place those edges in the packet. Looking forward for more posts in this series.
Yes, its such a simple activity but has a huge negative impact on our environment . I too was unaware until I stumbled upon the viral tweet couple of years back.All we need now is awareness , infact we think other way round that this tiny plastic edges won’t harm much.
Cutting off the corners of the milk packet is a common mistake that has been done in Indian households. The hazards it would cause would be unimaginable. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you are bringing this up. I was sensitised to this by a whatsapp message. Try to follow this as much as possible but have found it difficult to train house hello.
A few months back I watched a YouTube video which showed how we can contribute to protect our environment and this was one of the ways to help. It sounds so simple but it can make a huge difference. Also, I really liked the Curi Oski milk packet holder, it will make the task of pouring milk very easy.
I remember reading about this in the news a while ago, but old habits are hard to change. I have to keep reminding myself not to cut off the edge of the packet!
Yes,Satabdi. A small change but has a huge impact on the environment. Even todaywhen my maids cut the edges off I make sure that those edges are slipped in the big packet so that they don’t go loose.
This tweet spotted last year on internet and i started reading some articles related this. Actually i never know about this tiny plastic makes huge clogging and hazards to our environment. I started collecting & cut the milk packets on horizontal way. Inspired by some reels of recycling process & i about to send 200 milk packets to the recycling center. Thanks for your article it gives very useful info and its a eye opener. Trying to post and making others to follow the same from my circle.