Why single-use plastic won’t save us from coronavirus

The worry about how to protect yourself from the Protect against coronavirus can, is currently on many people's minds. Unfortunately, some manufacturers of environmentally harmful products take advantage of this concern to market their product and emphasize its supposed usefulness. This is currently happening with the Plastic plastic, even though together we have already made such a big step toward sustainability! We want to show you that Reusable products also in times of a Pandemic are the better choice.

How the plastics industry is exploiting the crisis

Einweg-Plastik Produkte – bunte Strohhalme und Besteck

Leider, in some US states, due to the influence of the plastics industry, there has already been a postponement of the planned Laws banning some plastic products. A letter from the Plastic Industry Association reached the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Food and Drug Administration, asking for a publication stating that single-use plastic, for example shopping bags, is a hygienic way to protect oneself against viral infections, and that reusable products accelerate the spread. Interestingly, one of the studies cited in the letter was funded by the American Chemistry Council, a trade association representing the plastics and chemical industry.

The EU Commission was also informed by the European Plastic Converters requested by the trade association of European plastics processors – to postpone the law that came into force in 2021 banning certain single-use plastic products and/or to exempt certain products from it. Fortunately, however, this was rejected by the Commission.

Plastic products in everyday life are not more hygienic

Quite the opposite: New Studies found that the virus survives on plastic even twice as long as on, for example, cardboard and seven times longer than on copper. Another Study showed that plastic is the surface on which the virus survived the longest. When using reusable products, they are always cleaned anyway. This is not done with plastic products, which creates a high likelihood that Sprouts can be found.

In general, however, it is already established that the virus spread through the air and become infected this way, rather than via the reusable cup or lunch box. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment knows so far not a single case, in which the virus about objects or food was transmitted.

In addition, the entire manufacturing process of plastic is harmful to the environment and health. More than 12.000 chemicals are used for food packaging, which in the long term is very harmful to our health.

Why reusable products like HALM are still safe

Person mit wiederverwendbarer Einkaufstasche und HALM Glasstrohhalm

Our glass drinking straws are very easy to clean, as they can withstand a temperature of up to 200 degrees Celsius withstand - flu viruses such as the coronavirus cannot do that. The inner diameter is large enough so that the water can clean the glass straw in the dishwasher Rinse thoroughly can. HALM drinking straws are therefore perfectly cleaned and any risk of infection is ruled out.

The coronavirus is from a Lipid layer surrounded by, for which it has been proven that it reacts sensitively to grease-dissolving substances such as alcohols and surfactants. These are in Soaps and dishwashing detergents contained. For the related SARS virus, a laboratory study found that cleaning a surface/cutlery, etc. with standard dish soap for 5 minutes at room temperature inactivates the virus. This means: the hotter and longer, the better – dishwashers are capable of, with 60 degrees Celsius to rinse and therefore provide a Inactivation of the virus sure.

Our glass drinking straws continue to help avoid the plastic problem by enabling HALM, through the sale of each set, worldwide projects for the removal of waste from the environment promotes.

What can we really do to avoid getting infected?

Coronavirus Plastikverbot verschieben – Hygiene-Infografik

Careful and considerate behavior prevent the spread of the virus - not the use of disposable cups, cutlery, or packaging. What really helps is:

The Touch of the eyes, nose and mouth Avoid, not toward other people and not into the hand of sneeze or to cough, wash your hands properly wash, Safety clearances respect and generally show consideration for those around them. Despite the unlikely infection through this route, objects and surfaces should be cleaned after contact, and reusable products with Clean with hot water and soap (preferably in the Dishwasher, as it can reach the temperature that kills bacteria).

The use of single-use plastic in our everyday lives is not a means of combating the virus, and reusables do not increase its spread. We should not allow the spread of more unnecessary single-use plastic and should not place too much faith in the pretextual arguments in favor of disposables.

Sources

0 commentson Why single-use plastic doesn't save us from Corona

More articles

This section doesn’t currently include any content. Add content to this section using the sidebar.

Cookie settings