A dumpster diver gave a behind-the-scenes look at a major packaging company, and what he found may have consumers thinking twice about the amount of waste created during the production of their products.
What happened?
Love in the Dumpster (@loveinthedumpster), a TikTok account run by a dumpster-diving couple, recently took a look at the incredible amount of plastic in the trash bins at Mylar Drink Packaging Co.
@loveinthedumpster Someone made a typo so they had to fill out this entire dumpster #dumpsterdiving #plasticwaste #singleuseplastic ♬ Night Trouble - Petit Biscuit
"Absolutely full," one of the TikTokers says. "This is all the Mylar shrink wrap that goes all around your plastic bottles."
The waste included an entire pallet of Muscle Milk packaging, as well as unused plastic intended for Premier Protein.
"This is the waste that's behind all of the products that we buy on a daily basis that nobody really ever sees," the original poster added.
Why is this waste concerning?
The production of plastic has risen at a significant rate in the past 10 years, and much of it ends up polluting our oceans, rivers, lakes, and parks.
Plastics don't easily decompose, and large amounts of the litter can clog drains, leading to an increased risk of flooding and breeding grounds for disease.
The waste in the TikTok seems destined for the landfill, but manufacturing the material takes a lot of energy that releases planet-warming gases. Those gases will also be generated as the plastic sits in the dump.
The large pieces of the trash aren't beautiful to behold, and microplastics aren't any better. These tiny particles are formed as plastics slowly break down, and they have been found just about everywhere, including in the human body. According to the U.N. Environment Programme, there is "substantial evidence" that they negatively impact human health.
Repurposing the material can help reduce pollution associated with plastics, but unfortunately, less than 10% of material ever gets recycled.
"I've had somebody comment before who actually works here [say] they actually lost their recycler — this was a year or so ago. Guess they haven't found a new one," Love in the Dumpster said of the situation in his TikTok.
Is the packaging company doing anything about this?
According to Love in the Dumpster, the Mylar packaging company used to recycle, but at this time, it's unclear if the practice will resume.
"I've had somebody comment before who actually works here [say] they actually lost their recycler — this was a year or so ago. Guess they haven't found a new one," Love in the Dumpster said of the situation.
It seems human error may have also played a role in this particular trash dump. The TikToker pointed out that there was a quality assurance hold on items from 2022.
"Maybe they printed all this, and then they realized there was something wrong on the packaging. And they just, for liability reasons, had to throw it out," he said, reiterating that recycling would have ideally been an option.
What can I do to limit plastic waste?
Some major brands are taking steps to reduce plastic in their packaging, from major brewers like Coors Light and Guinness to soft drink giants like Pepsi. For its part, Premier Protein says that its packaging is designed to use as few resources as possible and that it is recyclable. It also links out to a resource for consumers to find the closest recycling option in their area.
However, the material can't be recycled indefinitely, so limiting your use of single-use plastic items can go a long way toward helping your wallet, health, and the planet.
Supporting brands that offer plastic-free packaging is a great way to help hold corporations accountable for their practices, while knowing how to spot greenwashing can assist with deciding where you want your money to go.
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