Employee sparks outrage with photo of bizarre items at workplace: 'I've never ever come across this'

One employee's photo of a workplace quirk crosses the line into wasteful business practice. 

What's happening?

In a post on Reddit's r/mildlyinfuriating, an employee expressed disbelief over the unnecessary waste. 

The post's image showed a stack of paper plates, each tightly covered in its own layer of plastic wrap. While some speculated that the wrapping was meant to keep plates sanitary, most couldn't get past the irony of a supposedly "disposable" product being encased in even more disposable material.

"In all my years, I've never ever come across this," one commenter wrote, summing up the sentiment of many who were baffled by the practice. 

"My workplace used to provide plates until mouse droppings were found on them," one user said, noting that their employer simply stopped providing plates rather than individually wrapping them.

Why are individually wrapped plates concerning?

At a time when single-use plastics are already a massive contributor to global pollution, individually packaging paper plates doubles down on waste. Not only do these plates create additional plastic trash, but they also push the burden of disposal onto employees and consumers.

For workers, this means juggling more wrappers to toss out on their lunch break. For the environment, it means another avoidable stream of plastic headed to landfills and oceans.

This is, unfortunately, not a standalone occurrence. There are others, from groceries individually wrapping bread slices to businesses selling cutlery in layers of plastic. Excessive packaging is often unnecessary, costly, and ultimately irresponsible when cheaper, more sustainable solutions exist.

Is the company doing anything about this?

It's unclear whether this packaging choice was made by the manufacturer or the employer providing the plates. In some workplaces, the choice might stem from local pest issues or health code guidelines.

Companies often cite "sanitation" when rolling out measures like this, but in reality, there are cost-effective and eco-friendly alternatives, from sealed bulk dispensers to reusable dishware systems. Without broader transparency, employees are left stuck with the inconvenience.

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What's being done about excessive packaging more broadly?

Cities and states are increasingly adopting single-use plastic bans, while businesses that rethink packaging are often able to cut costs in the long run. On an individual level, people can help by choosing reusable options like metal cutlery and washable plates at work, advocating for office-wide sustainability swaps, such as bulk dispensers or dishwashing stations, or supporting policies that reduce unnecessary packaging and improve recycling systems.

It's clear that excessive packaging policies are both wasteful and frustrating. Instead of burdening consumers with the cleanup, companies can adopt smarter, greener solutions that benefit employees and the planet alike.

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