A Walmart employee sparked a passionate discussion about how to handle oversupply.
What's happening?
"We waste so much plastic," the employee lamented in Reddit's r/Walmart. A photo reveals plastic lids without containers stacked high on a pallet and ready for disposal.
One Reddit user jokingly suggested a nostalgic solution, writing, "Time to build a fort out of plastic lids."
However, others were less amused given the pervasiveness of the problem.
"My store had the same issue when I worked there in the home section more lids [than] totes," another commenter shared.
"Everyone does," another added. "It's horrible."
Why is this important?
Modern manufacturers use a lot of plastic.
Not only does plastic take generations to break down, but producing it and even traditional recycling processes also require toxic chemicals. As plastic is basically everywhere these days, it's easy to overlook that this is a relatively new phenomenon.
Overproduction and overconsumption are par for the course in the fast furniture industry, which began to emerge in earnest in the U.S. in the 1980s when furniture companies began moving factories overseas to decrease costs, as the Alliance for American Manufacturing, a nonprofit, non-partisan partnership between leading manufacturers and the country's largest industrial union, detailed in arguing for a shift back to local, sustainable production.
Back in 1950, the world produced a mere 2.2 million tons of plastic each year, according to Our World in Data. Now, it produces nearly 500 million tons annually. Plastic storage containers are part of this trend, favoring mass-produced, inexpensive decor over heirloom-quality items.
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$200 or more 💰 Is Walmart doing anything about this?
Walmart says that it aspires to reduce operational waste by 90%. According to its latest ESG Report, it diverted 83.5% of waste materials from landfills and incineration in 2024. Over the past three years, hundreds of stores have phased out single-use plastic bags. The majority of its private-brand food and consumables supplier-reported sales also include How2Recycle labels.
However, employee recycling and efforts to promote responsible consumer behavior appear to be inconsistent across stores. One Reddit user shared that the employee recycling bin at their location was contaminated with trash. Another said their Walmart posted a sign reminding customers to take their lids, while someone else said extra lids were already in high demand.
What's being done about this more broadly?
As one Redditor highlighted, fast furniture items aren't so sturdy, making them a drain on the wallet as well as the environment. "As a customer with bins I would love to be able to buy just the lids as my lids are the first thing to break," they said.
"But then they won't make more money off of you by forcing you to buy another," another quipped in reply.
Thrifting is a fun and cost-effective way to ditch fast furniture and lower your contributions to a growing pile of planetary plastic. While shoppers regularly find vintage furniture in pristine condition — like this person who scored a wood blanket chest for only $40 — rehabbing and upcycling old furniture may also appeal to you if you find a piece that needs a bit of love.
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