One parent got a major surprise after deciding to buy wooden toys for their child.
"Bought my kid wooden toys to cut down on plastic, every piece comes in a plastic baggie," they wrote, along with a photo of the toys.
Posted in Reddit's r/mildlyinfuriating forum, the packaging choice was lamented by those in the comments section.
"It's NOT usual to see kids toys wrapped like this. I have NEVER seen a cutting foods set come like this," one Redditor said. "There are way more efficient, safe, and eco-friendly [ways] to package this toy."
While another commenter noted the bags were used to protect the toys during transit, there was undoubtedly a way to do so without resorting to single-use plastics.
Separating the toys using cardboard, for example, would have stopped them from getting damaged or scratched while moving when out for delivery. Packing peanuts made from organic compounds that can dissolve in water after use would be another option.
According to The World Counts, every $1 million made revenue for toy production results in 40 tons of plastic.
Plastic toys don't degrade naturally, so they fill up landfills and pollute ecosystems when they are thrown out after the kids have had their fun. Furthermore, if they are made of harmful chemicals such as phthalates, the substances can be absorbed into a child's body or ingested if a child chews on the toys.
The World Counts noted that phthalates have been linked to "reduced fertility, miscarriage, birth defects, abnormal sperm counts, and testicular damage, as well as to liver and kidney cancer."
Meanwhile, single-use plastic — such as the bags used in the toys' packaging — accounts for 50% of the 300 million tons of the plastic waste produced annually, according to the Natural Resource Defense Council.
While some of that can be processed to make new items, some studies have shown that only 5% of plastic gets recycled.
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