Why Should We Reduce Plastics at Home?

By guest blogger Elsa Meinig

Plastics contain additives like BPA and PFAS. These are endocrine disruptors that may interfere with our body’s hormones.

Reduce plastic exposure in the kitchen

• Storage: use glass, stainless steel, or ceramic containers. Reusable beeswax wraps or aluminum foil.

• Cooking: utensils made of wood or stainless steel. Avoid non-stick pots and pans. Use cast iron, stainless steel, or ceramic cookware. Rinse frozen vegetables before cooking.

• Heating food: never microwave food in plastic containers, even if they are   “microwave-safe.”

• Dishwashing: use plastic-free dish sponges to avoid microplastics in your food.

• Use cotton cloths for dishes. Consider buying Swedish Dishcloths.

• Shopping for groceries: use reusable cotton or hemp bags, no microplastics for produce. Buy in bulk, when possible, and bring your small paper bags. Choose food packaged in glass or metal.

In the bathroom

• Switch to shampoo and soap bars. 

• Use bamboo toothbrushes and toothpaste in jars or tablets.

• Opt for cotton or linen shower curtains.

General household habits

• Look for a high-quality water filter (like the reverse osmosis system) for your tap water.

• Carry a reusable glass or stainless steel water bottle.

• Avoid buying bottled water in plastic containers, which can contain more microplastics than tap water.

  
  

Laundry

• Consider using plant-powered laundry detergent sheets or laundry powder (not pods)

• Wash synthetic clothes (polyester, nylon, etc) separately in cold water, and consider using a microfiber-catching laundry bag or machine filter to trap shedding fibers.

• If possible, line dry these clothes, as dryer heat can cause plastics to break down more readily.

• Use wool dryer balls instead of plastic dryer sheets for your natural fiber clothes.

• When buying new clothes, bedding, towels, prioritize natural materials like cotton, wool, linen, or hemp. Shop at 2nd hand stores, promote a circular economy.

Reducing plastics is good for our family’s health and the environment.