Every Friday I will have special posts that point out products or situations that frustrate me in my quest to go plastic-free. Many of these posts will be about products that use greenwashing–trying to look like sustainable, plastic-saving products but actually still using plastic, or trying to frame their plastic use in a misleading way.
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, laundry strips are a great way to put a big dent in your plastic use. Trading out large, heavy plastic bottles of detergent not only reduces plastic waste, but also results in CO2 emissions reduction because of the supply chain benefits of lighter/smaller packages. So I was excited to try Ecosnext laundry sheets early in my quest to reduce plastic.
Packaged in a paperboard box, with eco-friendly claims on the front, I imagined a plastic-free experience. Wow, was I surprised when I opened the box to find a plastic box inside. Not only was there a large plastic box, but the clear plastic did not include the chasing arrows symbol, suggesting it is not recyclable. Even though I know that most plastic is not recycled, I still do my best to recycle whatever plastic I have to use.
To be fair, the outside package did not promise plastic-free. But, the name implied eco-friendly and there were claims of “earth friendly products” and “plant powered clean”. And, there are plenty of laundry sheets available on the market that do not include plastic packaging.
At the end of the day, this was probably my mistake, and I have learned my lesson. Always be on the look-out for plastic-free claims to ensure that the products you buy are making the difference in reducing plastic waste.
Leave a comment below to let me know if you find examples of other products that may be hiding plastic inside paper or cardboard. That way we can all avoid this frustration.
