Factors Shaping Public Attitudes Toward Plastic Use

Plastic’s triumph was no accident. It built an economy addicted to throwaway living. When Saabira Chaudhuri began covering consumer-goods companies for The Wall Street Journal, she expected stories about marketing and product launches. Instead, she uncovered a deeper pattern: industrial ingenuity turned liability. Her new book, Consumed, explains how plastic became central to modern capitalism—and why efforts to rein it in have repeatedly faltered. Her reporting began in 2018, when public concern about single-use plastics was rising. Bags, bottles, straws, and cups—once symbols of convenience—had become icons of waste. Companies scrambled to look responsible, promoting recycled content and biodegradable packaging. Yet as Chaudhuri dug deeper, she saw that most “solutions” were flawed or recycled messaging from decades earlier, designed to protect disposability. Plastic’s rise was no accident. It delivered lightness, durability, malleability, and above all, cheapness. It made supply chains global and habits disposable. The coffee cup tells the story well: paper cups collapsed under heat until a thin plastic lining solved the problem after World War II. Suddenly coffee was portable, and by the 1950s it was America’s top-selling beverage. The pattern repeated across diapers, shampoo, ultraprocessed food, and fast fashion. Advertising cemented this shift. Since the 1920s, manufacturers linked throwaway living with modernity, hygiene, and freedom. Industry-backed recycling campaigns soothed guilt while doing little to stem waste. “Our throwaway culture rests on the idea that what we already have isn’t good enough,” Chaudhuri notes. She also traces moments when change seemed possible. In the 1980s, the saga of the Mobro garbage barge looking for a place to dump 3,000 tons of trash sparked outrage. Regulators threatened bans, companies promised compostable packaging, and the industry funded a massive PR push. The promises faded, but the campaign worked. Plastic’s dominance deepened. For Chaudhuri, the real leverage lies with brands. She recalls McDonald's counsel Shelby Yastrow, who pushed through unbleached bags despite supplier resistance. Once the company acted, compliance spread quickly. The lesson: brand owners, when pressured, can transform supply chains in ways individuals cannot. Younger generations may hold the key. With social media reach & sharper awareness of health risks—from microplastics in organs to chemicals linked with cancer—they are better positioned to reject greenwashing and demand structural change. Technology alone won’t suffice. Biodegradable plastics are often false fixes. What’s needed is a reckoning with convenience, profit, and the culture of disposability. Consumed argues that plastics are not inherently villainous, but they have enabled an economy hooked on throwaway living. The crisis is cultural as much as environmental. As Chaudhuri puts it, lasting solutions will require nothing less than “a cultural reset.”

Why does Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) appear more harmful than it may be? Why do policies sometimes target visible plastics — rather than the most impactful ones? The answer often lies in confirmation bias: our tendency to seek evidence that supports what we already believe. My latest article in the series on cognitive bias and sustainability explores how confirmation bias shapes perceptions of plastic waste — especially in marine environments. Using data from the Baltic Sea, it shows how visual prominence of EPS litter has distorted public and policy understanding, even when its actual contribution by weight is minimal. The article also examines how recycling realities — including Norway’s 88% EPS recycling rate — are often overlooked due to narratives that feel true, even when data tells a more complex story. This is not a defense of any one material. It’s a call for better framing, better data, and better decision-making. #Sustainability #EPS #CognitiveBias #CircularEconomy #EnvironmentalPolicy

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝗨𝗞 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗚𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗼-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱, 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 https://lnkd.in/ePN6EgUp 🌱 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵. 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁. Bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable materials are critical to reducing pollution and lowering carbon emissions — yet public understanding of how to use and dispose of them remains fragmented. In August 2025, BB-REG-NET commissioned a nationally representative survey of 2,062 UK adults to explore public attitudes and behaviours around sustainable packaging. The findings reveal a clear trust–outcome gap: 🔍 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 • 58% say packaging labels make disposal easy • Over half trust recyclability and compostability claims • Yet only 22% know what happens to waste once it’s collected • Fewer than 1 in 2 believe their recycling is actually recycled 🧴 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 • Flexible plastics: 45% believe they can be recycled at kerbside — most cannot • Compostables: 51% are unsure how to dispose of them correctly, reflecting inconsistent local policies • Behaviour gap: 74% want government support for compostables, but only 27% have bought compostable-packaged products in the past year 📉 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁? Consumers are motivated to act sustainably, but confusion, inconsistent information, and misaligned infrastructure undermine confidence and impact. ⚖️ 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 & 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 Current frameworks — including labelling standards and the Plastic Packaging Tax — still favour fossil-based “recyclable” plastics over renewable or compostable alternatives. Without better alignment between messaging, waste systems, and regulation, public trust risks eroding further. 📌 𝗔 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 With UK-wide food waste collections due in 2026 and a new Circular Economy Growth Plan expected, there is a real opportunity to integrate bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable materials into national policy. Progress will depend on: 1️⃣ Clear, consistent sector-wide labelling 2️⃣ Reliable and universal collection routes 3️⃣ Regulatory recognition of renewable materials 4️⃣ Investment in composting infrastructure Sustainable intent already exists. Now the system needs to catch up — so responsible consumer actions deliver real environmental benefit. https://lnkd.in/ePN6EgUp #CircularEconomy #SustainablePackaging #Compostables #BioBasedMaterials #WastePolicy #ClimateAction Vegware Novamont Joanna Gavins Dr Adrian Higson CChem MRSC Gail Shuttleworth Cromwell Polythene Ltd TIPA® Compostable Packaging Compostable Coalition UK Paul Mines Mark Corbett Ecosurety Robbie Staniforth Futamura (Cellulose Films) Normec OWS TÜV AUSTRIA Group

Plastic Pollution in India: Issues and opportunities:   World Environment Day underscores the urgent need to address the plastic pollution crisis. In India, plastic waste generation has seen a sharp rise, with over 9.5 million tonnes generated annually. While 60% of this is collected and processed, the remaining plastic waste enters unmanaged landfills or leaks into the environment.   India faces a complex web of political, economic, social, and cultural challenges contributing to persistent plastic pollution, particularly in managing non-recyclable plastics, waste segregation, recycling inefficiencies, environmental leakage, and marine pollution.   Political Issues include fragmented governance, inconsistent enforcement of regulations like the Plastic Waste Management Rules (2016), and limited coordination among central, state, and local bodies. Policies such as the single-use plastic ban (2022) lack effective monitoring and compliance mechanisms, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.   Economic Challenges stem from the low cost and convenience of virgin plastic compared to alternatives, discouraging businesses from shifting to sustainable materials. The informal recycling sector, which processes a significant share of India’s recyclable plastic, lacks financial and technological support. Moreover, municipalities often face budget constraints and limited infrastructure for waste segregation and recycling.   Social Factors involve low public awareness about the environmental consequences of plastic use, especially in underprivileged communities. Waste segregation at the source is rarely practiced due to habit, limited civic responsibility, and the absence of incentives or penalties.   Cultural Practices such as the widespread use of plastic in religious offerings, festivals, and everyday packaging have normalized single-use consumption. Additionally, urbanization and a consumerist lifestyle increase plastic waste generation.   A few opportunities: (1). Strengthen enforcement of existing laws and incentivize businesses to transition to biodegradable alternatives, (2). Invest in decentralized waste management infrastructure, including Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and plastic-to-energy or reuse technologies, (3). Formalize and support the informal recycling sector through training, fair wages, and integration with municipal systems, (4). Launch national behavior change campaigns promoting waste segregation and responsible consumption, (5). Adopt Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) with stringent reporting and compliance monitoring, (6). Develop coastal and river clean-up programs with real-time tracking and community involvement.   Addressing plastic pollution in India requires a multi-stakeholder approach that integrates policy reform, economic incentives, social behavior change, and cultural sensitivity.   #Endplalsticpollution #Plasticwaste #Worldenvironmentday #Sustainabiity #Bluegreen 

The proportion of shoppers that are highly concerned about the environment has seen a slight fall in 2025 to 23% of households. At the heart of Worldpanel's annual study on #Sustainability, is a segmentation that splits shoppers based on their level of concern and action, avaulable to read here: https://lnkd.in/e_MNcc4M Over seven years of tracking our eco-segmentation, we found that economic prosperity, environmental disasters, and government-led education are the main drivers shaping public engagement. When looking back at what has driven changes in the past, we found that events which transcend the daily noise are closely associated with rises in Eco-Actives. For example, floods and wildfires in Brazil triggered a spike in engaged consumers in 2024, while in 2020 in France new legislation on single-use plastics dominated the conversation, driving an increase in Eco-Actives that year – even as much of Europe saw a decline, with war and inflation occupying headlines and headspace. So far, 2025 has yet to provide a significant breakthrough: the global government treaty on plastic is collapsing, European Union (EU) initiatives stalling and the US taking steps backwards. As a result, we have seen the proportion of Eco Actives staying largely the same with a small drop from 24% to 23% in 2025.

Music to my ears ... somewhat. 3 takeaways from reading the conclusions from this YouGov survey: 1. 'Singaporeans in various age groups strongly support the ban on plastic items' - YouGov's conclusion. As DAVID WARD has wisely stated before, survey responses can vary significantly from real-life actions. I take this with more than a grain of salt. From the strong reactions to the #singleuseplastic bag charge which started last year, probably more accurate to say that people strongly support a ban on plastic if it adds very little to no out-of-pocket costs and inconvenience for them. 2. Surprising & interesting finding? 'Interestingly, the data suggests a generational divide in attitudes towards plastic usage. Baby Boomers exhibit stronger support for bans across the listed items than younger generations...As the data shows, the older cohort seem to be taking more responsibility in reducing plastic usage as compared to their younger counterparts.' 4 years ago, would've been very surprised myself, but not today! Our own data at Ohmmm Care already began revealing this more than 3 years ago. Baby Boomers & Gen X are proactively taking practical, day-to-day actions in their various capacities to reduce plastic consumption, even if they're less vocal about #climatechange or #plasticpollution. The common refrain I hear from our customers: 'Even though I think 1 person's action has limited impact, I'll give it a go anyway'. I totally applaud & support them! 3. 'not just the government, but companies, brands, and the general public need to create awareness on preserving the environment and adopting a greener lifestyle.' It takes a systems & systematic approach to truly get a grip on the magnitude & nature of plastic pollution. A business can contribute directly or indirectly towards preventing 10 tons of marine plastic waste annually in the region that probably has the most serious plastic pollution issue anywhere globally. It is only through our customers' & community's support that we can achieve this together. And this is just one business' effort. Multiply it by hundreds, or even thousands, and we could really move the needle. What do you think? https://lnkd.in/eHib_VfH #ohmmmcare