Is switching from plastic to paper better for the environment?

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest sources of waste in our everyday lives, which is why so many companies and consumers are trying to transition away from single-use plastic items. That includes a broad range of products, from plastic grocery bags to wasteful plastic packaging as well as cups and containers made from plastic foam. Oftentimes, that means replacing plastic with paper alternatives. 

But as the world grapples with deforestation and an excess of paper waste, it’s worth asking the question: is paper really better for the environment than plastic? 

The problem with plastic

It’s easy to see that America’s overreliance on plastic for everything — from cups to clothing — is negatively affecting the environment. Every year, the United States produces about 35 million tons of plastic waste. And while plastic producers are quick to tout the recyclability of plastic, the truth is that less than 10% of plastic actually ends up being recycled. 

What happens to the remaining 90%? Much of it ends up in our environment, polluting waterways or endangering wildlife. Even plastic that ends up collected in a landfill can cause damage. Plastic lasts forever, and can slowly leach toxic chemicals into the water and soil. 

With all these downsides, it’s no wonder that many people are looking into paper alternatives to plastic. But does that switch make sense? 

Is paper better than plastic? 

Paper has some obvious advantages over plastic. For one thing, it’s biodegradable, which means it doesn’t create the kind of permanent pollution that comes from plastic. 

Paper cups, bags and the like are also far easier to recycle than their plastic counterparts, so the materials can, in theory, be reused again and again. 

Finally, extracting the raw materials for paper doesn’t necessarily hurt the environment. While some paper is inexcusably created out of wood from virgin, old growth forests, much of it can be harvested more sustainably. Many commercial forests have an organized system of regular clearing, where trees are harvested for lumber in a way that doesn’t harm the long-term health of the forest. Some paper producers don’t even use trees at all, but farm paper from bamboo, hemp or even left-over wheat straw. 

However, one major downside of paper is its difficult production. A paper bag takes far more energy to create than a plastic one, which leads to more fossil fuels being burned and more air pollution. 

All in all, paper has its downsides, but is still generally less wasteful than plastic. 

The limits of paper recycling

However, despite these clear benefits, paper is not in itself a solution to our waste crisis. While it is technically easier to recycle than plastic, paper still has a very poor recycling rate of below 40%. 

Furthermore, many paper cups are made with wax or plastic coatings, which can make them unrecyclable, despite the eco-conscious impression they may create. 

In the end, far too much paper inevitably ends up in landfills or in the environment, causing needless waste and pollution. 

What if we could replace plastic with… nothing? 

Paper has its advantages, but there’s an even better solution. Instead of replacing one kind of single-use packaging with another kind of single-use packaging, we should start adopting reusable packaging. 

Take, for instance, the bags used at checkout. Increasingly, people across the country have begun bringing their own reusable bags to grocery stores. Not only does this give people the convenience of using their favorite totes or backpacks, but it keeps thousands of plastic or paper bags out of landfills, streams and the environment. 

The same logic applies to packaging. Oftentimes, products are packaged in unnecessary materials in order to simplify shelving, make the product look bigger or give more space for advertising. Instead of arguing whether to make this excessive packaging out of plastic or paper, let’s eliminate the unnecessary packaging altogether. 

Increasingly, stores are using innovative solutions to eliminate the need for single-use products. These include “refilleries” that sell food or liquids out of refillable containers instead of using wasteful packaging. Some companies have even redesigned cosmetic or toiletry products like shampoo by selling them in solid dry bricks, rather than as liquids in plastic bottles. 

The advantages of reusable storage solutions are obvious. If you use your favorite portable mug to drink your morning coffee, you’ll avoid creating hundreds of cups worth of plastic or paper waste—that’s a great trade-off, so long as you keep reusing the same mug. 

If presented with a choice between consuming two flawed products, sometimes the best option is to not consume anything at all. 

Tell Dunkin’ to allow reusable coffee cups.