Try cleaning tablets or visit a refill statioN to help Reduce plastic packaging: A Great Suggestion From Grant W. One Of Our Summer InternS

Big thanks to our summer intern Grant for all his hard work including this inspiring article.

Keeping your house (and yourself) clean requires a myriad of different soaps, detergents, and sprays, the overwhelming majority of which are packaged in plastic containers. Only 12% of cleaning product packaging is recycled, and the rest ends up in landfills, incinerators, or as pollution in our oceans and soil. Sometimes, it feels like there's nothing we can do about this ever growing problem; after all, these products have become essential to everyday cleanliness, and it’s the cleaning industry, not the customer, that controls the packaging. However, there are actually many actions that you can take to reduce the plastic waste that comes from the packaging of your personal and household cleaning products.

Jessica, a mom I know, has been finding ways to reduce single use plastic packaging in her cleaning products for 8 years. One way she does this is by avoiding traditional products in single use containers. Instead she buys the same cleaners but in tablet form that dissolve in water to create the exact same product. These tablets dissolve in just a few minutes and take almost no extra time compared to regular cleaning solutions. However, Jessica admits that because “you're not just tossing a bottle, you have to clean them out every once in a while and keep them sorted,” and it can take some time to get used to that new system. Still, she has found that this small amount of extra effort is significantly outweighed by the benefits..

While this offers her an incredible convenience for many products like cleaning sprays and dish soaps, when the brand and variety is more important, such as with shampoo or laundry detergent, Jessica goes to stores called refill stations. At these stores, you can find a variety of bulk-bought, unpackaged supplies with which you can fill up reusable containers. Going to refill stations completely eliminates the need for single use packaging, since the stores are able to directly source their products from companies and then transfer them straight into your reusable containers. 

However, no solution is perfect, and since these stores don’t carry the same wide array of options, it can be challenging to balance your sustainability goals with finding the products that work best for you. Nevertheless, don’t let this deter you; buying just a few of your products from these stores can have a significant impact. Additionally, Jessica has noticed that over time as refill stations have gained popularity, there has been a significant increase in the variety of brands that they are able to stock, and this trend should continue. In the Wellesley area, there are many refill stations, including YES! Your Eco Source, Center Goods, and Fulfilled Goods, each with their own assortment of brands and products.

Jessica’s advice for anyone looking to cut down on single use plastic packaging is “it’s baby steps, you don’t have to go from zero to 100%. If you do the best you can, you're still making a difference. Don’t let great get in the way of good”. Whether you're trying out tablets or visiting a refill station weekly, help eliminate plastic packaging one bottle at a time.