Around 100 Olympic athletes have signed an open letter urging major sports sponsors in the beverage industry to replace single-use plastics with reusable packaging. They argue that single-use plastics contribute to environmental pollution and pose health risks. However, experts highlight that the solution is not as straightforward as it seems.
Chris DeArmitt, President of Phantom Plastics, and Joseph Tayefeh, Secretary General of the European trade union Plastalliance, provided insights on the issue. DeArmitt emphasized that the root cause of plastic pollution is human behavior, not the material itself. “The solutions to too much waste are education, deposits, and fines. Blaming individual companies is counterproductive,” he said. DeArmitt also noted that plastics used in food contact are rigorously tested and approved by safety authorities like the FDA.
Tayefeh pointed out that the current recycling rate of 9% is insufficient to draw conclusions about the efficacy of recycling. He stated, “If more than 70% of the world’s plastic was collected for recycling and there was still so much plastic pollution, then we could say that recycling doesn’t work. But at 9%, we haven’t really started recycling yet.”
The athletes’ letter also cited the climate crisis and ocean plastic pollution. DeArmitt responded by highlighting that consumer plastic products contribute only 0.03% to ocean plastic weight, with discarded fishing nets being the primary culprit. Regarding climate change, he added, “The production of plastics generates about two per cent of greenhouse gases, but the use of plastics reduces greenhouse gases by much more than that.”
The call for reusable packaging in sports raises concerns, particularly regarding doping. Organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympics have already sought exemptions to use single-use PET bottles to ensure the integrity of anti-doping measures and avoid contamination risks.
Tayefeh emphasized the need for better waste management and consumer responsibility rather than targeting plastic manufacturers. “What pollutes is the lack of waste management in countries where waste is thrown on the streets. What pollutes is the rudeness of certain consumers in many countries with functioning collection systems.”
In conclusion, DeArmitt urged for solutions based on scientific evidence: “Getting rid of plastic means causing massively more damage, according to numerous life cycle studies from around the world. Let’s build a better future based on real science and not give in to demands that are not supported by the evidence.”