Because plastics are durable and inexpensive, they continue to proliferate as a source for containers, signage and other everyday usage. Plastic will contribute greenhouse gases in the equivalent of 850 million tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and at the current trend annual emissions will grow to 1.34 billion tons by 2030, according to a 2019 study. By 2050 plastic could emit 56 billion tons of Greenhouse gas emissions, as much as 14 percent of the earth’s remaining carbon budget(1).
The world produces nearly 380 million tons of plastic with a global accumulation of 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste since the 1950s.(2) Only 9% of plastic waste has been recycled and only 12% of the earth’s discarded plastic has been incinerated. This means that an inordinate amount of free-range plastic waste continues to impact fish, other wildlife and habitat and us. Plastic particles internally and externally affect every aspect of our ecosystem.
Alarmingly, because of their chemical structure, plastics degrade very slowly, adversely interacting with the environment and living organisms. Scientific researchers postulate within 30 years plastics will outweigh fish in the planet’s oceans.(3)
What Can the Signage Industry Do to Mitigate This?
One alternative to plastics, synthetics and non-recyclable outdoor signage substrates is Mako-Board™, the world’s leading environmentally friendly, moisture resistant paper board for indoor and outdoor use.
Manufactured in Sweden, Mako-Board™ is the only 100% recyclable outdoor-rated paper board that matches or exceeds the performance of synthetic and plastic materials. Suitable for signage exposed to outdoor and wet environments.
Conventional inks can be used on Mako-Board ™ and the substrate can be run through a digital press. It can be die-cut and laminated, however, because of the nature of the natural finish this is unnecessary. Bay Cities can print on Mako-Board ™ with water resistant inks. Metallics can be used on Mako-Board™ and scoring does not affect the life of the board if used outdoors.
Thought leaders in the signage industry know that it is critical to be aware of the pervasiveness of plastic products. Nearly 95% of adults in the United States have had detectable levels of BPA in their urine. Exposure to chemicals such as BPA and specific phthalates have been correlated with disruptions in fertility, reproduction, sexual maturation and other adverse health conditions.(4)
As consumers make grassroot changes to how they interact with plastics (click here to estimate your personal plastic usage: https://www.earthday.org/plastic-calculator/), Bay Cities is dedicated to help brands interested in improving sustainability dive deep into how they can implement environmentally-friendly protocols in packaging, displays and signage.
- (1) https://www.ciel.org/news/plasticandclimate/
- (2) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170719140939.htm
- (3) https://www.businessinsider.com/plastic-in-ocean-outweighs-fish-evidence-report-2017-1
- (4) Sicker, Fatter, Poorer: The Urgent Threat of Hormone-disrupting Chemicals to our Health and Future . . . and what we can do about it, by Leonardo Trasande, pg. 10
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