Alexandria, VA – It is not a revolutionary idea to say that single-use plastic tableware is a negative influence on the environment. These plastics have the potential to stay in the ecosystem forever, which is a clear point of concern. While most people recognize the potential negative consequences of disposable plastics, the question remains: what are the alternatives?
One clear option is sustainable, compostable to-go containers, cutlery, cups, napkins, and straws. More and more restaurants and companies in Alexandria are making the switch to more eco-friendly disposables.
Markos Panas, owner of several local businesses, including Bread & Water, Beeliner Diner, and The Dog Park, gave some insight on his experience working with biodegradable products.
“We use a lot of beechwood for instance. Beechwood utensils are highly eco-friendly and provide a sustainable, fully biodegradable, and renewable alternative to plastic. Because they don’t leach chemicals or melt like plastic, they’re a safer choice for both your health and the environment,” he explained.
The concern that usually comes with using more eco-friendly disposable products is pricing on a large scale. Webstaurant Store, an online restaurant supply resource used by many Alexandrian companies, offers bulk order options for both standard plastic tableware and compostable alternatives.
When ordering via the Webstaurant Store website, a standard set of traditional plastic cutlery, including a fork, spoon, and knife, can cost as little as $0.05 and as much as $0.45 per set, depending on factors like durability, quality, and strength. The compostable alternative usually costs $0.18 to $0.24 per set. While that does show a price increase, it falls within the range of variability of traditional plastic sets.
Sustainability is a factor that should be considered during the purchasing process of corporations, just like durability or flexibility. Sustainability is an increasing focus due to the scope of plastic pollution. For example, it is estimated that Alexandria alone produces roughly 85–100 million plastic straws per year. The Plastic Pollution Coalition (plasticpollutes.org) can provide guidance and resources to restaurants and businesses who want to explore sustainable options.
In the end, companies must decide what choices make business sense for them. However, plastic pollution is a growing problem in our world, a problem with increasingly viable methods of mitigation.
Plastic pollution is an issue that increasingly concerns the youth of Alexandria, and America at large. As this generation gains more income and purchasing power, it would behoove businesses to represent this demographic’s interests by more heavily considering environmental factors in their supply decisions.
