If you've understandably believed that the tiny plastic stickers on produce are compostable, you're in for a rude awakening. Not only are these stickers laden with toxic chemicals, but they often wreak havoc on composting systems, contaminating entire batches of compost.
Now, several places are looking for a solution. Summerland, a municipality in Canada's British Columbia, is one such place leading the charge.
The Vancouver Sun reported on the efforts, quoting Summerland's councillor and deputy mayor Erin Trainer: "It seems like such a small thing, but these little stickers create a huge problem for our composting systems, not to mention they're microplastics. The problem is, people don't take time to peel those stickers from produce and it's very difficult to screen those stickers. They basically gum up the system."
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Now, Summerland is petitioning both their provincial and federal governments to act by mandating the use of compostable produce labels instead. It argues that, while the process will require some investment, the transition will be well worth it in the long run. After all, Trainer said, the Canadian government has already invested $30 million into its composting programs, so helping them to succeed is a "no-brainer."
According to the Sun, Canada has already banned the use of several other types of single-use plastic in grocery stores, including plastic bags, cutlery, food-service containers, and straws.
Plastic generation and pollution are some of the worst threats to the health and future of the planet. Not only does the manufacturing of plastic generate planet-warming gases from dirty energy sources, but discarded plastic breaks down into tiny toxic microplastics. These particles have already made their way into everything from human placentas to coral reefs.
Given this, many groups are looking to find similar solutions to the sticker problem. For example, Tesco, a large UK grocer, has started laser-etching avocados instead of labeling them with stickers. Additionally, the Sun reported that some companies have begun manufacturing compostable stickers, although they are not yet being sold widely.
Similarly, governments looking to cut down on food waste have begun banning "sell by" labels on many foods, as this system — intended strictly for inventory management — can lead to consumers avoiding certain products and creating food waste.
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