Don’t Be Clingy!

Cling Film can be a great way to protect left overs - and surely we want to reduce food waste so this is a good thing, right?

Well, yes but, no but…

Although portable and cheap there are several catches:

• Plastic wrap contributes to the larger plastic pollution crisis,

• It’s difficult to recycle, and

• It’s made from potentially harmful chemicals, especially as they break down in the environment.

When it ends up in landfills or incinerators cling film can release a highly toxic chemical called dioxin, says the World Health Organization.

In marine environments, plastic wrap contributes to a larger plastic pollution crisis, but unlike other plastics, scientists are finding that PVC and PVDC do great jobs of picking up bacteria and metals. Those contaminated pieces of microplastic then harm the fish that mistake them for food.

So what can you do?

1. Switch from plastic wrap to a reusable wax wrap or fabric bowl cover like the one above.

2. Store leftovers in glass containers.

3. Cover foods with aluminium foil instead of plastic wrap.