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DATE: Jan 2023
AUTHOR: Mandla Tshabalala
Business Advantages of Reducing Plastic Waste
When plastic was first introduced, it was thought to be a miraculous and flexible material, but as the world has learned, it comes at a cost to the environment and health. Plastic has been used by businesses not only as a raw material in the manufacture of plastic products, but also as a packaging material.
While convenience and cost efficiency have often outweighed other concerns in the past, with governments, organizations, and consumers all aware of the problems that plastic consumption poses, businesses are learning that adopting sustainable practices can be beneficial in the long run.
One of the most important issues that businesses must address is how single-use plastics are used in their operations. This type of plastic is the most problematic because it has the highest environmental cost and requires waste disposal. While some plastics can be recycled by the consumer, there is often a large amount of plastic that could be recycled that ends up in a landfill or as litter.
Here we look at some of the advantages of reducing plastic waste for businesses.

Increase Brand Equity
Brands that are not seen to actively work on plastic packaging initiatives risk losing some positive brand equity with consumers who are becoming increasingly interested in the lifecycle of plastic and sustainability in general. This is known as conscious consumerism, and it is becoming increasingly popular as more people actively change their purchasing and spending habits.
This has an impact not only on consumers, but also on employees, as people do not necessarily want to work for a company or organization that has poor environmental business practices.
Genuine green initiatives provide great PR and social media opportunities for businesses (as long as they avoid cynical green washing campaigns), and this can pay dividends on the bottom line.
Cut Waste Costs
Plastic usage in businesses can take many different forms. Plastic is used in a variety of ways, from retailers selling plastic products to manufacturers using plastic in the construction of their products. However, there are numerous applications for plastic that cover a wide range of business processes.
Simple changes like switching from single-use plastic to reusable in the staff canteen or switching from plastic packaging to something recyclable, reusable, or compostable can often save money on the bottom line for the business.Single-use plastic costs quickly add up, so working with stakeholders within a business to look at ways to reduce plastic consumption is a great idea. This can help with the cost of plastic waste disposal, which can be costly.


Protect Your Company From Change
Changing the way a business operates can be time consuming, expensive, and difficult, but it is made even more difficult when compelled to do so by governmental policy, taxes, or legislation. With governments setting targets for climate change and the environment, many businesses will be forced to adapt their operations and how they use plastic, or face a heavy cost and burden.
It is better for any organization to plan ahead of time and adapt to change, even if it means incurring additional expenses and costs in the short term.