Do you love ketchup? If so, you're not alone. Ketchup is one of the most popular condiments in India and is used on everything from burgers and fries to rolls and parathas. You will find them accompanying your meals on trains, airplanes and at your favourite fast food joints. But have you ever stopped to think about the impact all those little sachets of ketchup have on the planet?
Billions of these little sachets are produced, distributed and consumed every single day. They pack 10 gms of ketchup and cost a rupee or two. Some of the popular brands in India are Kissan, Del Monte, Maggi, Tops, Heinz, Veeba, and Weikfield but actually, the list is much longer with many local players manufacturing them too.
And these super-functional sachets can leave a very significant impact on the planet. Sachets are made of multi-layered plastic (MLP), which is one of the toughest and the least economically viable materials to recycle. Collecting, Segregating and Cleaning these tiny pouches is a painstaking process and until we have more effective waste collection systems in place, these are mostly incinerated or let loose in the dump yards. And the effects of these are quite well-known to the world now. Hint: IT’S UGLY.
855 Billion plastic sachets are sold every year, enough to cover the entire surface of Earth, according to the Environmental group - A Plastic Planet.
So the best way forward is to eliminate these and opt for alternatives like ketchup dispensers, but we know they don’t necessarily provide the same functionality as the sachets do. I mean these are easy to carry, and use and are very very affordable. So they aren’t just going away, not as of now.
But there are some things we all can do to reduce their environmental impact! While there is no data that I could find (yes, tried ChatGPT too), it is far too obvious (from our personal consumption) how many ketchup sachets are distributed unnecessarily or thrown away unused.
You might say- 'But I put them away in the dustbin, aren't they recyclable? I am doing my part.'
Well, the thing is- Sachets often get left out of the recycling chain. The garbage pickers, whom we are dependent on for collection, don't pick them up due to their small sizes and low recyclable value. Therefore, these sachets leak into the environment and add to the plastic clogging the oceans if not end up in the landfills.
While our goal, in the long run, is to find alternatives that provide the same functionality, for now, let’s understand what we can do with these sachets so that they don’t cost the planet as much:
1- Return unused sachets: Start by returning unused sachets of ketchup at the counter so that they can be used for another customer instead of being thrown away in the bin.
Trust me, it takes almost no effort and it feels a little bit nicer when you walk out knowing a freshly packed unused food item was just returned to the store for someone else to use. Let’s make this a problem for the airlines, trains and for fast food joints. Don't you think when everyone starts returning a lot of it - they would have to create a system to monitor their resources spent more wisely?
I SEE THAT AS A WIN. LET’S GO!
2- Don’t hoard sachets: Instead of hoarding tons of sachets at home which often end up expired in the trash can, invest in a bottle of ketchup.
Honestly, It’s more economical. Just that should be a good enough reason for you. And if you managed to hoard some of them from your food deliveries anyway, don’t wait and end up throwing them in the bin without your taste buds getting some of that oh-so-holy goodness of tomatoes - just use them, as soon as possible.
3- Tear, don’t tear up: Additionally, try to tear the sachets in a way to keep the whole sachet intact as a single piece instead of tearing up a separate small piece to open. This will ensure that the whole sachet ends up in the recycling plant, if at all they make it to one.
It is incredibly difficult to collect these tiny sachets and put them into recycling streams when the cutouts are separated. And yes, this applies to your milk pouches too!
While I may be talking about ketchup in this article, this isn’t just about ketchup- it also applies to jams, mayonnaise, pickles and other popular condiments which are packed in sachets. And no I am not promoting Ketchup, excessive consumption surely adversely impacts your health, but c'mon fries with some ketchup is a match made in heaven!
So enjoy those tiny treats, but just be a little more conscious of your consumption patterns! It's the little things that matter!
Never thought of cutting vertically, thank you!