If you count the number of dishwashing sponges you have used in your life, you will find a high number. In a month, many households discard between one and two, which has a high impact on the environment and health.
we share you three reasons why you should stop using them:
1. THEY ARE MADE WITH TOXIC PLASTICS
Most of the typical sponges that you can buy in supermarkets are made of polyethylene foam, a petroleum-derived plastic materialand have synthetic dyes and disinfectants.
If they are antibacterial, they also contain triclosan, an antibacterial and fungicidal agent that has harmful health effects. Studies affirm that treatment plants fail to eliminate it, which is why it can be found in a large part of rivers, affecting ecosystems, since its concentration inhibits the photosynthesis of river algae.
2. THEY AFFECT THE HEALTH OF THE PLANET
Its production involves the excessive use of non-renewable energy, but the most alarming thing is that its waste generates a high contamination of the soils and waters of the planet. With use, sponges shed microfibers that, once passed through kitchen drains and water filtration systems, end up in rivers and seas.
It is there where marine animals ingest them by mistaking them for food, which causes great damage or even death. If you eat a fish that has ingested plastic particles, the food chain It also looks polluted.
The particles released from the kitchen sponges continue to absorb toxins and increase the pollution of the planet. These, like many plastics, never disappear and end up as dispersed microparticles in the oceansaffecting the health of the Earth and affecting the life of all living things that inhabit it.
Vegetable sponge: a sustainable alternative.
3. THEY CANNOT BE RECYCLED
In addition to the particles that come off with their use, plastic sponges cannot be recycled or composted. That’s why, When discarded, in the best of cases they end up in garbage cans to be transferred to the sanitary landfill where they accumulate, contaminating the soil.
The ecological alternative
Faced with this scenario, opting for an alternative to plastic sponges can help reduce plastic consumption in each home, generate less impact on the environment, and take care of the health of all living beings.
One possibility is the sponge luffa, known as vegetable sponge. Its popularity has increased due to its low negative impact on the environment. The luffa is a dry fruit of the family cucurbitaceae, very similar to zucchini. It is native to India, but is now grown in much of the world. A series of products such as sponges can be obtained from it.
The Loofahs are all-natural, biodegradable and compostable, which makes them a sustainable and conscious alternative. Contrary to what is thought, they do not crack the dishes and, in addition, they can be useful to use as a bath sponge.
WOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR KITCHEN SPONGE?
Sources:
Eco Inspiration
Eco Platea