What you did not know about the environmental impact generated by pens

It is estimated that more than 25 million pens are sold worldwide every day, that is, about 300 per second. For this reason, environmentalists have drawn attention in recent years to ways of avoiding the environmental impact caused by the production, use and disposal of these products. 

The digital newspaper El Español assures that in the United States alone 1,600 million pens are discarded per year, while in China the figure rises to 38,000 million. These numbers alert the institutions and activists that defend the environment, making us stop looking only at the problem of plastic bags and take a look at the situation of handwriting tools. 

If we look at how many pens we have in our homes and offices, we may have a better idea of ​​the impact these objects are having on the environment. It is a very useful tool, since it is used to take notes, it is small and light, however, we easily lose sight of it and without realizing it, we acquire a new one before taking enough advantage of the previous one. This is also because it is an inexpensive product, so we do not notice the expense of money either. 

But the most important danger is in the pens that serve as publicity gifts. Many people don’t even have to buy them, as all kinds of businesses use them to promote their products and services. It is a cheap way of advertising, so they are produced in large quantities, while leaving more and more plastic waste around the planet.

Where to throw the pens that no longer serve? 

Even if we buy the best pen today, at some point the ink will run out and it will have to be thrown away, but as with some everyday products, sometimes it is difficult to decide where to put it when disposing of it. It is normal for it to occur to us that the recycling bin identified with the color yellow is the right place, since we throw the plastic there. However, due to the presence of ink and metal, it must be disposed of in the gray container intended for the different remains.

Although it may be a good start, this does not guarantee that the pens will be separated correctly and it is very likely that they will end up in the incinerator, becoming highly polluting elements. In this sense, it seems like a better idea to take them to a green point, either fixed or mobile, where the waste is organized more rigorously.

But in Spain there is a better option, which is to convert damaged pens into other plastic products. This method called Terracycle is sponsored by the renowned Bic brand, which has a special program to recycle writing instruments. In this case, there are many collection points where we can take not only pens, but also markers, pens, erasers, mechanical pencils, liquid correctors and highlighters. Fortunately, they can be of any brand, but wooden products such as pencils are not allowed. Other school supplies, such as rulers, glue and chalk, are also not accepted.

If you want to be part of the change, you can collect 20 kg of writing instruments and Bic is responsible for paying the shipment through Envialia, as well as managing the donation of 0.01 euros for each piece to a school or association that you can to choose. This recycling program accumulates these products in warehouses and then ships them to France, where they are cleaned and recycled, turning them into plastic furniture such as park benches and chairs.

The use of refillable and ecological pens

Reducing the environmental impact is everyone’s task. This is why certain alternatives have appeared that, although they do not solve the problem 100%, do make a great contribution to the fight against environmental pollution. This is the case with refillable pens.

The main idea is to avoid disposable plastic pens as much as possible, that is, those that companies give us and we use only once; this in the best of cases, since many times we don’t even get to use them. Instead, when using a refillable fountain pen we only have to change the ink.

However, there is a small detail that we must take into account when using refillable pens, since there are two types: some work with a replacement cartridge and others have a plunger system. In the first case, we would still be generating waste every time the cartridge is empty, while the second option has a mechanism very similar to a syringe, so you can refill it very easily.

The good thing about this last product is that we can choose the ink, so that we could use an ecological one to be more consistent with the purpose of reducing pollution. In addition, the color options are multiple and allow a more original handwriting. 

As for ecological pens, they are disposable but partially biodegradable utensils, since they are made with materials such as wood from sustainable forests, recycled cardboard and bamboo, however, they may contain small parts made of plastic that must be separated to continue the recycling cycle. This is a great idea for advertising pens to be more environmentally friendly. In addition, real and potential customers generally make positive associations with brands that invest in eco-products, so everyone benefits.

There is a curious case in Bolivia, where an engineer has created biodegradable cardboard pens that contain seeds inside, so that once used they can be introduced into the ground to grow herbs and vegetables. This means that companies would be giving back to the ecosystem a little of what they have taken for their economic benefit.

The pens with seeds have some plastic pieces that must be removed to carry out the sowing. However, one of the goals for the future is to create fully biodegradable products.