AT FIRST, THE THROWAWAY CULTURE MEANT CARDBOARD, PLASTIC CUPS AND OTHER UTENSILS THAT COULD BE DISPOSED OF BY BURNING OR SIMPLY THROWING IN THE BIN – AN OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND MENTALITY. THIS SAME CULTURE HAS EXPONENTIALLY EXPANDED EVER SINCE, AND NOW PRODUCTS BUILT TO LAST HAVE
BECOME A RARITY. EVEN THOUGH DURABILITY IS MORE IMPORTANT TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE.

The lifetime of the products we use today has increasingly shortened. A good example of this is found in the world of electronics. In a 2019 study published by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), it was revealed that mobile phones, on average, are replaced after only 21 months of use. However, the same study also shows that if the lifetime of all washing machines, notebooks, vacuum cleaners and smartphones in the EU was extended by just one year, then around 4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) could be saved annually by 2030, the equivalent of taking more than 2 million cars off the road for a year. Extending service life by a year is not so difficult. So why don’t we do it?


OUR CULTURE GUIDES OUR BEHAVIOUR
We live in a culture where it is now acceptable to buy new and throw out the old without scruple. For example, we hardly ever fix a mobile phone if it breaks, since the cost of repair is usually almost as expensive (if not more) than getting a replacement. Also, since there are no extra costs involved when throwing away old products, the system favours buying new each time. Most equipment manufacturers today understand this prevailing culture and simply make products that are good enough. In addition, new versions of certain products are introduced onto the markets several times a year. Through effective marketing, for example, consumers are persuaded to buy new smartphones, even when their old phones are still fully functional. When it comes to business, it is not even profitable to design durable products, as they won’t be in use for long anyway. In other words, planned ageing is good business.

The throwaway culture means an increasing expansion of the carbon footprint.

A THROWAWAY CULTURE INFILTRATING THE FABRIC OF SOCIETY
Over the years, the throwaway culture has spread from disposable cups and cutlery to other industries as well. Shoddily built houses are constantly being torn down after only a few years to make way for newer ones and highways are crumbling in place. Since manufacturing is determined by price, time and trends, it makes little financial sense to develop products that are built to last and of the highest possible sustainable quality.


In the long run, such consumption will inevitably lead to the emptying of both the public purse and the depletion of the resources provided by mother nature. The throwaway culture also means an increasing expansion of the carbon footprint. Although most people are aware of the detrimental effect consumption habits have on the environment, it is difficult to change patterns of behaviour, especially since the effects are not directly visible in daily lives. But whereas the throwaway culture of consumer goods results in growing waste mountains out of sight elsewhere, a throwaway culture of industrial goods has a far more direct impact on the functioning of society.


For example, although a new mobile phone ordered from an online store can be collected the very next day from a pick-up point, high-voltage capacitors used in the energy industry are not so easy to replace. In this case, the sudden failure of a low-quality component can, at worst, severely disrupt an entire power grid.


STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO CORRECT THE SITUATION
Measures to prevent the throwaway culture from spreading further are now starting to be implemented, at least in Europe. For example, the EU now focusses on how much electricity appliances or devices are allowed to consume during their operation. In the future, regulations are also being planned to cover the useful lifecycle of a product. In other words, how long the product must last, how easily it can be repaired, and the recyclability of the materials used.


A CHANGE OF MINDSET IS ALSO REQUIRED
Still, regulations alone are not enough to change the situation being faced today. According to the principle of supply and demand, manufacturers are only ever willing to offer what people are wanting to buy. Thus, the ultimate solution lies heavily in the hands of the consumers themselves; is it better to choose a durable product which can last as long as possible, or will some other feature guide the purchase decision?

To prevent the throwaway culture from thriving, we all need to change our mindset and value durability above all else. The old saying, quality before quantity, holds true. In addition to favouring products made from long-lasting, high-quality raw materials, we should all demand more from the manufacturers producing the products we use. If end-users were to start insisting on quality products, then perhaps the culture we live in would change.


High-voltage capacitors used in the energy industry are not as easy to replace as small electronics

On the other hand, it is also the responsibility of manufacturers like us to inform customers about the quality of our products and help them make long-lasting decisions. At Tervakoski Film, embracing sustainability and durability has been a cornerstone of our operations from the beginning. And we believe that these same principles are more important today than ever before. Thus, we constantly work towards producing evermore durable capacitor films and conveying to our customers, our customers’ customers and other stakeholders the message that the only thing worth throwing away is the throwaway culture itself.

The old saying, quality before quantity, holds true.