22 Surprising Everyday Things That Contain Plastic + Alternatives

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Plastic is very sneaky. It hides in more everyday items than you might think.

Many things made of plastic are disguised as natural or paper products, making recycling difficult and increasing pollution. Here are 22 surprising items that contain plastic – and sustainable, plastic-free alternatives you can try.

I’m sure some of these are going to shock you! 

1. Chewing gum

Chewing gum was originally made from natural tree resin, but the increased demand since the late 1900s has pushed companies to use synthetic materials. In other words, when you chew gum, you are just chewing plastic. Yikes!

Sustainable alternatives: Brands like Simply Gum, Glee Gum, Chelsy Gum, and True Gum offer natural, plastic-free options.

2. Paper cups

Paper cups, including coffee cups, have a plastic lining on the inside of the cup. The plastic lining prevents the cup from getting wet and soggy from the liquid it holds. This plastic lining also makes recycling paper cups impossible. 

Alternative: Carry a reusable mug or tumbler – many cafes even give discounts when you bring your own.

3. Paper plates

Like cups, paper plates often have a plastic coating to resist moisture and oil, which stops them from being compostable or recyclable.

Plastic-free option: Bring reusable glass, stainless steel, or wooden plates. Perfect for picnics or camping!

4. Teabags

Most teabags contain plastic that releases billions of microplastic particles into your tea each time you brew. Microplastic is just a fancy word for very, very small pieces of plastic waste. So, when you drink tea, unfortunately, you’re drinking plastic with it.

Plastic-free options: Choose brands like Arbor Teas, Yogi Tea, Clipper Tea, Pukka Tea, or simply switch to loose-leaf tea.

5. Kitchen sponges

Most people don’t think about what their kitchen sponges are made of. I know because I never thought about it before starting my sustainable journey. But yes, conventional kitchen sponges are made with oil-based plastic. 

Alternatives: Wooden dish brushes, loofah sponges, Swedish dishcloths, and bamboo scrubbers are biodegradable and effective.

6. Toothpaste

Many toothpaste products include microbeads – tiny plastic particles harmful to the environment. A study found that more than half of all dental care products contain microplastics.  

Plastic-free options: Try Georganics, Good Organics, Davids Toothpaste, Weldental Chewtabs, or DIY toothpaste or toothpowder.

7. Glitter

Glitter might seem harmless, but it’s actually made from plastic and too small to be filtered from water. It ends up in oceans and wildlife – and it’s everywhere: cards, gift wrap, makeup, and decorations.

Alternative: Avoid glitter altogether by choosing reusable, plastic-free cards, gift wrap, and décor.

8. Water

This one may sound surprising, but research estimates that 80% of tap water is contaminated with microplastics due to plastic pollution breaking down into tiny particles.

Sustainable alternative: Use water filters like charcoal sticks or purifying bottles (e.g., Grayl) to reduce microplastic intake.

9. Receipts

This one is a little frustrating. You would think that receipts would be paper and you can recycle them, but that’s not the case. A study found that about 90% of receipts have a plastic lining on top of them. This plastic makes the receipts unrecyclable.

Tips: Opt for digital receipts, use self-checkout options to skip receipts, visit farmer’s market (often, no receipts are used there), shop less frequently, or shop where eco-friendly compostable receipts are offered.

Related post: Can You Recycle Receipts?

10. Clothes

Many clothes today are made with synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, and acrylic – all things made of plastic. Each wash releases tiny fibers that pollute waterways.

Sustainable alternative: Choose better fabrics, like organic cotton, linen, hemp. Shop second-hand, or from sustainable fashion brands, to reduce plastic fiber pollution.

11. Flushable wipes

Despite the name, many “flushable” wipes aren’t truly flushable – over 50% contain plastics. When flushed, they break down into microplastics that pollute our water systems.

Sustainable option: Use reusable cloth tissues like LastObject, bamboo or recycled toilet paper, or install a bidet to reduce paper use.

12. Produce stickers

Plastic stickers on fruit and vegetables are non-recyclable, often ending up in nature or oceans due to their small size.

Alternative: Buy from farmers’ markets where produce is usually sticker-free and often packed in recyclable containers.

13. Cigarette butts

Cigarette butts are the world’s most abundant form of plastic waste, with 4.5 trillion polluting the environment yearly.

Better alternative: If you smoke, dispose of butts properly to avoid plastic pollution.

14. Drink cans

Most aluminum cans have a plastic lining (sometimes containing BPA) to prevent corrosion and prevent aluminum from affecting the flavor.

Alternative: Choose drinks packaged in glass jars or reusable containers

15. Sea salt

Studies show that about 90% (1, 2) of salts worldwide contain microplastics – including sea salt. Ugh.

Plastic-free options: Brands like Jacobsen Salt and Only Salt guarantee plastic-free products. Look for local plastic-free salts too.

16. Glass jar lids

There are dozens of ways to reuse glass jars to reduce your waste. They’re eco-friendly and can be recycled endlessly.  But the lid of the glass jar often contains a plastic lining to help seal the jars, to prevent rusting or corrosion from acidic foods.

Plastic-free alternative: You can opt for glass jars with stainless steel or bamboo lids.

17. Makeup

Microplastics are common in makeup like mascara, lipstick, and powders, which means plastic particles end up on your skin and in the environment.

Plastic-free brands: Try Elate Cosmetics, River Organics, or other local small brands for safer choices.

18. Wrapping paper

Most wrapping paper contains plastic via glitter, lamination, or dyes, making it non-recyclable and wasteful.

Alternative: Use newspapers, plain brown paper, or fabric wraps like Furoshiki.

19. Sunscreen

About 72% of sunscreens contain microplastics, which improve waterproofing and texture but pollute the environment.

Plastic-free options: All Good, Badger, Raw Elements, Surf Durf, Suntribe, and Sol De Ibiza offer plastic-free sunscreens. Alternatively, DIY your sunscreen.

20. Laundry detergent pods

Laundry detergent pods are convenient, but unfortunately, they’re wrapped in plastic.  Not to mention the enormous plastic container they (usually) come in.

Sustainable options: Try laundry sheets from Kind Laundry or Tru Earth, stain bars from Ethique, zero waste powders from Nellie’s, or pods from Dropps with plastic-free packaging.

21. Tetra paks

Tetra Paks are cartons with plastic coatings that make recycling difficult, often used for boxed drinks like plant-based milks. I like making homemade nut milk, but sometimes, I can’t make it as creamy as the store-bought one. So, even though I try to reduce it, I’m far from perfect. 

Sustainable option: Choose glass-packaged drinks or make your plant-based milk at home using a nut milk maker.

22. Air

Wait, what? Microplastics quickly get everywhere with the wind. (1) When it is in the air, we breathe it. We also inhale it through water evaporation, car tire wear, and synthetic clothing.

While research is ongoing, inhaling these particles may irritate lung tissue and increase the risk of serious health issues — including lung cancer (1, 2, 3) 

Tips: Avoid single-use plastics, buy plastic-free or biodegradable items, avoid synthetic fabrics, and use laundry balls to catch microfibers.

Final thoughts

Shocking, right? Who would have thought something natural like air and water would contain plastic? 

I know this might seem like a lot, and almost impossible to ditch all of these things.  But remember that you don’t have to be perfect. 

There are lots of benefits of reducing plastic use and many ways. And slowly, by demanding and choosing more sustainable options, you encourage brands to cut back on plastic use.

Which of these surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments! 🙂