flagship course
Plastic Alternatives
Understand materials that can replace single-use plastic, how to test them honestly, and how to plan a small product switch.
about this course
What you will be able to do
- Understand Explain plastic types and the problem of waste.
- Apply Test an alternative for use and cost.
- Analyse Compare life-cycle impacts.
- Evaluate Judge claims such as biodegradable and compostable.
- Create Plan a product switch for a small business.
Task, condition and standard
Task
Choose one single-use plastic item, test two alternatives, compare cost and impact, and write a switch plan with customer message.
Condition
Samples of items, a scale and basic tools, a spreadsheet, two peers and a mentor. Safe, non-food-contact tests unless approved.
Standard
Tests are repeatable; claims are checked against recognised definitions; cost per use is shown; end-of-life route exists locally; peers rate Meets or better.
Who it is for: Shop owners, packaging buyers, students, municipal staff. Requirements: none. Materials: lesson text, worked examples, templates, rubric, quiz, tracker.
lesson by lesson
8 modules with worked examples
Module 1 The plastic waste problem and your baseline 3 hUnderstand
Single-use plastic is used for minutes and can last for centuries. Before you change anything, measure what you use.
- Single-use items such as bags, bottles, sachets, cutlery and cups make up a large share of litter.
- Microplastics from breakdown and from synthetic textiles enter water and food.
- Order of action: reduce, reuse, recycle, and only then replace.
- A switch that increases total impact is not an improvement.
Activity. Audit the plastic you or your business use for one week: list items, counts and weight.
Standard to meet. List has at least 15 items with counts, the top three are highlighted and a baseline weight is recorded.
Module 2 Plastic types, codes and what is really recycled 3 hUnderstand
Knowing the type tells you whether it can be recycled where you live.
- Resin codes 1 to 7 show the polymer type.
- PET (1) and HDPE (2) are widely collected; films, multilayer packs and black plastics are rarely recycled.
- Dirty or mixed plastic is hard to sort.
- Check what your local collectors actually accept.
Activity. Sort 10 items by code and local recyclability.
Standard to meet. Sort at least 9 correctly, and cite the local rule.
Module 3 Alternative materials and reuse systems 4 hUnderstand
Many options exist and each has trade-offs. Reuse often beats replacement.
- Paper and card, glass, metal, plant fibres, starch-based plastics and compostable blends.
- Refill and returnable systems cut waste most.
- Consider strength, moisture, heat, cost and local end-of-life facilities.
- Ask suppliers for data, not slogans.
Activity. Build an options table for one product with at least four options including a reuse option.
Standard to meet. Give each option pros, cons, cost and an end-of-life route.
Module 4 Testing alternatives 4 hApply
Test under real conditions before you switch.
- Tests: strength (load until failure), leak, heat, cold, shelf life and user trial.
- Repeat each test three times.
- Record failures with photos and cost per use.
- Test with real users.
Activity. Test two alternatives against your current item and record results.
Standard to meet. Build a table with repeated results and a conclusion.
Module 5 Life-cycle thinking 4 hAnalyse
Look at the whole life: raw material, making, transport, use and end of life.
- A reusable item wins after enough uses.
- Local conditions change results, for example electricity mix and recycling rates.
- State your boundaries and sources.
- Compare per use, not per piece.
Activity. Complete a simple life-cycle comparison for two options and calculate break-even uses.
Standard to meet. State the method and sources, and calculate the arithmetic correctly.
Module 6 Claims, labels and greenwashing 3 hEvaluate
Avoid being misled by green claims.
- Biodegradable and compostable are not the same thing.
- Compostable may need an industrial facility that your area lacks.
- Look for recognised standards and ask for test reports.
- Treat words such as eco and natural with caution.
Activity. Review three labels and score their claims.
Standard to meet. List the evidence needed for each review.
Module 7 Customers, cost and communication 3 hEvaluate
A switch must work for customers and the business.
- Cost per use, not per piece.
- Deposit or discount schemes.
- Explain simply and train staff.
- Track complaints and returns.
Activity. Cost your switch for one month and survey ten customers.
Standard to meet. Cost sheet and survey results are recorded.
Module 8 Switch plan and pilot 3 hCreate
Plan, pilot and review.
- Steps, dates, owners and measures.
- Pilot in one store or one product line.
- Set a numeric goal such as 50 per cent fewer single-use items in 90 days.
- Report results and decide to scale.
Activity. Present the plan with measures and a decision rule.
Standard to meet. Set numeric measures and fix the dates.
assessment
How you are checked
Your evidence: test sheet, comparison table, switch plan. Two peers and one mentor mark it with this rubric. Pass: no criterion at 'Not yet'.
| Criterion | Not yet | Meets | Exceeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Testing | One trial | Repeated | Repeated and analysed |
| Claims review | None | Done | Done with standards |
| Plan | Vague | Dated | Measured and piloted |
| Test results | Alternatives judged by looks | Both alternatives tested for strength, cost and use, with results tabled | Results include lifecycle claims checked against a public source |
| Waste and labelling rules | Material rules not checked | Bans, recycling streams and labels for the place are written down | Rules checked on the authority's page, dated, and a disposal route found |
Ten-question check, with model answers
Q1. Order of waste actions?
Model answer: Reduce, reuse, recycle. (Covered in module 1: The plastic waste problem and your baseline. To pass that module: List has at least 15 items with counts, the top three are highlighted and a baseline weight is recorded.)
Q2. Why microplastics matter?
Model answer: They enter food and water. (Covered in module 1: The plastic waste problem and your baseline. To pass that module: List has at least 15 items with counts, the top three are highlighted and a baseline weight is recorded.)
Q3. Compostable equals biodegradable?
Model answer: No. (Covered in module 6: Claims, labels and greenwashing. To pass that module: List the evidence needed for each review.)
Q4. Name a test.
Model answer: Strength, leak, heat or shelf life. (Covered in module 4: Testing alternatives. To pass that module: Build a table with repeated results and a conclusion.)
Q5. Life-cycle stages?
Model answer: Material, making, transport, use, end of life. (Covered in module 5: Life-cycle thinking. To pass that module: State the method and sources, and calculate the arithmetic correctly.)
Q6. Why cost per use?
Model answer: Reuse items spread cost. (Covered in module 7: Customers, cost and communication. To pass that module: Cost sheet and survey results are recorded.)
Q7. Name a label risk.
Model answer: Greenwashing. (Covered in module 6: Claims, labels and greenwashing. To pass that module: List the evidence needed for each review.)
Q8. Best first step?
Model answer: Reduce. (Covered in module 1: The plastic waste problem and your baseline. To pass that module: List has at least 15 items with counts, the top three are highlighted and a baseline weight is recorded.)
Q9. Why pilot?
Model answer: Test small first. (Covered in module 8: Switch plan and pilot. To pass that module: Set numeric measures and fix the dates.)
Q10. Why local end-of-life?
Model answer: Facilities differ. (Covered in module 3: Alternative materials and reuse systems. To pass that module: Give each option pros, cons, cost and an end-of-life route.)
levels L1 to L7
The ladder, slide by slide
Seven slides, one per level. Open each for the slide text and the speaker notes.
Slide 1 L1 Basic: The plastic waste problem and your baseline
L1: learner can name plastic problems. Focus module: The plastic waste problem and your baseline (Understand, 3 h). Single-use plastic is used for minutes and can last for centuries. Before you change anything, measure what you use. Key points: Single-use items such as bags, bottles, sachets, cutlery and cups make up a large share of litter. Microplastics from breakdown and from synthetic textiles enter water and food. Order of action: reduce, reuse, recycle, and only then replace. A switch that increases total impact is not an improvement.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A cafe counts 300 disposable cups a day. A returnable cup scheme with a deposit cuts that by 70 per cent in this example, more than a new compostable cup is likely to. Then set the activity: Audit the plastic you or your business use for one week: list items, counts and weight. Mark against the standard: List has at least 15 items with counts, the top three are highlighted and a baseline weight is recorded. Check at this level: Order of waste actions? Model answer: Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Slide 2 L2 Awareness: Plastic types, codes and what is really recycled
L2: learner knows reduce-reuse-recycle. Focus module: Plastic types, codes and what is really recycled (Understand, 3 h). Knowing the type tells you whether it can be recycled where you live. Key points: Resin codes 1 to 7 show the polymer type. PET (1) and HDPE (2) are widely collected; films, multilayer packs and black plastics are rarely recycled. Dirty or mixed plastic is hard to sort. Check what your local collectors actually accept.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. PET bottles are often collected and recycled; a chips packet made of multilayer film usually goes to landfill. The municipal website lists only codes 1 and 2 for kerbside pickup. Then set the activity: Sort 10 items by code and local recyclability. Mark against the standard: Sort at least 9 correctly, and cite the local rule. Check at this level: Why microplastics matter? Model answer: They enter food and water.
Slide 3 L3 Foundation: Alternative materials and reuse systems
L3: learner can test options. Focus module: Alternative materials and reuse systems (Understand, 4 h). Many options exist and each has trade-offs. Reuse often beats replacement. Key points: Paper and card, glass, metal, plant fibres, starch-based plastics and compostable blends. Refill and returnable systems cut waste most. Consider strength, moisture, heat, cost and local end-of-life facilities. Ask suppliers for data, not slogans.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A bakery tests paper bags, starch bags and reusable cloth bags. Paper works but costs more; a cloth bag discount scheme halves bag use. A refill station for detergent cuts bottle purchases by 80 per cent. Then set the activity: Build an options table for one product with at least four options including a reuse option. Mark against the standard: Give each option pros, cons, cost and an end-of-life route. Check at this level: Why local end-of-life? Model answer: Facilities differ.
Slide 4 L4 Practitioner: Testing alternatives
L4: learner can compare life cycles. Focus module: Testing alternatives (Apply, 4 h). Test under real conditions before you switch. Key points: Tests: strength (load until failure), leak, heat, cold, shelf life and user trial. Repeat each test three times. Record failures with photos and cost per use. Test with real users.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A paper cup with a thin lining leaks after 25 minutes with hot tea; a better-lined version lasts an hour. A starch bag tears at 3 kg while paper holds 5 kg. Then set the activity: Test two alternatives against your current item and record results. Mark against the standard: Build a table with repeated results and a conclusion. Check at this level: Name a test. Model answer: Strength, leak, heat or shelf life.
Slide 5 L5 Specialist: Life-cycle thinking
L5: learner can review claims. Focus module: Life-cycle thinking (Analyse, 4 h). Look at the whole life: raw material, making, transport, use and end of life. Key points: A reusable item wins after enough uses. Local conditions change results, for example electricity mix and recycling rates. State your boundaries and sources. Compare per use, not per piece.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. In an illustrative comparison, a glass jar needs roughly 12 uses to beat a plastic tub in emissions and a thicker reusable cup roughly 20; real break-even depends on local data. Then set the activity: Complete a simple life-cycle comparison for two options and calculate break-even uses. Mark against the standard: State the method and sources, and calculate the arithmetic correctly. Check at this level: Life-cycle stages? Model answer: Material, making, transport, use, end of life.
Slide 6 L6 Advanced: Customers, cost and communication
L6: learner can lead a switch. Focus module: Customers, cost and communication (Evaluate, 3 h). A switch must work for customers and the business. Key points: Cost per use, not per piece. Deposit or discount schemes. Explain simply and train staff. Track complaints and returns.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. A refill discount repays the container cost within 20 uses; eight of ten surveyed customers accept a 20 INR deposit on a cup. Then set the activity: Cost your switch for one month and survey ten customers. Mark against the standard: Cost sheet and survey results are recorded. Check at this level: Why cost per use? Model answer: Reuse items spread cost.
Slide 7 L7 Super expert: Switch plan and pilot
L7: learner can audit. Focus module: Switch plan and pilot (Create, 3 h). Plan, pilot and review. Key points: Steps, dates, owners and measures. Pilot in one store or one product line. Set a numeric goal such as 50 per cent fewer single-use items in 90 days. Report results and decide to scale.
Speaker notes. Teach: open with the worked example. Plastic bags fall by 70 per cent in one month with a returnable bag scheme; after 90 days the shop meets a 62 per cent reduction in all single-use items. Then set the activity: Present the plan with measures and a decision rule. Mark against the standard: Measures are numeric and dates are set. Check at this level: Why pilot? Model answer: Test small first.
jobs this leads to
Where this takes you
- Sustainable packaging assistant. Tests materials.
- Retail sustainability officer. Leads switches.
- Waste programme assistant. Runs collection.
- Procurement trainee. Buys alternatives.
- Refill service operator. Runs refills.
Next courses: water management, greenhouse gas auditing, biofuels.
ten locations and global
Your place
Packaging, food-contact and waste rules differ by place.
India (Bengaluru)
Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Write numbers in INR. Personal data rule: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Skills frame to name in your evidence: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework. Consumer rule: Consumer Protection Act 2019.
Netherlands (Eindhoven area)
Language: Dutch, English. Write numbers in EUR. Personal data rule: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework. Consumer rule: EU and Dutch consumer rules (14-day cooling-off for online sales).
UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
Language: Arabic, English. Write numbers in AED. Personal data rule: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Skills frame to name in your evidence: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Write numbers in BRL. Personal data rule: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Skills frame to name in your evidence: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies. Consumer rule: the Consumer Defence Code (CDC).
Canada (Toronto)
Language: English, French. Write numbers in CAD. Personal data rule: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
United States
Language: English, Spanish. Write numbers in USD. Personal data rule: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Skills frame to name in your evidence: state and community-college credit systems. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Singapore
Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Write numbers in SGD. Personal data rule: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Skills frame to name in your evidence: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Australia
Language: English. Write numbers in AUD. Personal data rule: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)
Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Write numbers in HKD. Personal data rule: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)
Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Write numbers in GEL or ILS. Personal data rule: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the national qualifications framework of that country. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Cayman Islands (Caribbean)
Language: English. Write numbers in KYD. Personal data rule: the Data Protection Act. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the local education and training framework. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Mexico
Language: Spanish, English. Write numbers in MXN. Personal data rule: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Skills frame to name in your evidence: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels. Consumer rule: local consumer-protection law.
Global
The global version uses plain English, metric units, and your own currency. Machine translation is available in every language; the English text is the official text. Before you act for real, check your local rules with an adviser. Currency: USD (or your own currency, written next to every number).
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Draft
Draft flagship. Written in our own words. Not live. Check local rules with an adviser before you act for real.