Let’s talk about laundry and the use of plastics.
Before plastic was regularly produced, laundry soap was provided as flakes of soap in a cardboard box. Laundry soap was introduced in liquid form and promoted as “improved” in the 1970s. Enzymes were added to break down proteins and remove stains. Liquid laundry soap has been provided in the US in large plastic jugs containing 60-90% water for about 50 years. (Outside the US, powdered laundry soap is still more prevalent.)
As consumers in the US become more conscious of plastic waste, more earth-friendly options are available, some in stores and some available online. Designed for use in cold water, these detergents are equal to liquid detergents in removing dirt and stains. These laundry soaps come in small water-soluble packets in cardboard boxes. All packaging can be recycled.