Governments worldwide claim to protect consumers and the environment, yet greenwashing scandals reveal a different reality. So-called plastic-free, eco-friendly detergents often contain Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), a synthetic plastic linked to microplastics and water pollution. Weak regulation, misleading packaging, and slow political action are eroding public trust, environmental protection, and consumer rights globally.
This morning it was time for me to relax a bit, I can of course do this in different ways, but today I chose to catch up on some recorded television programs. One of the programs on Dutch television that I like to watch is the program: "De Keuringsdienst van waarde." This is a program that dares to look with a critical eye at what the various manufacturers dare to tell us about their products through their marketing messages, and what governments all over the world cannot, or do not want to stop.
Consumer Protection Laws Worldwide: Are Governments Really Protecting Citizens from Corporate Misconduct?
In the Netherlands we have seen for years that fewer and fewer people vote, with the greatest possible probable cause being distrust in politics, but is this actually justified, and how can you determine that? Logically, I always say: "check, check and double check, in other words: "don't take everything you hear on television or other media directly as truth but keep the necessary doubt and scepticism with all those expressions, and check everything where possible." Unfortunately, I also have to remember again and again that this is taught at a higher and academic level, but the "ordinary" citizen, often has to figure it out for himself, do you also recognize this in your own country of origin?
Truth in Advertising and Product Label Transparency: Why Honest Packaging Matters for Consumers.
I myself have also been quite a government confidant, I was once so naïve to think that the government would protect us. I always thought: "The government is quite big and powerful, who dares to stand up to that?" But slowly but surely the "curtains" have opened in front of my eyes. More and more often I am becoming aware that the official mills turn much slower than "we" as average people think. More and more often, I too am losing confidence in the government. On top of that, the politicians continue to tell us that citizens must take more responsibility. But are those citizens then able to cope with big capital?
Public Trust in Politics and Government Accountability: Why Voter Confidence Is Declining Globally
A few months ago, I wrote my story and thoughts about the economic developments in the world, and why the environment may not need or should be defended. I also wrote that in all probability we are missing a war in our current history. A war as a source of renewal, although of course it is not to be hoped. But this morning I was really shocked again about what I saw in the television program: "The Inspection Service of Value". There was a critical look at the packaging and the content of more and more so-called detergents without plastic that are coming onto the market. You probably know them from your own country, the cardboard boxes with those laundry strips on which it is stated in large letters that they are better for the environment than all other detergents. Not only the packaging, but also the "sheets" of detergent would contain absolutely no plastic.
Are you familiar with the substance Polyvinyl alcohol?
After it turns out that it is only now that many consumers do not read the small texts on many packages well, and as my mother always said: "if you don't know, or don't know something, then you have to ask, after all, asking makes you wiser." On the packaging of these detergents, it is always stated as an advertising text: "this product does not contain plastic, it is very environmentally friendly, much better than all similar products." However, in small print on the same packaging, it says: "This product contains Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and this is another name for, you guessed it: "plastic!"
What Is Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)? Understanding the Plastic Used in “Plastic-Free” Products
As mentioned earlier, this is just proven plastic. In the eyes of some, and this makes it complex, it is a product that dissolves in water and is "potentially" biodegradable. Which makes this fabric better than traditional plastic in the eyes of many. It would contain fewer microplastics. However, what is too often not mentioned is the fact that this substance does not always break down completely in the environment, so it can still remain a microplastic concern, especially since this product is so often used as a detergent. And of course, I have to mention that our very wealthy manufacturers are working on this, but why is this not on the current packaging?
Greenwashing in Eco-Friendly Products: The Hidden Truth Behind Plastic-Free Detergents
Polyvinyl alcohol is just plastic, and this doesn't just decompose under normal conditions. To the "naked eye" they disappear because they are supposedly completely soluble, but in reality, they are still visible under the microscope. They only decompose at a higher temperature, but do you always wash all your good clothes in the boil wash? And did you know that the substance Polyvinyl alcohol also occurs in our drinking water, simply because our water purifiers never reach the required temperature at which this substance dissolves! Yes, another nice story, but do you still have faith in all those overpaid and overfed civil servants? It looks a lot like the stories that resemble those of the fat bikes, more and more deaths and injuries in traffic, but the legislation just doesn't come, what is our lives w
