We've all heard of "road rage", but how about "wrap rage?"
That's what many of us go into when trying to open packages that are sealed in those hard plastic casings.
"I can't get that open," said Jared Hall of South Charleston. He was trying to open a TV remote sealed in a hard, plastic covering.
We'll likely be opening more of those type of packages during the holiday season.
"I've used knives and scissors on them," said Hall, referring to the packaging.
Just about everyone experiences similar frustrations.
"Oh, I've cut myself on them before, but I think everybody has," said Frederick Martin, of Charleston.
Walmart and Amazon feel that frustration and are prodding manufacturers to change their packaging to cut waste, lower shipping costs and alleviate this frustration called "wrap rage."
Some companies are responding.
But meanwhile, more than 800 pounds of packaging waste ends up in the nation's landfills each year, per consumer.
However, local efforts also are under way to recycle these type of plastics.
"We sell them to a company in Marietta, Ohio that manufactures things like this ... out of all kinds of different plastics. And what that is, that is what holds the guardrail to the post on the interstate," said Norm Steenstra, executive director of the Kanawha County Solid Waste Authority.
The organization ships out 800 to 1000 tons of plastic a year.
If your area has a recycling program, you can toss the hard plastic wrappings in with your plastic bottles.
If you don't have a recycling program, it ends up in the landfill.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and WOWK. All Rights Reserved.
