* Materials & Energy Missing *
Jonathan Lopez-Pineda
Professor Christina Cogdell
Energy, Materials, & Design Across Time
March 16th, 2023
Waste in the Production of Dildos
Sex toys have been around as early as 28,000 years ago seen first in the form of stone and dried camels. Though, with time, the creation and use of dildos have advanced. Now, they are often made with little regulations and are made from plastics, silicone, and other materials that can be harmful towards the environment. This leads to pollution and leads to hurting our environment more than it already is. Sex toys are one of the many ways adults choose to pleasure themselves. Both women and men participate in this activity. With the power of social media and influencers, sexy toys have become more common, normalized, and accepted among society. However, this can have harmful effects on the environment. Dildo production and use leads to waste and improper disposal of these products. Oftentimes, when people have finished using their dildos, they throw them away to avoid recycling considering the sanitation of the product. Sex toy pollution, specifically electronic dildos, are creating a dent into the environment when they are created with harmful waste products. The creation of dildos ends in the use of silicone, copper, elastomer, water, paint, plastic packaging. If we understand alternative ways to dispose of dildos and create more environmentally friendly based dildos, then we can continue to embrace the practice of self pleasure using sex toys while keeping the environment clean.
Dildos are oftentimes made from plastic materials. Considering the golden rule that anything plastic is a risk for our environment, the materials used for dildos create an issue. In fact, during the production to create the plastic material for dildos, carbon emissions are released into the atmosphere. Fossil fuels pose a great risk to our planet, they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and lead to impactful effects such as climate change. In addition, it adds to pollution in the air. Then, once the dildo is thrown away, the plastic material goes back into the environment adding onto the build up of plastic waste in landfills. A waste material that is seen in the plastic materials of dildos is petroleum. Not only is this bad for our planet, it can also be harmful towards our bodies. Rubber can also be difficult to sterilize and becomes a biohazard making it difficult to recycle. In addition, the plastics from the dildos may not be biodegradable, taking years past one's lifetime for it to fully degrade. The overall consequences of this waste is met by the health and quality of our ecosystems.
Plastic waste is not the only waste issue seen in the production of dildos. Chemical waste arises as well. One is known as phthalates, this is a key toxin in the creation of dildos. Since dildos are made soft to create a pleasurable and realistic experience, phthalates are added to the plastic which helps create this soft effect. There is little regulation that goes into the creation of dildos. Though the electronic components are masked with requirements and regulations that must be followed, the outer shell and mold of the dildo is often left without much consideration to what harm certain materials can have on our bodies and our environment. Considering the use of phthalates in dildos, companies do not have a care for the effects that lead on after disposal of dildos. For example, when the chemical, phthalates, is not regulated, it can harm the soil or water of the environment. This is something overlooked in the production of dildos, the goal for many companies is to produce as many as they can. This is a 15 billion dollar industry which needs to be met every year.
In order to create dildos and meet the demands of humans all over the world, manufacturing of this product is a challenge that is met with many difficulties in the sustainability department. Creating these dildos in factories tends to use up a lot of energy. As with most factories, energy which is being used for production is often from non-renewable sources. The final steps of creating a dildo usually lead with the packaging. This is often where most of the waste is seen. There is an abundance of waste within the plastic packaging exceeding the size and shape of the product. In addition, there is the shipment packaging that is required in order to transport the products to customers and stores. When the materials used to ship and package the dildos are not recycled or disposed of properly, an increased risk of carbon emissions are added to the overall process of producing a dildo.
Recycling a dildo is really hard. Companies leave this task up to the customer without offering much help. When the customer is uninformed about the ways to recycle a product they purchase, they will just throw it away. In America, recycling a dildo compared to other plastic products seems almost impossible. There may be some luck for customers of stainless steel dildos, but the majority of the dildos in the market are made of plastic. Though, there is still hope! Most modern dildos usually come with electronic components. This is something that can be recycled. Though, considering the thickness of the materials and how the dildos are manufactured, retrieving the electronic components may seem like an almost impossible task. Due to this, most of the motors in the dildos are thrown away, creating more waste for materials that could have been reused for new toys.
Companies are often the ones to blame for the issue of dildo disposal. In America, there is no initiative to recycle dildos and other sex toys alike when they are done being used. Shame may be another indicator for people not wanting to recycle their dildos and repurpose them in a public way. However, dildos must be recycled in order to create a sustainable future. Consumers are able to make the environmentally conscious choice to support dildos made from environmentally friendly materials that are safe for their body and the planet. In addition, investing in dildos of high quality that are meant to last longer will help reduce the need to throw away your dildo and purchase a new one. In hopes that consumers take these actions into consideration, companies may begin to take on an initiative of their own to reduce their impact on the environment.
Nonetheless, there have already been initiatives to reduce the waste of dildos and their materials in the environment. Dildos are made of many types produced in many different forms of materials such as rubber. Rubber, which is hard to sterilize and can also be hazardous and unsanitary to reuse. Though, with vibrating dildos, there are electronic counterparts that can be reused! Thanks to “Come As You Are” a sex shop based in Canada, we are able to see a more foreseeable future with sex toys impacting less on environmental issues. They have created the first recycling program for dildos in Canada. Though not seen in parts of America, there is hope for the future of dildos after all. There are also companies that have been inspired by the movement for sustainability. According to the company “We-Vibe” they have taken the initiative to create longer lasting sex toys. In fact, they have introduced a rechargeable feature to their products. With this, they hope that more of their consumers will learn to appreciate their dildo and reuse it multiple times rather than having to purchase a new one. “Come As You Are” has been one of the only companies that has launched a recycling program for sex toys. Though, given the results they have had, more companies may soon be able to initiate a similar program. This may be seen as cost effective for companies introducing vibrating motors into their products as they will be able to reuse those motors for their new products and not only save money but also the planet.
Dildos are enjoyable for many and will continue to be a popular item to use for sexual pleasure. The industry is worth 15 billion dollars a year and is expected to increase every year. The popularity of dildos brings an environmental concern of whether they are being disposed of properly and if they are being created with safe materials that avoid waste. In order to combat these issues, many of the consumers must make a conscious effort to either recycle their dildos or engage in buying long lasting dildos. To prevent waste of plastic and harmful chemicals, consumers are able to purchase glass dildos and stainless steel dildos. It must also be said that companies who make these dildos should also be held accountable for the effort they have made to create a sustainable industry of sex toys. Using harmful materials in the production of diloss leads to waste in the environment that can have leading impacts of climate change and carbon emissions. The solutions have already been found by companies in other countries such as Canada. Though, the efforts to follow in those footsteps of sustainability and recycling have not been seen in companies here in America. There are required actions that are unmet in the industry in order to prevent more waste. Sustainability has been overlooked and the environment is facing the consequences. When sex toys are not recycled they are filling up landfills. This leads to the degradation of our planet and poses a risk for ecosystems and humans alike. Moving forward, companies should use biodegradable materials for their dildo production. In addition, they should create healthier disposal practices that encourage consumers to recycle their dildos. When people are more informed on the ways to recycle their dildos, a decrease in pollution and harmful environmental impacts can be seen for the future of dildos and sex toys overall.
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