Most plastics pollute when they are disposed of, because most are virtually indestructible. Those plastic products which do break down leave micro-particles which cannot be absorbed by natural processes. Clothing based on polyester sheds microfibres into the sewers when washed. Cotton eventually breaks down in the environment when you have finished with it. However, the production of cotton thread is far from benign. The cotton plant is very thirsty and susceptible to insect infestation. Soviet Russia's attempt to create an import-replacement cotton industry indirectly resulted in the drying of the Aral Sea and pesticide pollution of the surrounding area. The manufacturing of cotton thread is energy-hungry, too.Paper production on a large scale also needs energy. Besides it can also be a major polluter, as this advice note to industry in Northern Ireland makes clear.
On balance, it is still better to use paper and cotton rather than plastic because if not reused they can be recycled either by man or by nature. However, they are not environmentally cost-free.
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