Recycled Plastic: Degradation And Value Loss

Plastic is a valuable resource, but it is often not recycled effectively. In 2019, only 9% of global plastic waste was recycled, with the vast majority being sent to landfill or incinerated. This is despite the fact that recycling is widely promoted as an effective way to prevent pollution and help the environment. The problem is getting worse, with plastic production set to triple by 2050. A circular economy for plastics, in which plastic is reused and maintains its material value, could help to reduce the volume of plastic waste.

The vast majority of plastic is thrown away instead of being recycled

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that about 9% of all plastic waste was successfully recycled in 2018. However, Greenpeace found that no plastic meets the threshold to be called "recyclable" according to standards set by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation New Plastic Economy Initiative, which requires a recycling rate of 30%.

The problem is getting worse, with the industry planning to triple plastic production by 2050. However, a circular economy for plastics could result in an 80% reduction in the volume of plastics entering oceans each year, a 25% reduction in GHG emissions, savings of $200 billion per year, and the creation of 700,000 additional jobs by 2040. Redesigning products to increase recyclability can help increase plastic circularity, such as using thermoplastic resin in wind turbine blades to make them recyclable. Policy instruments can also help reduce plastic packaging pollution and increase recycling rates, including command-and-control policies and market-based policies.

Only 5-9% of plastic is recycled

The problem is getting worse, with the industry planning to triple plastic production by 2050. A circular economy for plastics, in which plastic remains in service and maintains its material value, could help to reduce the volume of plastics entering the oceans each year. Redesigning products to increase recyclability can also help to increase plastic circularity. For example, using thermoplastic resin as opposed to thermoset resin in wind turbine blades can make them recyclable. Policy instruments that can reduce plastic packaging pollution and increase plastic recycling rates include command-and-control policies and market-based policies.

Plastic must have a recycling rate of 30% to be considered recyclable

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation New Plastic Economy Initiative sets the standards for recyclability, and no plastic has ever been recycled and reused at a rate of 30%. This is despite the fact that a circular economy for plastics, in which plastic maintains its material value, could result in an 80% reduction in the volume of plastics entering oceans each year, a 25% reduction in GHG emissions, savings of $200 billion per year, and the creation of 700,000 additional jobs.

The low recycling rate of plastic is due in part to the fact that the vast majority of plastics don't get collected for recycling and are thrown away instead. In the US, only 5% of plastic waste was recycled in 2019, with 86% going to landfill. Rapidly developing middle-income countries in Asia, which often have inadequate collection systems, are responsible for an estimated 80% of global leakage.

To increase plastic recycling rates, policy instruments such as command-and-control policies (e.g. take-back mandates, landfill/disposal bans) and market-based policies (e.g. advanced disposal fees, deposit-refund systems) can be implemented. Redesigning products to increase recyclability, such as using thermoplastic resin instead of thermoset resin in wind turbine blades, can also help.

The flow of plastic into the ocean is projected to nearly triple by 2040

Plastic is inherently problematic within the recycling industry. Even highly-recyclable plastics will degrade in quality over time, with processing limits of just two to three cycles before they are no longer usable. The low value of scrap and high costs of recycling, coupled with low oil prices, means that recycling plastic now costs more than manufacturing virgin plastic.

The problem of plastic pollution is getting worse. More plastic is being produced, and an even smaller percentage of it is being recycled. Humans have created around 11 billion metric tons of plastic, which surpasses the biomass of all animals, both terrestrial and marine. Most reports reveal that recycling rates in some parts of the world have largely plateaued in recent years, despite plastic production continuing to increase. More than 98% of single-use plastic is still made from fossil fuels, and manufacturing adds to global emissions. Plastic manufacturing contributes to 3.4% of global emissions (1.8 billion tons of greenhouse gases), which is more than what the aviation and shipping industries emit.

Policy instruments can reduce plastic packaging pollution and increase recycling rates

To reduce plastic packaging pollution and increase recycling rates, policy instruments such as command-and-control policies and market-based policies can be implemented. Command-and-control policies include take-back mandates, landfill/disposal bans, product/material bans, and recycled content standards. Market-based policies include advanced disposal fees, deposit-refund systems, pay-as-you-throw programs, product taxes, and virgin resin taxes.

A circular economy for plastics is one in which plastic remains in service and maintains its material value. By 2040, a circular economy could result in an 80% reduction in the volume of plastics entering oceans each year, a 25% reduction in GHG emissions, savings of $200 billion per year, and the creation of 700,000 additional jobs. Redesigning products to increase recyclability can help increase plastic circularity. For example, using thermoplastic resin instead of thermoset resin in wind turbine blades can make them recyclable.

However, it is important to note that even with these policy instruments, the recycling rate for plastic is still low. Greenpeace found that no plastic meets the threshold to be called "recyclable" according to standards set by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation New Plastic Economy Initiative, which requires a recycling rate of 30% or more. The crisis is getting worse, with the industry planning to triple plastic production by 2050.

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