Plastic Pollution: Landfills And The Plastic Crisis

Plastic pollution is a pressing issue, with an estimated 86% of plastic waste ending up in landfills. In 2019, the United States sent an average of $7.2 billion worth of plastic to landfill, and if current trends continue, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills by 2050. This plastic waste not only has a significant environmental impact but also represents a substantial waste of energy and money.

The environmental impact of plastic in landfills

Plastic waste is a significant environmental issue. In 2019, the United States sent an average of $7.2 billion worth of plastic to landfill. This is a huge amount of money, but it doesn't consider the environmental price of plastic pollution.

In 2018, landfills received 27 million tons of plastic, which was 18.5% of all MSW landfilled. If present trends continue, by 2050, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills. This is an enormous amount, equivalent to 35,000 times the weight of the Empire State Building.

Some types of plastic are separated and recycled, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), used to make soda bottles, and high-density polyethylene, used for milk jugs and shampoo bottles. However, these still represent a significant percentage of plastics found in landfills. Developing new recycling techniques for plastics would create incentives for a circular economy, where what was once discarded would be reused instead of virgin plastics. A circular economy of plastics could save big bucks, anywhere between $4.5 billion and $9.9 billion.

The cost of plastic in landfills

Plastic waste is a significant issue for landfills, with an estimated 86% of plastic waste being landfilled in 2019. In the US, this equated to an average of $7.2 billion worth of plastic being sent to landfill.

The environmental cost of plastic pollution is also significant. If present trends continue, by 2050 there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills, which is 35,000 times as heavy as the Empire State Building.

Developing new recycling techniques for plastics would create incentives for a circular economy, where what was once discarded would be reused instead of virgin plastics. This could save big bucks, anywhere between $4.5 billion and $9.9 billion.

The amount of plastic in landfills

Plastic waste is a significant issue, with a large amount of plastic ending up in landfills. In 2019, the United States sent an estimated US$7.2 billion worth of plastic to landfill, with only 5% of plastic being recycled and 86% being landfilled. This figure has a substantial environmental and economic impact, with the costs of plastic pollution and the energy used to manufacture and process the material being significant.

In 2018, landfills received 27 million tons of plastic, which was 18.5% of all MSW landfilled. This figure is expected to increase, with predictions stating that by 2050, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills. This amount is 35,000 times as heavy as the Empire State Building.

The issue of plastic waste is not just an environmental one, but also a waste management and land use issue. As landfills close in many areas, the question of what to do with plastic waste becomes more pressing. Leaving plastic in landfills wastes money and energy, with the DOE analysis finding that plastic waste made up around 12% of the entire industrial sector's energy consumption in the US in 2019.

Developing new recycling techniques for plastics could help to create a circular economy, where discarded plastic is reused instead of virgin plastics. This could also help to reduce the amount of plastic ending up in landfills, as well as creating incentives for a more sustainable approach to plastic waste management.

The percentage of plastic that is recycled

In 2019, the United States sent an average of $7.2 billion worth of plastic to landfill. This was 18.5% of all MSW landfilled. However, only 5% of plastic was recycled that year.

Some types of plastic are separated and recycled, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), used to make soda bottles, and high-density polyethylene, used for milk jugs and shampoo bottles. However, these still represent a significant percentage of plastics found in landfills.

The market value of landfilled plastic ranges from $4.5 billion to $9.9 billion, or $7.2 billion on average. The embodied energy in the waste plastic—an indicator of how much energy it took to manufacture the materials—equates to about 12% of the country’s energy consumption by the industrial sector.

If present trends continue, by 2050, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills. This is 35,000 times as heavy as the Empire State Building.

The market value of landfilled plastic

The high market value of landfilled plastic highlights the economic benefits of developing new recycling techniques and creating a circular economy for plastics. By reusing and recycling plastic waste, significant cost savings can be achieved in the long run. Additionally, reducing plastic waste in landfills can help address environmental concerns and land use issues.

In 2018, landfills received 27 million tons of plastic, which accounted for 18.5% of all MSW landfilled. If present trends continue, it is estimated that by 2050, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills. This massive accumulation of plastic waste underscores the urgency of improving plastic waste management and recycling practices.

Some types of plastic are already being separated and recycled, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene. However, these still represent a significant percentage of plastics found in landfills. By investing in research and development for more efficient recycling technologies, we can reduce the amount of valuable plastic waste ending up in landfills and harness its market value through reuse and recycling.

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