Recycling Efforts: How Much Plastic Really Gets Recycled?

Plastic pollution is a pressing global issue. Despite the fact that many of us consider plastic recycling to be an important step towards lowering our ecological footprint, only around 9% of the world's plastic is recycled. The remaining plastic waste is incinerated, sent to landfill, or leaked into rivers, lakes and oceans. With plastic production set to triple globally by 2060, it is crucial that we improve our waste management strategies and look for immediate solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.

Why most plastic can't be recycled

Only around 9% of the world's plastic is recycled. Half of the world's plastic goes straight to landfill, and another fifth is mismanaged, meaning it is not recycled, incinerated, or kept in sealed landfills. This puts it at risk of being leaked into rivers, lakes, and the ocean.

The lightweight packets that keep food and snacks like chips or chocolate bars fresh, known as flexible packaging, are used to wrap around 215 billion products in the UK alone. They constitute around 40% of the world's plastic packaging. However, only around five European countries are currently attempting to recycle these packets, and in the US, flexible packaging made up only 2% of residential recycling in 2020. When not ending up in landfill or burnt, the packaging is easily lost or discarded in the environment.

The raw material created from recycled plastic can't currently compete with virgin oil or gas-based plastic. With plastic production set to triple globally by 2060, plastics made primarily from oil or gas are a growing source of the carbon pollution fuelling climate change. Promises by major plastics producers like Nestle and Danone to promote recycling and include more recycled plastic in their containers have been mostly broken.

Improving waste management strategies is crucial to ending plastic pollution. It is a solvable problem, and making a difference here would do much more to reduce plastic pollution than even considerably reducing plastic production.

Plastic waste management strategies

One strategy is to improve waste management infrastructure, particularly in regions where incineration is high, such as Europe, and in the United States, where three-quarters of plastics go to landfills. This could include investing in more recycling facilities and promoting recycling initiatives, such as deposit return schemes for plastic bottles.

Another strategy is to focus on reducing plastic production, particularly plastics made from oil or gas, which are a significant source of carbon pollution. This could involve encouraging the use of alternative materials or promoting reusable products to reduce the demand for single-use plastics.

Additionally, there is a need to address the issue of flexible packaging, which constitutes around 40% of the world's plastic packaging. This type of packaging is challenging to recycle, and only a handful of countries are currently attempting to do so. Increasing efforts to recycle flexible packaging or promoting more sustainable alternatives could significantly reduce plastic waste.

Finally, education and awareness campaigns can play a vital role in encouraging individuals to reduce their plastic consumption, recycle properly, and dispose of waste responsibly. This includes understanding the importance of keeping plastics out of landfills and oceans and the potential environmental impact of plastic pollution.

Plastic packaging

Only around 9% of the world's plastic is recycled, with the rest going to landfill, being incinerated, or ending up in the ocean. Plastic packaging is a major contributor to this problem, with lightweight, multi-layered single-use packets making up around 40% of the world's plastic packaging. These packets are used to wrap around 215 billion products in the UK alone and are often not recycled, ending up in landfill or burnt. In the US, flexible packaging made up only 2% of residential recycling in 2020.

The low rate of plastic recycling is due in part to the fact that the raw material created from recycled plastic cannot currently compete with virgin oil or gas-based plastic. Additionally, the plastics lobby and supermarkets in countries from Austria to Spain have been known to lobby against deposit return schemes that include plastic bottles.

With plastic production set to triple globally by 2060, it is crucial to improve waste management strategies and promote recycling to reduce plastic pollution. While reducing plastic production is important, improving waste management would do more to reduce plastic pollution than even considerably reducing plastic production.

Plastic recycling capacity

The low rate of recycling is due to a number of factors. Firstly, the raw material created from recycled plastic cannot currently compete with virgin oil or gas-based plastic. Secondly, flexible packaging, which makes up around 40% of the world's plastic packaging, is difficult to recycle and is often not accepted by recycling plants. In the US, flexible packaging made up only 2% of residential recycling in 2020. Thirdly, plastic recycling is not a priority for many countries and companies. For example, only five European countries are currently attempting to recycle flexible packaging, and major plastics producers like Nestle and Danone have broken promises to promote recycling and include more recycled plastic in their containers. Finally, waste management strategies vary greatly between regions, with incineration being high in Europe, while three-quarters of plastics in the United States go to landfills.

Plastic pollution

The low recycling rate of plastic is concerning, given that plastic production is projected to triple globally by 2060. This will lead to a significant increase in plastic waste, exacerbating the pollution problem. Additionally, the lightweight, flexible packaging that keeps our food and snacks fresh constitutes around 40% of the world's plastic packaging. These single-use packets are easily lost or discarded, contributing to the plastic pollution crisis.

The impact of plastic pollution is far-reaching and detrimental to our planet. When plastic waste is not properly managed, it ends up in our oceans and other water bodies, severely impacting marine life. It also contributes to carbon pollution, fuelling climate change. Despite promises by major plastic producers to promote recycling and include more recycled plastic in their containers, these commitments have largely been unfulfilled.

To combat plastic pollution effectively, a multifaceted approach is necessary. Firstly, improving waste management strategies is crucial. This includes ensuring that plastic waste is recycled, incinerated, or disposed of in sealed landfills to prevent it from leaking into natural environments. Secondly, reducing plastic production and promoting sustainable alternatives are essential steps. By addressing these issues, we can make significant progress in mitigating the plastic pollution crisis and protecting our planet for future generations.

While recycling is an important part of the solution, our current recycling capacity is insufficient to handle the volume and variety of plastic waste we generate. Therefore, it is imperative to explore more immediate solutions, such as improving waste management practices and advocating for policy changes that hold plastic producers accountable for their environmental impact. By taking collective action and implementing sustainable practices, we can reduce plastic pollution and create a greener and more resilient future.

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