Chloe Zhang
Despite growing efforts by consumers, brands, and governments to curb and reduce plastic pollution, the amount of plastic that actually gets recycled remains low. While recycling infrastructure exists, not all plastics are accepted at recycling facilities, and the process of sorting plastic waste is costly and inefficient due to the incompatibility of different types of plastics. This has led to concerns about the recyclability of plastic and the effectiveness of the recycling system. So, how much plastic in recycling facilities gets recycled, and what happens to the rest?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of plastic waste that ends up in landfills | 49% |
| Percentage of plastic waste that is mismanaged or littered in nature | 22% |
| Percentage of plastic waste that is incinerated | 19% |
| Percentage of plastic waste recycled worldwide | 9% |
| Percentage of plastic waste recycled in the US | 5% |
| Percentage of plastic bottles collected for recycling that were turned into new things | 21% |
| Percentage of plastic waste that is recycled in the US that is PET bottles and jars | 29.1% |
| Percentage of plastic waste that is recycled in the US that is HDPE natural bottles | 29.3% |
| Percentage of plastic waste that is recycled in the US that is containers and packaging | 14.5 million tons |
| Percentage of plastic waste that is recycled in the US that is other categories | 21.2 million tons |
| Percentage of plastic waste that is recycled in the US that is polyethylene | 3 million tons |
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What You'll Learn
- Only 9% of the world's plastic is recycled
- Plastic waste mostly ends up in landfills, is incinerated, or pollutes nature
- Flexible packaging is convenient but difficult to recycle
- The US, the world's largest plastic polluter, recycles only 5% of household plastic waste
- Consumers are increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of plastic
Only 9% of the world's plastic is recycled
Plastic is cheap to make and profitable, and its production has grown dramatically in recent years. In fact, half of all plastics in existence have been produced in just the last two decades. According to a 2022 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 72% of plastic ends up in landfills or the environment, and only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled. The rest has been incinerated or has ended up in the ocean.
The recycling system is deeply flawed. Most plastics are incompatible, making sorting costly and inefficient. Only PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) are widely recycled. Plastic is also difficult to recycle due to contamination and complex composition. For example, multi-layered flexible packaging is convenient but incredibly challenging to recycle.
The economics of recycling are also an issue. Virgin plastic is often subsidized by fossil fuel subsidies and is cheaper than recycled plastic. This discourages the use of recycled materials. Additionally, there is a lack of infrastructure to support recycling. While there have been innovations in breaking down and recycling plastic, such as using enzymes or bacteria, these technologies are not yet widely implemented.
To address the plastic pollution crisis, systemic change is required. This includes policy interventions such as bans, fees, and taxes on single-use plastics, as well as incentives for recycling. It also involves redesigning products to use less plastic and be more easily reused or recycled. Finally, it requires a fundamental shift in our relationship with plastic, with a focus on reducing plastic consumption and increasing circularity.
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Plastic waste mostly ends up in landfills, is incinerated, or pollutes nature
Plastic is a highly durable material, with plastic additives making products stronger, more flexible, and long-lasting. While this is beneficial for certain applications, it becomes a problem when plastic ends up as waste. Plastic waste can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, causing significant harm to animals and potentially impacting human health. The issue of plastic waste is a pressing global environmental concern, with plastic pollution evident in both developed and developing nations.
A large proportion of plastic waste ends up in landfills. When plastic is disposed of in landfills, it can be blown away due to its lightweight nature, ending up in drains, rivers, and eventually the sea. Improper waste disposal, including illegal dumping, contributes significantly to the plastic pollution in our oceans. Plastic waste is also carried by wind and rainwater into waterways, where it can enter the ocean through rivers and streams. This plastic litter can clog drains and contribute to flooding, further exacerbating the problem.
Another significant issue is the incineration of plastic waste, which is often practiced in low- and middle-income countries where plastic is prevalent due to its affordability and availability. In Guatemala, for example, 71% of households burn waste as their primary disposal method. Burning plastic releases toxins such as microplastics, bisphenols, and phthalates, which can have detrimental effects on neurodevelopment, endocrine, and reproductive functions. These toxins contribute to air pollution and pose risks to public health, particularly in communities where open burning of waste is common.
Lastly, plastic waste also ends up polluting nature, including our oceans. Plastic trash is carried by rivers and ocean currents, spreading plastic pollution around the globe. Once at sea, plastic waste is broken down by sunlight, wind, and wave action into microplastics, which are then spread throughout the water column. These microplastics have been found in every corner of the planet, from Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench, and are even present in municipal drinking water systems and the air we breathe. The impact of microplastics on human health is an area of urgent scientific investigation.
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Flexible packaging is convenient but difficult to recycle
Flexible packaging is a versatile and lightweight packaging solution that is widely used for products ranging from food to medicines and vitamins. It is created through the use of flexible materials, which may include papers, plastics, films, and foils. The principal materials are paper, foil, and film, and it is their varying, multilayer combinations that make flexible packaging a challenge to recycle.
The multilayer structures of flexible packaging are designed to be difficult to separate, as this is what gives the packaging its functionality. For example, co-extruded and laminated structures rely on the combined contributions of their layers, and if these layers were easily separable, the structure would not be able to perform its purpose. However, this presents a challenge for recycling facilities, as the different layers of materials are often incompatible and have different melting points, making it difficult to process them together.
The presence of inks and adhesives on the packaging can also complicate or prevent effective mechanical recycling. Additionally, the types of ink and printing processes used in packaging can vary, reducing the efficiency of de-inking technologies even when they are available. Flexible packaging that incorporates film is also criticized because the film is sourced from non-renewable petroleum.
Despite these challenges, flexible packaging can still be recycled, and initiatives such as the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge are working to make it easier to recycle flexible plastics. It is important to note that approximately 50% of flexible packaging in the United States is recyclable, and there are over 18,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada that collect flexible packaging for recycling. To recycle flexible packaging, consumers need to separate it from other household recyclables and drop it off at specific locations.
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The US, the world's largest plastic polluter, recycles only 5% of household plastic waste
The United States, the world's largest plastic polluter, only recycles 5% of its household plastic waste. This is a shocking statistic, especially considering that US plastic waste generation was estimated at 73 million metric tons in 2019, corresponding to more than 220 kilograms per inhabitant. This was roughly five times the global average per capita. With plastic demand showing little sign of slowing down, US plastic waste generation is projected to surpass 140 million metric tons by 2060.
The US exports large volumes of plastic waste to other countries, with Canada and Mexico being the main destinations. However, this has become more difficult in recent years as China and many other Asian countries have restricted foreign waste imports. This has put further strain on the already struggling US recycling system. The recycling system itself is deeply flawed, with most plastics being incompatible, making sorting costly and inefficient. Only PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) are widely recycled.
The economics of recycling are also a factor. Virgin plastic is often subsidized by fossil fuel subsidies and is therefore cheaper than recycled plastic. This discourages the use of recycled materials. Additionally, the rise of flexible packaging, such as lightweight snack and food packets, has exacerbated the problem as these multi-layered packets are extremely difficult to recycle due to contamination and complex composition.
To address the plastic crisis, systemic change is required, including a fundamental shift in our relationship with plastic driven by policy and innovation. Bans, fees, taxes, and policies that encourage the use of less plastic and promote the design of products that are easier to reuse or recycle can help reduce plastic waste. While some recycling facilities are attempting to reprocess plastic, the numbers are low, and the majority of plastic ends up in landfills or, worse, being dumped into the ocean.
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Consumers are increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of plastic
The recycling system is deeply flawed. Most plastics are incompatible, making sorting costly and inefficient. Only PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) are widely recycled. The economics of recycling are also a challenge, as virgin plastic is often cheaper than recycled plastic due to fossil fuel subsidies. Flexible packaging, while convenient, is incredibly difficult to recycle due to contamination and complex composition.
To address the global plastic crisis, a fundamental shift in our relationship with plastic is needed, driven by policy and innovation. Research shows that bans, fees, taxes, and bottle bills can greatly reduce plastic waste. Additionally, redesigning products to use less plastic and be more easily reused or recycled is critical.
There is also a need to improve the recycling process. One promising technique can process polypropylene and polyethylene into propane. Another process can break down mixtures of common consumer plastics and reform them into bioplastic using an engineered soil bacterium. While these advancements show potential, the current usage of plastic is not sustainable. Plastic pollution affects vulnerable communities and wildlife first, and it is accumulating in natural habitats, including an enormous floating mass in the Pacific Ocean.
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Frequently asked questions
Scientists believe that just 9% of the world's plastic is recycled. The United States, the world's largest plastic polluter, recycles only 5% of its household plastic waste.
There are several reasons why recycling levels are so low. For instance, some plastics cannot be recycled due to their composition, and local infrastructure prevents certain materials from being recycled properly. Sorting plastic is costly and inefficient, and even if the material is easy to recycle, most of it won't be.
According to the OECD, around 49% of plastic waste ends up in landfills, 22% is mismanaged or littered in nature, and 19% is incinerated.
