The Recycling Reality: Plastic's Impact And Our Future

Plastic recycling rates vary widely depending on the industry and type of plastic in question, making it difficult to find accurate information on how much plastic is recycled globally. While most plastics are theoretically recyclable, only a small percentage is actually recycled due to the complex nature of the process. For instance, in the United States, the world's biggest plastic polluter, only around 5% of over 50 million tons of plastic waste produced by households in 2021 was recycled, according to Greenpeace. Similarly, the National Association for PET Container Resources found that only 21% of the plastic bottles collected for recycling were turned into new products in 2017. Overall, the recycling of plastic waste remains relatively low, with some reports estimating a global recycling rate of just 9%.

Plastic recycling rates vary widely depending on the industry and type of plastic

The low recycling rates of plastic are due to several factors. Firstly, the complex nature of the recycling process makes it challenging to recycle certain types of plastics. Different plastics have varying recyclability, and some plastics cannot be recycled due to their composition. For example, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), commonly used for drinks bottles, is one of the more recyclable plastics. However, its recycling rates fall short in many countries due to issues with collection. On the other hand, harder plastics numbered 3-7 have a smaller market for recycling as the value of the raw material is lower than the cost of recycling.

The cost of recycling plastic is another significant factor contributing to low recycling rates. Recycling plastic is labour-intensive and requires sorting, collection, processing, and transportation, all of which add to the overall cost. Additionally, the process of cleaning and melting plastics consumes energy, further increasing expenses. In many cases, throwing plastic away is more cost-effective for brands than managing its recycling.

Furthermore, the lack of standardisation and education challenges also hinder plastic recycling efforts. The varying methods of measuring recycling rates, such as per capita or by weight, make it difficult to accurately compare recycling rates between regions. Additionally, greenwashing by oil companies and plastic manufacturers, who overstate the recyclable properties of their products, contributes to the confusion surrounding plastic recycling.

The limitations of plastic recycling have led to a growing demand for alternatives, especially in industries like construction, which have a record of using hard-to-recycle plastics. The focus is now shifting towards phasing out plastics in favour of genuinely recyclable materials, such as paper bags and glass bottles, to address the plastic pollution crisis.

Plastic recycling is not economically viable compared to producing new plastic

Plastic recycling is a complex process, and despite technological advancements, it often falls short due to economic inviability. The process is costly and labour-intensive, involving sorting, collection, processing, and transportation. The high cost of recycling is a significant challenge, with estimates suggesting that sorting and recycling one ton of curbside recycling can cost up to $120, while disposing of waste in a landfill is significantly cheaper at around $60 per ton. This cost discrepancy makes it more financially viable for brands to discard plastic packaging rather than recycle it.

The low cost of raw materials and the affordability of plastic further contribute to the issue. Additionally, the price of oil, which is used to produce plastic, remains low, making it more economically advantageous for manufacturers to produce new plastic rather than recycle waste products. This is exacerbated by the fact that plastic recycling often results in a loss of quality, limiting the number of times plastic can be recycled before it becomes unusable.

The variety of plastic types also poses a challenge. There are hundreds of different kinds of plastics, each with unique chemical structures and recycling properties. This complexity increases the difficulty and cost of sorting and processing, as different plastics cannot be recycled together. The resin identification codes introduced by many countries to indicate recyclable plastic products have been criticised for being misleading, suggesting that all plastic can be recycled when this is not the case.

Furthermore, the recycling infrastructure itself faces challenges. The process of recycling requires robust sorting systems and additional processes like cleaning and melting plastics, all of which incur extra costs. The decline in oil prices since 2015 has further impacted the profitability of the plastic recycling industry. Additionally, China's decision to stop importing recyclable waste in 2018, followed by other countries, has negatively affected the demand for recycled materials and the health of the recycling infrastructure.

The economic challenges of plastic recycling have been recognised for decades, and despite efforts to improve the situation, the problem persists. The focus on recycling as a solution to plastic pollution has been criticised as a means to justify the continued use of plastic rather than a genuine effort to address the issue. To truly combat plastic pollution, attention must turn to phasing out plastics in favour of genuinely recyclable materials and developing alternatives to mechanical recycling.

Plastic resin from recycled material is undercut by cheaper prime material

The plastic recycling process involves shredding waste plastic and melting it down into a liquid state. This process reduces the quality of the recycled product and can only be performed a few times before the plastic becomes unusable. The recycled plastic is then processed and remade into post-consumer resin (PCR), which is used to create new products. While recycling has been proposed as a solution to the growing plastic pollution problem, the plastic industry has been accused of greenwashing, or overstating the recyclable properties of their products.

Despite new regulations and advances in technology, recycling is often not economically viable compared to producing new plastic. The cost of sorting, collecting, processing, and transporting plastic waste adds up, making it more expensive to recycle than to produce new plastic. This is further exacerbated by the low cost of raw materials and the affordable price of plastic, which make it cheaper to dispose of plastic waste in landfills.

The market for recycled plastics is also limited by the competition from cheaper prime or virgin material. Prime resin is the choicest cut of plastic resin, sold by major petrochemical companies through their direct sales force or "prime" distributors. The price of virgin plastic is influenced by fluctuating oil and gas prices, which are often subsidized, making it difficult for recycled plastic to compete. Additionally, the demand for recycled plastic has slowed due to rising transport costs for recycling businesses and a slowdown in the construction sector, which creates plastic building materials.

To address this issue, companies that produce plastic waste could subsidize plastic recycling schemes, as has been successful in some EU countries. Additionally, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies would make recycled plastic more competitive. Mechanical recycling, which is widely accepted by the general public, is an efficient and cost-effective process that requires minimal energy. It offers significant energy and resource savings compared to creating new resins, making it a good option for manufacturers looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

Plastic recycling rates are measured differently across the world

One key challenge in measuring plastic waste and recycling rates is the lack of comprehensive data on the origin and final destination of plastics. This is where material flow analysis (MFA) comes in. MFA is a tool developed by industrial ecologists in the late 1990s to track the flow of materials, such as metals and computers, at national and international scales. It combines various data types, tracking products from their manufacture or import into an economy through to their use, reuse, recycling, export, or disposal. Academics and government agencies use MFA to inform environmental management strategies.

Another complication in measuring plastic recycling rates is the variety of plastic types, each requiring different recycling processes. For instance, the recycling process for Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles involves washing, shredding, melting, and extruding the plastic into new pellets, which are then sold to create new products. This complex process requires specialised equipment, such as optical sorting machines, to identify and separate different plastic types efficiently.

The measurement of plastic recycling rates also depends on the waste management strategies employed in different regions. For example, incineration is a common method in Europe, while landfilling is prevalent in the United States. The effectiveness of these strategies varies, and improving waste management practices is crucial to reducing plastic pollution.

Despite these measurement challenges, studies provide valuable insights into the global plastic waste crisis. For instance, a study in Trinidad and Tobago found that the country discards 26,000 tons of PET plastic bottles annually, highlighting the potential for a domestic recycling facility. Additionally, research by Lourens Meijer et al. (2021) used updated methods to estimate national and regional plastic inputs into the ocean, finding that most plastic entering the ocean comes from middle-income countries, particularly in Asia.

Plastic waste is recycled, incinerated, or sent to landfills

Plastic waste is either recycled, incinerated, or sent to landfills. However, the vast majority of plastic waste ends up in landfills or is incinerated, rather than being recycled. For instance, in the United States, the world's biggest plastic polluter, only around 5% of over 50 million tons of plastic waste produced by households in 2021 was recycled, according to Greenpeace. Similarly, the National Association for PET Container Resources, an industry trade group, found in 2017 that only 21% of the plastic bottles collected for recycling were turned into new products.

Several factors contribute to the low recycling rates of plastic. Firstly, the recycling process is complex and costly. Plastic waste must be separated into different polymers, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE), as they cannot be recycled together. This sorting process is labour-intensive and expensive. Additionally, the recycling process involves cleaning and melting the plastics at high temperatures, which consumes energy and further increases costs. The low cost of raw materials and affordable price of plastic also make it more economically viable for manufacturers to produce new plastics rather than recycle existing ones.

Furthermore, challenges related to education, funding, and standardization hinder the effectiveness of recycling initiatives. For example, resin identification codes, introduced by many countries to indicate recyclable plastic products, have been criticized for being misleading and suggesting that all plastic can be recycled, when in reality, certain types of plastic are difficult or impossible to recycle. Additionally, illegal and unofficial plastic dumping, along with greenwashing by oil companies and plastic manufacturers, further obfuscate the true scope of plastic waste entering the environment.

The consequences of inadequate plastic recycling are severe. Plastic waste ends up in oceans, severely impacting marine life and entering our drinking water. As a result, environmental and health costs are mounting. With plastic production set to increase globally by 2060 or 2050, the plastic pollution crisis demands urgent attention and a shift towards genuinely recyclable materials.

Frequently asked questions