Recycling Efforts: Usa's Plastic Waste Management

Plastic recycling rates in the USA are extremely low, with only about 5% of 51 million tons of plastic waste recycled in 2021. This is a decrease from 8.7% in 2018 and 9.5% in 2014. The recycling rate for PET bottles and jars was 29.1% in 2018, and 29.3% for HDPE natural bottles, but other forms of plastic have a recycling rate of under 5%. Greenpeace has reported that most plastic ends up in landfills, and plastic production is increasing, with the industry planning to triple production by 2050. The problem is not solely due to consumer behaviour, as even if every household diligently separated and disposed of plastic waste in a dedicated recycling plant, the situation would still be dire. The real solution, according to Greenpeace, is to switch to systems of reuse and refill.

Only 5% of plastic waste was recycled in 2021

In 2021, only about 5% of 51 million tons of plastic waste in the US was recycled, according to a study by the environmental advocacy group Greenpeace. This amounts to just over 2 million tons of recycled plastic waste. The report revealed that the recycling rate had been steadily declining over the years, from a high of 9.5% in 2014 to 8.7% in 2018, and finally reaching the 5-6% range in 2021.

The research also highlighted that no American type of plastic packaging met the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative's definition of "recyclable", which requires a 30% recycling rate. Two common forms of plastic in the US, polyethylene terephthalate and high-density polyethylene, are often labelled as recyclable. However, the report found that they are not recycled enough to meet this criterion.

The situation is dire, and Greenpeace USA Senior Plastics Campaigner Lisa Ramsden emphasised the urgency of the issue: "Single-use plastics are like trillions of pieces of confetti spewed from retail and fast food stores to over 330 million U.S. residents across more than 3 million square miles each year. It’s simply not possible to collect the vast quantity of these small pieces of plastic sold to U.S. consumers annually. More plastic is being produced, and an even smaller percentage of it is being recycled. The crisis just gets worse and worse, and, without drastic change, will continue to worsen as the industry plans to triple plastic production by 2050."

The challenges of plastic recycling are multifaceted. Firstly, plastic waste is ubiquitous and extremely difficult to collect and sort. Secondly, the recycling process itself is environmentally harmful and expensive, and the recycled content often contains toxic materials. These issues have led to a decline in plastic waste exports, with countries like China no longer accepting America's waste due to its low quality and contamination.

The report calls for a shift from single-use plastics to systems of reuse and refill, as well as support for an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty to address the plastic pollution crisis.

Plastic production is set to triple by 2050/2060

The global production and use of plastics are expected to triple by 2060, reaching 1,231 Mt, according to the OECD. This projection is concerning, given the environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution. The plastic build-up in aquatic environments is predicted to triple by 2060 compared to 2019, leading to severe consequences due to plastic leakage, greenhouse gas emissions, resource scarcity, land use, toxicity, and acidification, among other factors.

The United States' role in this global issue is significant. In 2021, Americans discarded 51 million tons of plastic, with a recycling rate of only about 5 percent, according to Greenpeace. This means that almost 95 percent of plastic waste ended up in landfills, oceans, or the atmosphere in the form of toxic particles. The situation is worsening, as the recycling rate in the US has been steadily declining over the years.

The challenges of plastic recycling in the US are multifaceted. Firstly, the sheer volume of plastic consumption makes it difficult to collect and sort the waste effectively. Secondly, the types of plastic packaging used in the US often fall short of the standards for recyclability set by entities like the FTC and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which require a 30 percent recycling rate. For instance, PET bottles and jars, and HDPE natural bottles, had recycling rates of 29.1 percent and 29.3 percent in 2018, respectively, just below the required threshold.

To address the impending crisis, ambitious legislation and global coordination are necessary. This includes limiting the production of virgin plastic, incentivizing the use of recycled plastic, and encouraging extended producer responsibility. Without significant policy interventions, the amount of plastic consumed by G20 nations is projected to reach 451 million tons per year by 2050, nearly double the 2019 level.

The transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles is expected to reduce the demand for conventional fossil fuels. However, oil and gas companies are increasingly turning to petrochemicals, particularly plastics, to maintain profitability. This shift underscores the urgency of implementing effective policies to curb plastic consumption and improve recycling rates, such as those outlined in the United Nations treaty to tackle plastic pollution, which 175 nations agreed to in March 2022.

Plastic packaging doesn't meet the FTC's definition of recyclable

According to a 2021 Greenpeace report, only about 5% of 51 million tons of plastic waste in the US was recycled. The report also found that no American type of plastic packaging met the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative’s definition of "recyclable" — that is, having a 30% recycling rate. Even plastics long considered recyclable, like PET #1 and HDPE #2 bottles and jugs, fall far short of this 30% threshold.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has its own definition of "recyclable," which it revised in 1998 to expand the term to include the "reuse, reconditioning, and remanufacturing of products or parts in another product." The revised definition also clarifies that "recyclable" includes the recycling of products or packages through reuse, unless that is clear from the context. The FTC's definition also includes a local availability disclaimer, which states that "recycling programs for this [product or package] may not exist in your area."

Despite the FTC's expanded definition of "recyclable," plastic packaging in the US still falls short of meeting it. A 2022 report by ProPublica revealed that the plastic industry has been misleading the public about what is truly recyclable for at least three decades. The report found that the industry has persuaded 39 states to require the use of arrows, often seen as chasing arrows, as symbols for recycling on plastic products. These symbols were intended to "prevent bans" on plastic products, and the industry pursued this strategy despite warnings from state regulators that they would lead consumers to overestimate the recyclability of plastic packaging.

The Greenpeace report also found that two of the most common forms of plastic in America, polyethylene terephthalate and high-density polyethylene, are frequently referred to as recyclable but are not actually recycled enough to meet the FTC's definition. This is due in part to the challenges of collecting, sorting, and reprocessing plastic waste, as well as the presence of toxic materials in plastic. As a result, the vast majority of plastic waste in the US ends up in landfills, oceans, or scattered in the atmosphere.

Plastic is expensive to collect and sort

Plastic recycling is a complex and costly process. In 2021, the US recycled only about 5% of 51 million tons of plastic waste, according to a Greenpeace report. This issue is not solely due to consumer behaviour, as even if every household diligently separated and recycled their plastic waste, the situation would remain challenging. The sheer volume of plastic waste generated by US households makes it extremely difficult and expensive to collect, sort and reprocess.

The process of collecting and sorting plastic waste is intricate and time-consuming. Once plastic is placed in a recycle bin, it goes to a collection facility where it is inspected for contaminants like rocks or glass. It is then washed, chopped into flakes, dried, melted, filtered, and formed into strands. These strands are then cooled and chopped into pellets that can be sold on the market. The complexity and length of this process contribute to the overall expense.

The cost of recycling plastic varies depending on several factors. For instance, longer transport distances between storage and recycling facilities increase contract prices. Consecutive contracts with the same recyclers and mechanical recycling methods also tend to raise prices. Additionally, the quality of the collected plastic does not necessarily reduce the contract prices, indicating that the cost of recycling remains high regardless of the condition of the plastic.

Furthermore, the recycling of plastic is not just an economic challenge but also an environmental one. Plastic waste is ubiquitous, making it extremely difficult to collect and virtually impossible to sort. It is often contaminated with toxic materials, and the process of recycling can be environmentally harmful. These factors contribute to the overall expense and complexity of plastic recycling, making it a costly endeavour.

Plastic is environmentally harmful to reprocess

In 2021, only about 5% of 51 million tons of plastic waste in the USA was recycled, according to a study by Greenpeace. This is a decline from a peak of 9.5% in 2014 and 8.7% in 2018. The recycling rate for all other forms of plastic is even lower, at under 5%.

Secondly, recycled plastic often contains higher levels of toxic chemicals, multiplying the potential harm to human, animal, and environmental health. These chemicals include toxic flame retardants, benzene, and other carcinogens, as well as environmental pollutants such as brominated and chlorinated dioxins, and endocrine disruptors. The presence of these chemicals means that recycled plastic is unfit for food-grade and other consumer uses.

Thirdly, plastic recycling is inefficient and unsustainable, whether done mechanically or chemically. The size reduction and washing during mechanical recycling can release significant microplastics into the environment, and the leaching of harmful chemicals during and after recycling poses a significant threat.

Finally, market demand poses a challenge to plastic recycling. Some industries prefer to use cheap, fossil-based virgin plastics, which can cost less than recycled materials.

Therefore, despite its potential to reduce plastic waste, plastic recycling in its current state is environmentally harmful and contributes to the plastic pollution crisis.

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