Plastic Landfills: The Troubling 2017 Statistics

Plastic waste is a pressing global issue, with the vast majority of plastic waste ending up in landfills or natural environments. In 2017, the recycling rate in the US was 9%, and three-quarters of plastics in the US went to landfills. While data for that year is limited, we know that in 2018, US landfills received 27 million tons of plastic, and in 2019, 86% of plastic waste was left in landfills. The amount of plastic waste correlates with population size, with California, Texas, and Florida having the largest amount of landfilled plastic waste.

In 2017, China stopped importing non-industrial plastic waste from the US

The amount of plastic waste in landfills in the US is difficult to pinpoint for 2017, but the figure is estimated to be around 32.2 million metric tons by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The NREL puts the figure at 44 million metric tons. California, Texas, and Florida are the three states with the largest amount of landfilled plastic waste.

The import of plastic waste to China began sometime between the 1980s and 1990s, when China started to take in plastic and other scraps from less economically developed countries. This was to be used as raw materials for processing and manufacturing, and to make up for a shortage of domestic resources. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, as Chinese businesses gained access to high-quality raw materials, and exporting countries had a much cheaper way of dealing with their trash.

However, the quality of the recyclable materials exported to China gradually declined, with large amounts of waste entering China mixed with food, garbage, and other pollutants. This created a burden on the Chinese government, and the profitability of the waste industry attracted speculators to invest in the market. The Chinese government implemented the Green Fence Operation to monitor the quality and flow of incoming waste and combat smuggling. In 2017, China announced a new import policy permanently banning the import of non-industrial plastic waste. The ban has had widespread repercussions on a global scale, especially in the West, as China had been processing hard-to-recycle plastics for other countries.

Plastic waste in the US correlates with population size

Plastic waste is a growing problem in the United States, and it is closely tied to population size. As the population grows, so does the amount of plastic waste generated, and this has significant environmental consequences.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that California, Texas, and Florida—the three most populous states—also produce the largest amount of landfilled plastic waste. This correlation between population size and plastic waste is further exacerbated by other factors, such as low recycling rates, consumer preference for single-use plastics, and low disposal fees in certain areas.

The United States has seen a significant increase in plastic consumption, with demand more than tripling since the 1980s. This surge in plastic usage has resulted in a corresponding rise in plastic waste, which has severe environmental implications. In 2019, the U.S. generated an estimated 73 million metric tons of plastic waste, which equates to more than 220 kilograms per person. This figure is projected to surpass 140 million metric tons by 2060 if plastic demand continues unabated.

The issue of plastic waste is not solely an environmental concern but also a waste management and land use problem. As landfills reach capacity and close, local governments and industry developers are faced with the challenge of finding alternative solutions for managing the ever-increasing volumes of plastic waste. While recycling is often touted as a solution, the reality is that the recycling rate for plastics in the U.S. is extremely low, with only about 5% of plastic waste recycled in 2019, while 86% ended up in landfills, and the rest was burned for energy recovery.

To address the plastic waste crisis, a multifaceted approach is necessary. This includes reducing the consumption of single-use plastics, improving recycling technologies, and exploring alternative solutions, such as a circular economy where discarded plastics are reused instead of virgin plastics. By tackling this issue on multiple fronts, the United States can begin to mitigate the environmental, social, and economic impacts of plastic waste.

Plastic waste management: recycling, incineration, landfill

Plastic waste management is a critical issue that requires a multifaceted approach, including recycling, incineration, and landfill disposal. While the world is producing an ever-increasing amount of plastic waste, the management of this waste is falling short. In 2019, the world generated 353 million tons of plastic waste, with only 9% recycled, 50% landfilled, 19% incinerated, and 22% discarded in uncontrolled sites or the environment.

Recycling is an attractive alternative to traditional waste disposal methods such as landfilling. However, the current recycling rate of plastic waste is low, and even plastics that make it to recycling facilities may not be recycled due to contamination or other issues. For instance, in the United States, only about 5% of plastic waste was recycled in 2019, while 86% ended up in landfills. The recycling process also has environmental costs, as it requires energy and resources to collect, sort, and process the plastic waste.

Incineration, or waste-to-energy conversion, is another method of plastic waste management. While incineration can be an effective way to generate energy from plastic waste, it may have undesirable environmental consequences. Legislative, economic, and technological barriers also hinder the widespread adoption of recycling and incineration as primary waste management strategies.

Landfilling, the most common method of plastic waste disposal, has several drawbacks. Firstly, it is a waste of valuable resources, as plastic can be recycled or incinerated to recover energy. Secondly, landfilling contributes to land occupation and can lead to the leaching of additives, causing soil and water pollution. The amount of landfilled plastic waste is increasing due to factors such as low recycling rates, population growth, and consumer preference for single-use plastics.

To address the issue of plastic waste management effectively, a combination of strategies is necessary. Reducing the generation of plastic waste is the most environmentally friendly approach, followed by recycling and incineration as methods of resource recovery. However, with the current limitations of recycling and incineration technologies, landfilling will likely continue to play a significant role in plastic waste management in the near future.

Plastic waste in the ocean: 1-2 million tons per year

The world produces around 350 million tons of plastic waste each year, with some estimates reaching 460 million tons. The amount of plastic waste is correlated with population size, with California, Texas, and Florida being the three most populous states in the US, and also having the largest amount of landfilled plastic waste. While the US has seen a decrease in plastic waste exports, with China no longer accepting America's waste, the country still recycled only 5-6% of its plastic waste in 2021, while 85% went to landfills.

The amount of plastic waste that ends up in the ocean is estimated to be around 0.5% of the world's plastic waste, or between 1 and 2 million tons per year. This is a significant amount, and it contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in the ocean. A 2017 study estimated that Asian countries contributed 86% of plastic emissions to the ocean.

The fate of plastics once they enter the ocean has puzzled researchers. While it's often plastics floating in the open sea that capture our attention, this is probably only a fraction of the plastic that enters the ocean. Most plastic waste stays very close to the shoreline, where it gets trapped and resurfaced along the coast. A study by Laurent Lebreton, Matthias Egger, and Boyan Slat found that most large plastics that enter the ocean are washed up, buried, and resurfaced along shorelines. While most were less than 5 years old, some were more than 15, indicating that plastics can persist and accumulate over long periods.

The problem of plastic waste in the ocean is not just an environmental issue but also a waste management and land use issue. Landfills are closing in many areas, and local governments and industry developers need to make decisions about how to manage the increasing amounts of plastic waste.

Plastic production has doubled roughly every 15 years

Plastic production has increased rapidly over the last 70 years. In 1950, the world produced just two million metric tons of plastic. By 2023, the worldwide production of plastics had reached 413.8 million metric tons. This represents a near 230-fold increase in annual production over this period. Asia is the largest producer of plastic globally, with China alone accounting for 32% of global production in 2022. North America ranks second in terms of plastic production, with a 17% share in 2022.

The growth in plastic production has had a significant impact on waste management and the environment. Despite the benefits of plastic, such as its versatility, sterility, and low cost, plastic waste that is not properly managed becomes an environmental pollutant. It is estimated that between one and two million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans each year, affecting wildlife and ecosystems.

The amount of plastic waste correlates with population size, with the most populous states in the US also having the largest amount of landfilled plastic waste. In 2019, only about 5% of plastic waste in the US was recycled, while 86% was landfilled. The rest was burned to generate electricity. The low recycling rate, population growth, consumer preference for single-use plastics, and low disposal fees have contributed to the increasing amount of landfilled plastic waste in the US.

To address the issue of plastic pollution, it is crucial to improve waste management practices, particularly in low-to-middle-income countries where most ocean plastics originate. This includes reducing the use of single-use plastics, developing new recycling techniques, and implementing policies to support better waste management infrastructure.

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