Us Plastic Waste: Exporting Environmental Crisis Overseas

Despite most of the world agreeing to limit exports of plastic waste from richer countries to poorer ones, the US continues to ship plastic waste overseas. In 2018, the US exported 157,000 shipping containers of plastic waste to countries with poor waste management practices. In the same year, the US exported 1.07 million tons of plastic waste, about one-third of its recycling, with 78% of those exports sent to countries with poor waste management.

The US exported 5% of its plastic waste in 2010

The US exported about 5% of its plastic waste in 2010. While this is a relatively small percentage, it still amounts to a significant quantity given the large volume of plastic waste generated in the country. The US has been exporting plastic waste for decades, with records showing exports to China and other countries as early as 1992.

In recent years, there has been a decline in the amount of plastic waste traded globally, with rates falling by two-thirds since 2010. This decrease is partly due to China's decision to ban the import of most types of plastic waste in 2017, which significantly reduced the global trade of plastic scrap. Despite this, the US continues to ship plastic waste overseas, often to poorer countries with inadequate waste management systems.

In 2018, it was estimated that the US exported 157,000 shipping containers of plastic waste to countries with poor waste management practices. This has contributed to environmental and social harms in these countries, as the plastic waste is often not properly recycled and ends up in landfills or dumped into the ocean. There have been efforts to curb this practice, such as the international agreement to limit exports of plastic waste from richer countries to poorer ones, but data shows that American exporters have largely ignored these new rules.

To address the issue of plastic waste exports, it has been suggested that US cities and states implement legislation to ensure that plastic packaging exported for recycling is managed in an environmentally sound manner, following similar standards to those required in the US. This would help to reduce the negative impact of US plastic waste on other countries and contribute to global efforts to tackle plastic pollution.

78% of US plastic waste was sent to countries with poor waste management in 2018

In 2018, the US exported 1.07 million tons of plastic waste, which accounted for about one-third of its recycling. Out of this, 78% was sent to countries with poor waste management systems. These countries, including China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, lack the infrastructure and regulations to effectively and sustainably sort, process, and recycle plastic waste into new materials.

The US has been criticised for offloading its waste problem onto developing countries with looser standards and regulations. This has led to environmental and social harm in the receiving countries, as they are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of plastic waste. For example, China implemented stricter regulations on the import of foreign plastic, resulting in a 92% drop in US plastic waste exports to the country. As a result, the US has redirected its plastic waste exports to other countries, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand, which have also started to place restrictions on plastic waste imports.

The practice of exporting plastic waste to countries with poor waste management systems has been blamed for contributing to ocean plastic pollution. It is estimated that rich countries, including the US, contribute between 1.6% and 11% of ocean plastics through shipping waste overseas. By banning the export of plastic waste to countries with poor waste management systems, it is estimated that plastic pollution could be reduced by up to 5%.

To address this issue, it has been suggested that US cities and states can follow Washington State's proposed Plastic Packaging Stewardship legislation, which requires that plastic packaging exported for recycling is managed in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, with human health and environmental protection standards equivalent to those in the US. Additionally, cities can adopt waste management contract models that require contractors to track the final destination of waste and assess environmental and human rights violations.

It is important to note that the US is not the only country exporting plastic waste to countries with poor waste management systems. Other countries, such as the UK, European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, have also been criticised for this practice.

China banned plastic waste imports in 2018

In 2017, the Chinese government announced a ban on the import of solid waste, including several types of plastics and other recyclable waste. The ban came into effect on January 1, 2018, and included eight types of post-consumer plastic scrap, one type of unsorted paper, a dozen types of used textiles, and four metal slags containing vanadium. This move was aimed at tackling pollution and improving the processing of solid waste in China. Prior to the ban, China was the largest importer of waste plastics, accounting for 56% of the global market and importing almost 600,000 metric tons of plastic waste in 2017.

The ban had significant repercussions globally, as many countries had relied on China to manage their waste. Some countries, such as Australia, started sending their waste to other less developed countries like India, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The ban also affected recycling industries worldwide, as China had been the main processor of hard-to-recycle plastics for other nations, particularly in the West. The US, in particular, had been exporting large quantities of plastic waste to China and other countries with poor waste management practices. Despite international agreements to limit the export of plastic waste from richer countries to poorer ones, American companies continue to export significant amounts of plastic scrap, often illegally, to poorer nations.

The US has faced criticism for its role in contributing to plastic pollution in other countries. In 2018, it was estimated that the US exported 157,000 shipping containers of plastic waste to countries with poor waste management practices. While the US exported about 5% of its plastic waste in 2010, the actual figure may be higher as the data is from 2010 and waste generation has likely increased since then. The plastic waste exported by the US and other developed nations often ends up in Asian countries that lack the capacity to process it, exacerbating the existing marine pollution crisis in Asia.

To address the issue of plastic waste exports, some US cities and states have proposed legislation to ensure that plastic packaging exported for recycling is managed in an environmentally sound manner and in accordance with human health and environmental protection standards equivalent to those in the United States. Additionally, cities can adopt waste management models that track the final destination of waste and assess environmental and human rights violations at those destinations.

US plastic waste is sent to countries with cheap labour and limited environmental regulation

The US has been exporting plastic waste to Asian countries that are ill-equipped to manage it. In 2018, the US sent 157,000 shipping containers of plastic waste to countries with poor waste management systems. These countries, including China, have inexpensive labour, no health and safety standards, few environmental regulations, and no guarantee that the plastic waste will be recycled. The plastic waste is often burned, creating air quality problems and harmful air pollutants. The US is one of the world's biggest producers of plastic waste per person and in total, and its citizens rank highly in contributing to plastic pollution in the oceans.

In 2019, 187 countries agreed to restrict international trade in plastic scrap to reduce plastic leakage into the environment. However, in 2021, the first month that the agreement took effect, the US continued to export plastic scrap to poorer countries, with exports overall on the rise. The US was one of the few countries in the world that did not ratify the global ban.

The US can take several measures to address this issue. Firstly, it can follow Washington State's proposed Plastic Packaging Stewardship legislation, which requires that plastic packaging exported for recycling is managed in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, with health and environmental protection standards equivalent to those in the US. Secondly, US cities can adopt Palo Alto's new waste management contract model, which mandates contractors to track the final destination of waste and assess environmental and human rights violations. Finally, the US can implement the Basel Convention plastic waste amendments, which took effect in January 2021. These amendments regulate the transboundary movement of plastic scrap and waste, requiring the prior written consent of importing countries and any transit countries.

US plastic waste is often sent to poorer countries

While many people believe that rich countries ship most of their plastic waste overseas, this is not entirely true. Most countries handle the majority of their waste domestically. For instance, in 2010, the UK exported about 17% of its plastic waste, while the US exported about 5%. However, US plastic waste is often sent to poorer countries with poor waste management systems, which can lead to environmental and social issues.

In 2018, the US exported 1.07 million tons of plastic waste, about one-third of its recycling. Of these exports, 78% were sent to countries with poor waste management, such as China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. These countries lack the infrastructure and regulations to effectively and sustainably sort, process, and recycle plastic waste into new materials. The informal processing methods used in these countries can have negative environmental and health impacts. For example, the plastic waste is often washed and melted, which uses a lot of water and energy and produces smoke and chemical residues. Additionally, the burning of plastic can release harmful air pollutants, and the untreated water discharged from the process can contaminate waterways.

The practice of exporting plastic waste to poorer countries has been criticized as unsustainable and unethical. Despite international agreements to limit plastic waste exports from richer to poorer countries, American companies have been accused of ignoring these rules and continuing to ship plastic waste overseas. This has led to accusations of illegal trafficking and concerns about the environmental impact of these practices.

To address this issue, some US cities and states have proposed legislation to ensure that plastic packaging exported for recycling is managed in an environmentally sound and socially responsible manner. Additionally, cities can implement waste management models that track the final destination of waste and assess environmental and human rights violations. By directing waste to different purchasers if issues are identified, cities can reduce the negative impacts of plastic waste exports on vulnerable communities.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the idea that most of the world's plastic waste is shipped overseas is incorrect. In 2020, only about 2% of plastic waste was traded globally, with the remaining 98% handled domestically. However, the export of plastic waste, especially to poorer countries with inadequate waste management systems, remains a significant concern.

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