Chloe Zhang
Plastic is everywhere, and plastic waste is a serious problem. While recycling is often touted as the solution to this problem, the reality is that most plastic is not recycled. Plastic is not designed to be recycled, and the plastic that is collected for recycling is often shipped overseas, where it is dumped or burned, causing serious health and environmental issues. Even in countries with organised waste management and recycling systems, plastic waste is pervasive, and the recycling that does occur is often insufficient to keep up with the amount of waste generated. The plastic that is recycled is often downcycled, meaning it is used in applications where the material will have a much longer lifespan than the plastic itself, such as in construction. This means that the demand for recycled plastic is quickly satisfied, and the problem resurfaces.
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is not designed to be recycled
Plastic is a highly useful material with an incredibly low price, which has led to its use in countless applications. However, the challenges associated with plastic recycling are significant, and it is important to recognize that plastic is not inherently designed to be recycled. Here are several key points that highlight why plastic is not designed to be recycled:
The majority of plastic is not recycled: Despite public awareness and recycling initiatives, the vast majority of plastic is not recycled. According to a 2017 Science Advances paper, only about 9% of the 8.3 billion tonnes of virgin plastic produced globally has been recycled. This means that approximately 91% of plastic is not being recycled and is instead ending up in landfills, incinerated, or polluting our oceans and environment.
Economic and technical challenges: Recycling plastic can be costly and technically challenging. Sorting different types of plastic for recycling is a complex and expensive process. Additionally, the low cost of producing new plastic from raw materials, such as oil, makes recycling plastic economically less attractive. The plastic industry has a competitive environment, and the added costs associated with recycling often make it less profitable compared to producing new plastic.
Food residue and contamination: Plastic items that have come into contact with food or other residues are often unfit for recycling. Only good quality, clean plastics can undergo the recycling process. While some recycling facilities may perform washing and cleaning, many contaminated plastics are deemed unusable and end up in landfills or incinerators.
Thermoset plastics: About 25% of plastics are thermoset plastics, which do not soften when exposed to heat. This type of plastic is challenging to recycle because it does not melt and cannot be molded into new shapes. Thermoset plastics are used in various products, including electrical insulation, ropes, belts, and pipes, and their durable nature means they are disposed of less often. However, their resistance to recycling makes them significant contributors to environmental pollution.
Global waste management disparities: The capacity and infrastructure for recycling plastic vary significantly across different regions. Developed countries often lack sufficient recycling capacity to handle the volume and types of plastic waste generated, resulting in the export of waste to other countries. However, this practice has led to issues of contamination and illegal dumping, as seen in China, Malaysia, and other countries that have imposed restrictions on importing foreign plastic waste.
While recycling is an important part of the solution, it is clear that plastic is not inherently designed to be recycled. To address the global plastic pollution crisis, we need to reduce plastic consumption, improve waste management practices, explore alternative disposal methods, and develop more sustainable materials.
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Plastic waste is often exported to other countries
In 2018, China, the world's largest market for recycled waste, banned the import of most types of plastic waste. This led to a dramatic decline in the global trade of plastic waste, with other countries emerging to take China's place as major importers. However, many of these importing countries are ill-equipped to handle their domestic recycling, let alone that from other regions. As a result, plastic waste is often burned or abandoned, eventually finding its way into rivers and oceans.
The UK, for example, exports around 600,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year, making it the third-biggest exporter of waste in the world. More than half of the UK's plastic waste is exported, often to countries with poorly regulated or executed processes, contributing to climate change instead of being recycled.
The international trade of waste, often referred to as "waste colonialism", highlights the power imbalance between economically developed countries of the Global North and the less affluent nations that serve as waste recipients. This practice of exporting waste allows wealthier nations to keep their carbon and plastic footprints low by passing the buck to other countries, which often have worse disposal practices.
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Plastic waste is burned as fuel
Plastic waste is a significant problem. While recycling is an option, it is not always effective, with much of the world's plastic waste being shipped overseas to be processed. In addition, the demand for recycled plastic is low compared to the supply. As a result, some people have suggested that burning plastic as fuel is a viable alternative to recycling.
Burning plastic waste can be used to substitute burning dirty fossil fuels like oil or coal. The high heat generated by burning plastic can be harnessed and turned into a usable source of energy. In 2016, the waste used to fuel Energy from Waste (EfW) in the UK was equivalent to 2.5 million tonnes of fossil fuels. Burning plastic waste can also prevent it from ending up in landfills or being abandoned in the environment, where it can contaminate water sources.
However, burning plastic also has several drawbacks and risks. It releases toxins and dioxins into the air, contributing to air pollution and poor health. In particular, burning plastic can generate and release pollutants like microplastics, bisphenols, and phthalates, which can have harmful effects on neurodevelopment, endocrine, and reproductive functions. Climate change is another consideration, as burning plastic is the second-largest producer of CO2 after coal.
Overall, while burning plastic waste as fuel may be a viable alternative to recycling in some cases, it is important to consider the potential risks to human health and the environment. It is also crucial to focus on reducing plastic waste and improving recycling practices to minimize the need for burning plastic.
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Plastic recycling symbols are not widely understood
The meaning of these symbols is important because placing the wrong items in a recycling bin can damage equipment, contaminate correct recyclable materials, or negatively affect the recycling process. However, recycling rules can be confusing, and they vary across different locations. For instance, some cities accept juice boxes lined with invisible layers of aluminum and plastic, while others do not. Additionally, the chasing arrows symbol commonly seen on plastic products does not necessarily indicate that the product is recyclable.
To ensure that plastic is properly recycled, individuals should understand their town's legislation and rules for recycling. They should also be aware of the different plastic recycling symbols and their meanings. However, this can be challenging as there are multiple symbols to keep track of, and the symbols themselves can be misleading. For example, the How2Recycle labels, used by many companies, have been criticized by environmental advocates as potentially misleading.
Furthermore, the recycling symbol has been accused of contributing to America's plastic waste problem. The symbol, with its promise of infinite recyclability, led to an emotional attachment to recycling as a solution. However, the reality is that a very small percentage of plastic waste is actually recycled, and much of it ends up being shipped overseas or dumped illegally. This has led to calls for better alternatives to recycling, such as burning plastic as fuel or using it in construction.
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Plastic recycling is not enough to solve the plastic pollution crisis
Plastic is a material that has been revolutionary over the past century, with an incredibly low price and an uncountable number of uses. However, this has also led to its overuse and, consequently, plastic waste is a significant problem today.
While recycling is often touted as the solution to this problem, it is not enough to solve the plastic pollution crisis. Firstly, not all plastic is recyclable, and even when it is, it is often downcycled into buildings and construction materials, which have a much longer lifecycle than plastic containers. This means that the demand for recycled plastic is quickly satisfied, and the problem resurfaces. Additionally, the transportation of plastic contributes to pollution as plastic easily escapes and enters the environment, breaking apart into plastic particles that are harmful to human health and the environment.
Furthermore, the plastic that is collected for recycling is often not actually recycled. The global waste industry, made up of various entities vying for profits in the trillion-dollar market, has been criticized for engaging in creative accounting and greenwashing. For example, in 2022, one of the UK's largest waste companies, Biffa, attempted to ship used nappies, sanitary towels, and clothing abroad under the guise of waste paper. This waste trade often involves the illegal dumping and burning of plastics, leading to environmental degradation and health risks for nearby communities.
Even when plastic is recycled, it is a challenging process. Plastic must be sorted by type, washed, dried, turned into pellets, and then reconstituted into something new. This process can be energy-intensive and may still result in the release of harmful chemicals and microplastics into the environment.
To truly address the plastic pollution crisis, systemic solutions are needed. This includes reducing plastic production and finding alternatives that can be reused or recycled. Individuals can also play a role by avoiding buying items in plastic and instead embracing plastic-free principles and reusable options.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic is sent to waste-sorting facilities, where they are sorted by type and baled. They are then loaded onto trains, trucks, or cargo ships for the next leg of their journey.
According to a 2017 Science Advances paper, of the 8.3 billion tonnes of virgin plastic produced globally, only 9% has been recycled. Academics and NGOs doubt those numbers due to the uncertain fate of waste exports.
Plastic can be reused or recycled, or alternatives that can be reused or recycled can be employed. Plastic can also be burned as fuel.
Plastic is cheap to make and profitable, and it is not designed to be recycled. Plastic waste is often shipped from the Global North to the Global South, where it is rarely recycled and instead illegally dumped or burned.
Understand the seven plastic recycling symbols to place items in the proper bins.
