Chloe Zhang
Plastic is everywhere, and it's shocking how profitable it is. Humans have created around 11 billion metric tons of plastic, which surpasses the biomass of all animals on Earth. Plastic recycling is the process of turning plastic waste into other products. While recycling can reduce dependence on landfills, conserve resources, and protect the environment from plastic pollution, the reality is that most plastic is not recycled. Plastic is not designed to be recycled, and the global waste industry often fails to recycle plastic waste. From the start of plastic production up to 2015, only 9% of the world's 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste was recycled, with only 1% recycled more than once. While technically possible to recycle all types of plastic, the extent of recycling depends on technical, economic, and logistic factors.
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What You'll Learn
Plastic recycling rates and challenges
Plastic recycling rates have historically been low compared to other recoverable materials such as aluminium, glass, and paper. From the start of plastic production up to 2015, only 9% of the world's 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste had been recycled, with only 1% recycled more than once. The remaining waste was mostly sent to landfills or lost to the environment as pollution.
The recycling process involves melting and reforming plastic into other items, which can cause polymer degradation at the molecular level. This requires sorting plastic by colour and polymer type, which is often complicated and expensive. Errors can lead to material with inconsistent properties, making it unappealing to the industry. Recycling plastic can also release microplastics into wastewater.
While nearly all types of plastics can technically be recycled, the extent to which they are recycled depends on technical, economic, and logistic factors. For instance, different types of plastics cannot be recycled together, and the many chemical additives in plastics make the recycling process more challenging. Plastic is also not designed to be recycled, and it degrades after one or two uses. The more plastic is reused, the more toxic it becomes.
The plastic recycling rate is expected to decrease as plastic production increases. According to Greenpeace, no plastic meets the threshold to be considered "recyclable," and industry officials have been accused of misleading the public about the recyclability of plastic. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation New Plastic Economy Initiative sets a standard that plastic must have a recycling rate of 30% to be considered recyclable, and no plastic has ever been recycled close to that rate.
Despite the challenges, some progress has been made in plastic recycling. Recycling rates in the UK have improved over the years, with an increase in the number of plastic bottles collected for recycling. Additionally, schemes such as RecoMed in the UK aim to recycle PVC medical devices, and recycled plastic is used extensively in manufacturing in China.
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Plastic waste management
Reduce Plastic Consumption
The first step in plastic waste management is to reduce plastic consumption. Consumers can play a significant role in this by cutting down their plastic usage. This can include avoiding single-use plastic products, seeking out stores that offer product refills in reusable containers, and choosing products with eco-friendly packaging that is easy to recycle.
Recycling and Reuse
Recycling is a critical component of plastic waste management. While the recycling rate for plastic is low compared to other materials like aluminium, glass, and paper, it is still an effective way to reduce landfill dependence, conserve resources, and protect the environment from plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. However, it's important to note that not all plastics are recyclable, and the recyclability of plastic depends on technical, economic, and logistic factors, as well as the infrastructure available in a particular region. Mechanical recycling, feedstock recycling, and energy recovery are some of the methods used to recycle plastic waste.
International Cooperation
The Basel Convention, a key international agreement, provides guidance for better management of plastic waste. It regulates the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes, including plastic waste, and promotes environmentally sound management practices. Additionally, globalisation has led to the export of plastic waste from advanced economies to developing and middle-income countries for sorting and recycling, often due to lower costs. However, this practice has been criticised as environmental dumping, as environmental laws and enforcement may be weaker in these less developed economies.
Waste Collection and Disposal
Proper waste collection and disposal systems are essential to prevent plastic contamination of air, soil, and water. According to the UNEP Global Waste Management Outlook, billions of people lack access to controlled disposal services and regular waste collection, leading to littering and inadequate disposal. Therefore, improving waste management infrastructure and access to controlled disposal services is crucial.
Policy and Guidelines
Policies and guidelines play a vital role in plastic waste management. For example, the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive in the UK mandates a reuse and recovery rate of 95% and a reuse and recycling rate of 85% for vehicles, with plastics from these vehicles being recycled into component parts for new vehicles or other products. Additionally, the Recyclability by Design guide provides packaging designers with guidance to ensure plastic packaging is easy to recycle.
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Plastic pollution and environmental impact
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that poses significant risks to the environment, human health, and natural ecosystems. The production of plastic is an energy-intensive process, derived from fossil fuels, and contributes to the global climate crisis. The issue of plastic pollution is pervasive, with plastic waste accumulating in both natural and built environments, including oceans, soil, and groundwater.
Plastic pollution has far-reaching consequences, threatening marine life, damaging soil fertility, and contaminating water sources. Research indicates that over 1500 species in marine and terrestrial environments are susceptible to ingesting plastic, leading to potential entanglement, suffocation, and ingestion of toxic substances. The impact of plastic pollution extends beyond wildlife, as microplastics have been detected in human livers, kidneys, and placentas, potentially causing various health disorders.
The recycling of plastic waste is a crucial aspect of mitigating plastic pollution. However, the recycling process faces technical, economic, and logistical challenges. Plastic recycling often involves melting and reforming plastic into new products, which can lead to polymer degradation and the release of microplastics into the environment. While recycling can reduce landfill waste and conserve resources, the complexity and cost of sorting different types of plastics hinder the effectiveness of recycling programmes.
The success of plastic recycling varies globally, with only 9% of the world's 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste recycled by 2015, and a mere 1% recycled more than once. The remaining waste is either incinerated or ends up in landfills or the environment as pollution. To address plastic pollution effectively, systemic reform is necessary, including encouraging the reduction of single-use plastic products, improving waste management infrastructure, and promoting recycling and reuse initiatives.
While recycling plays a vital role in combating plastic pollution, it is equally important to focus on reducing plastic consumption and promoting sustainable alternatives. Individuals can contribute by supporting businesses that strive to reduce single-use plastic, advocating for legislative changes, and making conscious choices to minimise plastic waste in their daily lives.
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Plastic recycling processes
Plastic recycling is the process of converting plastic waste into other products. It is a vital process to reduce pollution and protect the environment from plastic waste, which otherwise spreads across the environment, causing plastic pollution and damaging ecosystems.
The first step in the plastic recycling process is the collection of plastic waste from homes and institutions. The more plastic collected, the more material there is for the recycling process. Once collected, the plastic waste is then sorted and separated by colour, thickness, or polymer type. This is usually done by machine, but in smaller communities, it may be done by hand. Sorting is a critical step as it identifies the correct processes to recycle the different types of plastics. Most recycling machines can only recycle one type of plastic at a time.
After sorting, the plastic is then shredded into smaller pieces. The shredded plastic is then washed to remove any impurities, such as dirt and organic residue, that may obstruct the recycling process. The next step involves melting the plastic and reforming it into other items. This can cause polymer degradation at the molecular level, and the resulting material may have inconsistent properties.
Mechanical recycling is the most common approach to recycling plastics, and it involves processing plastic waste into secondary raw materials or products without significantly altering the material's chemical structure. This method is used to recycle other materials such as paper and glass. Chemical recycling, on the other hand, is a newer technology that breaks down the chemical structure of plastic waste, allowing for greater opportunities for scalability.
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Alternatives to plastic recycling
Plastic recycling is the process of converting plastic waste into other products. While almost all types of plastics can be recycled, the extent of recycling depends on technical, economic, and logistic factors. Recycling can reduce dependence on landfills, conserve resources, and protect the environment from plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is important to consider not just carbon emissions but also end-of-life impacts, the extraction of raw materials, water and land use, and the release of hazardous chemicals.
Reusable and Refillable Packaging:
The least environmentally damaging type of packaging is one that can be used again and again or avoided altogether. Consumers can bring their own reusable bags when shopping and opt for refillable containers for products like soaps, shampoos, and detergents. Some stores offer product refills in reusable containers, and local markets, farm shops, and independent zero-waste shops often provide unpackaged goods.
Eco-Design and Sustainable Materials:
Eco-design involves considering the environmental impact of a product during its design phase, including recyclability and carbon impact. Sustainable materials such as bamboo, wood from sustainably managed forests, natural cloth, and jute can be used in place of plastic for various household items like containers, utensils, and bags. Pottery and fired ceramics are also stable and waterproof alternatives for food storage and tableware.
Bioplastics:
Bioplastics are biodegradable or compostable plastics made from natural substances instead of petroleum. However, most bioplastics require commercial composting facilities and may not break down in home composts or landfills. Additionally, they can contaminate municipal recycling programs when mixed with conventional plastics.
Coconut-Based Products:
Coconuts are a highly adaptable and environmentally benign alternative to plastic. Various items can be fashioned from coconut components, such as combs, cutlery, candle shells, bowls, and mugs.
Rubber and Tire-Based Products:
The automotive sector has contributed to the production of eco-friendly alternatives by recycling used tires into goods like wallets, planters, laptop bags, and footwear.
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Frequently asked questions
Technically, yes, it is possible to recycle plastic. However, the extent to which plastic is recycled depends on technical, economic, and logistic factors.
Plastic recycling involves the processing of plastic waste into other products. Almost all recycling is mechanical and includes the melting and reforming of plastic into other items.
Recycling plastic can help reduce dependence on landfills, conserve resources, and protect the environment from plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
There are several challenges associated with recycling plastic. Firstly, there are thousands of different types of plastic, and they cannot be melted down together. Additionally, plastic degrades after one or two uses, and recycling can cause polymer degradation at the molecular level. The recycling process can also be complicated and expensive, and there may be a lack of infrastructure in certain areas.
Check the number on the plastic product, if it is #1, 2, or 5, it is more likely to be recycled. Additionally, you can try to reduce your overall plastic consumption and opt for reusable and refillable alternatives.
