Alexei Volkov
Plastic is everywhere, and it's shocking how profitable it is. Humans have created around 11 billion metric tons of plastic, and it's a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste (MSW). In 2018, the recycling rate of plastic was only 8.7%, with 27 million tons of plastic ending up in landfills. This is because plastic is challenging to recycle due to the need for proper sorting and cleaning, the high costs of recycling, and the limited market for recycled plastic. Despite the public's efforts to recycle, most plastic ends up in landfills or our oceans, contributing to the global plastic pollution crisis.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of plastic not being recycled | 91% |
| Recycling rate of PET bottles and jars in 2018 | 29.1% |
| Recycling rate of HDPE natural bottles in 2018 | 29.3% |
| Amount of plastics combusted in MSW in 2018 | 5.6 million tons |
| Percentage of all MSW combusted with energy recovery that year | 16.3% |
| Amount of plastic that went into landfills in 2018 | 27 million tons |
| Percentage of all MSW landfilled | 18.5% |
| Percentage of plastic that has ever been recycled | Less than 10% |
| Percentage of plastic that is recycled in some states in the US | Single digits |
| National average of plastic bottles made from PET that are recycled | 30% |
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What You'll Learn
- Plastic is cheap to produce, so it's more profitable to make new plastic than recycle old
- The public has been misled about the ease of recycling plastic
- Plastic is hard to recycle because it must be sorted and cleaned first
- Plastic is often buried in landfills, not recycled
- Plastic is a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste
Plastic is cheap to produce, so it's more profitable to make new plastic than recycle old
Plastic is a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste (MSW). In 2018, the US generated 35.7 million tons of plastic waste, with only 3 million tons recycled, an 8.7% recycling rate. Despite the low recycling rate, plastic is cheap to produce and highly profitable, with the oil industry making over $400 billion annually from plastic production.
The low cost of producing plastic is primarily due to the low cost of oil, the primary raw material for most plastics. It is easier and cheaper to extract oil from the ground than to recycle plastic. This makes producing new plastic more cost-effective than recycling, even though recycling technologies have improved over the years.
Additionally, the process of recycling plastic is complex and expensive. It involves sorting, cleaning, and separating different types of plastic, which can be labor-intensive and time-consuming. Plastic products often contain various additives, such as reinforcements, fillers, and colorants, which can complicate the recycling process. Furthermore, many types of plastic cannot be recycled more than once or twice without acquiring defects and contaminants.
The challenges and costs associated with recycling plastic have led to a situation where it is more profitable to produce new plastic than to recycle existing plastic. This has resulted in a significant amount of plastic waste being sent to landfills or buried, contributing to environmental pollution and the proliferation of microplastics.
To address the plastic pollution crisis, it is essential to make the producers of plastic accountable for the harm it causes and encourage the development of better, more recyclable products. Standardizing the plastic production process and finding sustainable alternatives can also help improve the recycling rate and reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste.
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The public has been misled about the ease of recycling plastic
Plastic is everywhere, and it is cheap to produce. Humans have created around 11 billion metric tons of plastic, and this amount surpasses the biomass of all animals, both on land and in the sea. Plastic is made from oil and gas, and it is notoriously difficult to recycle. Despite this, the public has been misled about the ease of recycling plastic.
The plastics industry, composed of companies like Exxon, Chevron, Dow, and DuPont, has spent millions of dollars on advertisements and campaigns to promote the idea that plastic can be recycled. These campaigns, which began in the 1990s, carried an environmentally-conscious message, encouraging consumers to recycle plastic. However, the reality is that less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled. The efforts of individuals to separate their recyclables from their trash are often in vain, as most plastic ends up in landfills or the environment.
The makers of plastic, the nation's largest oil and gas companies, have been aware of the difficulties in recycling plastic for decades. They knew that recycling was not a viable solution and that it was more expensive than simply disposing of plastic as garbage. Despite this knowledge, they continued to promote recycling to the public. This was done to assure the public that it was okay to continue buying and using plastic products, thereby increasing their profits.
The recycling symbol, consisting of three arrows, was conceived to promote genuine recycling. However, the RIC numbers associated with this symbol have been used by the industry to trick the public into thinking that recycling is achievable and effective. Additionally, the plastics industry has publicized various projects and initiatives to recycle plastic, such as recycling programs in schools and national parks. However, these projects ultimately failed due to the economics of recycling, as it is cheaper and easier to produce new plastic from oil than from recycled plastic.
The public's trust has been betrayed by the plastics industry, and the environmental consequences of this deception are significant. Plastic does not chemically degrade, but instead breaks apart into microplastics, which have been found in the ocean, snow, rainfall, the air, and even in human blood and breast milk. It is time to hold the plastics industry accountable for their misleading claims and the damage they have caused to the environment.
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Plastic is hard to recycle because it must be sorted and cleaned first
Plastic is notoriously difficult to recycle, and the vast majority of it ends up in landfills or the environment. A Greenpeace report found that while people put plastic into recycling bins, almost none of it is actually recycled. Even when recycling does occur, it is often downcycling, creating products of lower technical and aesthetic quality.
The process of recycling plastic is complex and costly. It involves collecting, cleaning, sorting, shredding, melting, and reforming the material. Sorting and cleaning are particularly important and challenging steps. Different types of plastic do not mix well when melted down, and small amounts of the wrong type can degrade the quality of an entire batch. Therefore, plastic must be carefully sorted first, which can be time-consuming and expensive. High-income countries typically use high-tech machines at large-scale recycling facilities for sorting, while low- and middle-income countries may rely on manual sorting, which can be hazardous and provide little economic incentive.
Additionally, plastic waste must be cleaned before recycling. This process can be laborious, especially for items with labels or residue that need to be removed. Clean plastic fetches a higher price than uncleaned items, and some waste collectors in Ghana, for example, go door-to-door purchasing desirable plastics for recycling. However, despite these efforts, the resulting recycled material often contains unwanted toxins.
The difficulties in sorting and cleaning plastic for recycling contribute to the low recycling rates observed globally. In 2018, the recycling rate for plastic in the United States was only 8.7%. While certain types of containers, such as PET bottles and jars, had higher recycling rates of around 29%, the overall rate remains low. This is in part due to the challenges of sorting and cleaning plastic, which can be time-consuming, expensive, and hazardous.
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Plastic is often buried in landfills, not recycled
Plastic is a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste (MSW). In 2018, the United States generated 35.7 million tons of plastic, 12.2% of all MSW generation. Despite the public's best efforts to recycle their plastic waste, a large proportion of plastic ends up in landfills. In 2018, landfills in the US received 27 million tons of plastic, or 18.5% of all MSW landfilled.
While the overall amount of recycled plastics is relatively small, with an 8.7% recycling rate in 2018, the recycling of some specific types of plastic containers is more significant. For example, the recycling rate of PET bottles and jars was 29.1% in 2018, and the rate for HDPE natural bottles was 29.3%. However, it is important to note that many recycled materials commonly contain significant levels of unwanted toxins. Additionally, it is very difficult or impossible to recycle many types of plastic more than once without causing the material to acquire defects and contaminants.
The reality is that most plastic waste ends up in landfills rather than being recycled. This is due in part to the fact that recycling plastic is expensive and time-consuming, requiring proper sorting and cleaning of materials. In many cases, it is simply more cost-effective for recycling companies to dispose of plastic waste as garbage rather than attempt to recycle it. This is a stark contrast to the message that has been conveyed to the public by the plastics industry, which has spent millions of dollars on advertising campaigns promoting the recyclability of plastic.
Furthermore, the plastic that ends up in landfills does not simply disappear. Plastic waste in landfills can break apart into microplastics, which can then be transported into the surrounding environment through various means such as wind, flooding, and leaching. These microplastics have been found in the ocean, snow, rainfall, the air, and even in human blood and breast milk. The presence of microplastics in the environment and our bodies has serious health and environmental implications that are only beginning to be understood.
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Plastic is a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste
The recycling rate of plastics is relatively low. In 2018, the overall recycling rate for plastics was 8.7%, amounting to 3 million tons. While certain types of containers, such as PET bottles and jars, had higher recycling rates of 29.1%, the overall trend suggests that a significant portion of plastics is not being recycled.
The challenges associated with plastic recycling are multifaceted. Firstly, the recycling process itself is complex and time-intensive, requiring proper sorting and cleaning of materials. Additionally, the presence of food residues or other contaminants often renders plastic unfit for recycling, as only good-quality, clean plastics can be effectively recycled. The recycling process is also energy-intensive and costly, especially with the addition of steps like post-consumer selection and washing.
Furthermore, the variety of plastic types poses a significant challenge. With thousands of different types of plastics in existence, it is difficult or impossible to recycle many of them, especially when it comes to melting them down together. Thermoplastics, which make up 75% of global plastic production, can be melted and molded multiple times, but even these plastics face challenges due to the potential presence of toxins and the degradation of material quality with each recycling cycle.
The low recycling rates of plastics have significant environmental implications. Plastic waste often ends up in landfills, contributing to the growing volume of municipal solid waste. Additionally, plastic degradation results in the formation of microplastics, which have been detected in oceans, snow, rainfall, air, and even human biological samples. Addressing the challenges associated with plastic recycling requires a comprehensive approach that includes improved recycling technologies, waste management strategies, and a reduction in plastic production.
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that only 8.7% to 10% of plastic is being recycled.
The reasons behind the low percentage of plastic recycling are manifold. Firstly, the recycling process is time-intensive and expensive as it involves properly sorting and cleaning materials. Secondly, there are thousands of different types of plastic, and they cannot be melted down together. Additionally, many recycled materials contain unwanted toxins, and some types of plastic cannot be recycled more than once without acquiring defects.
Plastic that is not recycled typically ends up in landfills or incinerators. Landfills received 27 million tons of plastic in 2018, according to the EPA. Incineration, or combustion, of plastic contributes to GHG emissions and air quality deterioration.
Increasing the percentage of recycled plastic requires a combination of individual, corporate, and governmental actions. Individuals can reduce their plastic consumption, properly clean and sort recyclable plastics, and support companies that use recycled materials. Corporations can invest in recycling technologies, develop products with recycled content, and commit to reducing plastic waste. Governments can implement policies that encourage recycling, such as investing in recycling programs and creating standards for recyclable materials.
One of the main challenges in recycling plastic is that not all types of plastic are recyclable. For example, thermoset plastics, which are used in electrical insulation, ropes, belts, and pipes, are difficult to recycle because they do not soften when exposed to heat. Additionally, plastic with food residues or other contaminants is often deemed unfit for recycling and ends up in landfills or incinerators.
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