Chloe Zhang
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue in the United States, with a staggering amount of plastic waste ending up in landfills, oceans, and the atmosphere. Despite public efforts to recycle, only a small percentage of plastic is actually recycled in the US. The recycling rate for plastic in the US has been estimated to be as low as 5% to 6%, which is significantly lower than the 30% recycling rate considered necessary for a material to be defined as recyclable. This means that a significant portion of plastic is not being recycled and is contributing to environmental pollution and degradation. This raises the question: what percentage of plastic isn't recycled in the United States, and what can be done to address this issue?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic generated in the US in 2018 | 35.7 million tons |
| Percentage of plastic recycled in the US in 2018 | 8.7% |
| Recycling rate of PET bottles and jars in 2018 | 29.1% |
| Recycling rate of HDPE natural bottles in 2018 | 29.3% |
| National average for plastic recycling | 30% |
| Percentage of plastic recycled in the US in 2021 | 5% to 6% |
| Percentage of plastic recycled in the US in 2019 | 5% |
| Percentage of plastic sent to landfills in 2021 | 85% |
| Percentage of plastic sent to landfills in 2017 | 93.56% |
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What You'll Learn
Only 5% of plastic in the US is recycled
Plastic is everywhere, and it's cheap to make and incredibly profitable. However, only about 5% of plastics in the US are recycled each year. This rate is shockingly low, and it's a huge problem that's getting worse.
In 2021, 85% of US plastic waste ended up in landfills, according to a report by environmental groups Beyond Plastics and The Last Beach Cleanup. That's around 38 million tons of plastic waste. The US is struggling to recycle its own plastic waste, and countries like China are now refusing to accept America's plastic waste.
The low recycling rate is due to a variety of factors, including low recycling rates, population growth, consumer preference for single-use plastics, and low disposal fees in certain areas. People often assume that putting plastic in a recycling bin means it will be recycled, but that's not always the case. In fact, most plastic ends up in landfills, or worse.
Some states have instituted policies that hinder progress, and industry lobbyists have influenced state-level laws that prevent bans or limits on plastics. Environmentalists and lawmakers are pushing for legislation to ban single-use plastics and incentivize customers to return plastic bottles.
The US needs to increase its plastic recycling rate to decrease the demand for virgin polymers. A "circularity revolution" in recycling plastic is needed, with improved sorting, advanced recycling, and partnerships to enable the repeated reuse of plastic.
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Plastic is cheap to produce and highly profitable
Plastic is everywhere. From the moment we start our day, we are likely to use a plastic product—from a plastic toothbrush to a plastic coffee cup. On an annual basis, the world uses one trillion single-use plastic bags and 16 billion disposable coffee cups. This doesn't include the countless other plastic products we use daily.
Why is plastic so ubiquitous? It comes down to cost. Plastic is cheap to produce and highly profitable. The raw materials that go into making plastic—coal, salt, natural gas, and petroleum—are inexpensive and widely available. For companies that manufacture and sell plastic items, the incentive to use plastic is clear: it lowers their costs and increases their profitability. In today's competitive global market, these economic incentives are hard to ignore.
However, the cheap cost of plastic is not without consequences. The environmental impact of plastic pollution is significant and widespread. While there is growing awareness of the long-term damage caused by plastic pollution, our reliance on plastic is expected to continue. Recycling plastic is challenging, and the process can be labor-intensive and expensive. The recycling rate for plastic must be 30% to be considered effective, but no plastic has ever been recycled close to that rate. In fact, a Greenpeace report found that most plastic ends up in landfills, despite people's efforts to recycle.
Despite the challenges, there is some optimism for the future of plastic recycling. The "National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution" aims to eliminate plastic pollution in the environment. Additionally, environmentalists and lawmakers are pushing for legislation to ban single-use plastics and encourage recycling through "bottle bills." By changing consumer demand, we can also force companies to change their practices and move towards more sustainable alternatives. While plastic may be cheap and profitable, it is essential to recognize the externalities of plastic pollution and work towards reducing its impact on the planet.
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Plastic waste often ends up in landfills, oceans, and the atmosphere
Plastic waste is a pressing issue in the United States, with a significant amount of plastic ending up in landfills, oceans, and the atmosphere. The recycling rate for plastics in the US in 2018 was only 8.7%, with three million tons of plastic recycled out of 35.7 million tons generated. This low recycling rate contributes to the accumulation of plastic waste in various environments, leading to detrimental effects on ecosystems, human health, and economies.
Landfills are a common destination for plastic waste, but they pose significant environmental and health risks. Plastic waste can persist in landfills for decades or even forever if the landfill is properly built and managed. However, in many cases, landfills are mismanaged, leading to plastic leakage into nearby waterways and the spread of microplastics. The degradation of plastic waste can also release harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxic emissions, impacting both the environment and human health.
The oceans are another major recipient of plastic waste. While only a small proportion of plastic is disposed of incorrectly, even a small percentage of 400 million tons of annual plastic production can have a significant impact. Rivers play a crucial role in transporting plastic from land to sea, with 1000 rivers contributing to 80% of plastic emissions into oceans. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located halfway between Hawaii and California, serves as a stark example of the magnitude of ocean plastic pollution, containing 100 million kilograms of plastic.
Additionally, plastic waste is not limited to the earth's surface but has also reached the atmosphere. Microplastics, originating from sources such as roadways, agricultural dust, and oceans, are lofted into the air and can travel thousands of miles. These microscopic plastic particles have been found in human lungs, indicating that we are inhaling them. The potential consequences of airborne microplastics on climate, ecosystems, and human health are still being studied, but initial assessments suggest they may influence cloud formation and have an impact on temperature, rainfall, and climate change.
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Plastic recycling is time-intensive, expensive, and difficult
Plastic recycling rates in the United States are low, with an 8.7% recycling rate in 2018, and a senior plastic campaigner for Greenpeace USA stating that an even smaller percentage of plastic is being recycled despite increased production. This is due to a multitude of factors that make plastic recycling time-intensive, expensive, and difficult.
Firstly, collecting and sorting plastic waste is expensive. There are thousands of different types of plastics, and they cannot be melted down together. The variety of plastics means that the process of sorting them is complex and costly. Additionally, plastic degrades after one or two uses, limiting its reusability.
The process of recycling plastic is also time-consuming and challenging. Even with diligent sorting, recycled plastic is often of lower quality than primary plastic due to the different combinations of additives used to give plastics varying colours and technical properties. The long polymer chains that make up these materials also become shorter each time they are melted down, resulting in recycled material with unpredictable and suboptimal qualities. This process of downcycling means that recycled plastic is used to create products with less stringent technical or aesthetic qualities, such as a food-grade plastic bottle being turned into a fleece garment.
The market for recycled plastic is limited due to the challenges in maintaining the quality of the material. This is further exacerbated by the fact that new plastic is cheap and easy to produce, making it more attractive to manufacturers. The economics of plastic recycling have been a significant hurdle, with many projects funded by the plastics industry failing to turn plastic trash into new products.
Furthermore, the plastics industry has been accused of misleading the public about the recyclability of their products. Despite funding sorting machines, recycling centres, and other initiatives, these projects have largely failed to make a significant impact on plastic recycling. The industry's focus on increasing plastic production and sales has contributed to the perception that plastic is recyclable when, in reality, it is challenging to recycle on a large scale.
While some specific types of plastic containers have higher recycling rates, such as PET bottles and jars, and HDPE natural bottles, overall, plastic recycling in the United States faces significant hurdles due to the time-intensive, expensive, and difficult nature of the process.
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Some states have banned single-use plastics and plastic bags
While the recycling rate of some specific types of plastic containers is more significant, the overall amount of recycled plastics is relatively small. In 2018, the recycling rate of PET bottles and jars was 29.1%, and for HDPE natural bottles, it was 29.3%. However, the overall recycling rate for plastics was only 8.7% in the same year, falling short of the 30% standard considered effective for recycling and reuse. This situation is not unique to the United States. Globally, around 400 million tons of plastic are produced each year, and the production of plastic is increasing, along with efforts to combat its use.
Despite the absence of a federal-level single-use plastic ban in the United States, several states and cities have taken the initiative to address this issue. States like California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon, and Vermont have implemented bans on plastic bags. San Francisco led the way by becoming the first city to ban plastic bags in 2007, and the rest of California followed suit in 2014, resulting in a 70% reduction in plastic bag usage within the state. However, enforcement challenges have arisen, as some businesses continue to distribute plastic bags, especially during the COVID-19 period.
New York has encountered similar enforcement issues, with some companies still providing plastic bags despite the state's ban in 2020. Additionally, attempts to implement statewide bans in certain jurisdictions, such as Massachusetts, have faced obstacles due to plastic industry lobbying. Nevertheless, progress is being made, and the U.S. Interior Department has announced plans to phase out single-use plastic products from national parks and specific public lands by 2032, covering approximately 480 million acres of federal land.
To address the issue of single-use plastics, some states are pushing for "bottle bills" that incentivize customers to return their plastic bottles. Moreover, the EPA has released the "National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution," focusing on actions to prevent plastic pollution from entering the environment. While plastic remains integrated into society due to its convenience and cost-effectiveness, raising awareness and implementing plastic bans are crucial steps toward a cleaner and safer future.
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Frequently asked questions
Only about 5% to 6% of plastics are recycled each year in the United States.
There is a shortage of costly infrastructure required for recycling. The recycling process is time-intensive and expensive, and it is very difficult or impossible to recycle many types of plastic more than once without the material acquiring defects and contaminants.
Plastic that isn't recycled ends up in landfills, oceans, or the atmosphere in the form of toxic particles known as microplastics. These microplastics have been found in the air, water, and even in human blood and breast milk.
Local policies and investments in recycling programs can make a significant difference. For example, in Maine and Oregon, up to 80% of bottles made from PET are recycled. Additionally, legislation that bans single-use plastics and promotes systems of reuse and refill can help reduce plastic waste and increase recycling rates.
