Maya Ellison
Plastic recycling is a complex issue that has been the subject of much debate and scrutiny in recent years. Despite public efforts to recycle plastic products, the reality is that a significant portion of plastic waste is not being recycled and ends up in landfills or the environment. This problem is exacerbated by the increasing production and consumption of plastic, which has quadrupled in the last 30 years and is expected to triple in the next 30 years. While recycling is an important part of the solution, it is not enough to address the scale of the issue. The plastic industry has come under fire for its role in promoting the idea that plastic is widely recyclable when, in fact, the recycling rates for most plastics are very low. The complexity of plastic recycling, the cost of collection and sorting, and the lack of federal recycling programs further contribute to the challenges of effectively managing plastic waste.
Why does plastic recycling suck?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic consumption | Quadrupled in the past 30 years |
| Plastic recycling rate | Less than 10% of all the plastic ever produced has been recycled |
| US plastic recycling rate | 5% of US plastic waste is properly recycled |
| Global plastic recycling rate | 9% of global plastic waste is properly recycled |
| Plastic production | Expected to triple in the next 30 years |
| Plastic recycling in the US | Broken |
| Plastic recycling in Switzerland | Approaching 100% of waste recycled |
| Plastic recycling in the US in 1960 | 2.68 pounds of garbage per day |
| Plastic recycling in the US in 2017 | 4.51 pounds of garbage per day |
| Plastic recycling rate in the US in 2017 | 34% |
| Plastic recycling rate of paper and cardboard in the US | 66% |
| Plastic recycling rate of glass in the US | 27% |
| Plastic recycling rate of plastic in the US | 8% |
| Plastic recycling rate of plastic bottles collected for recycling | 21% |
| Plastic recycling rate of plastic to reach recyclable status | 30% |
| Number of different types of plastic | Thousands |
| Plastic recycling centers built by Big Oil | Many of them closed in less than five years |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic recycling is a myth
The plastic industry has long been aware that recycling was not a realistic solution to the plastic waste problem. However, they continued to promote the idea that plastic could be recycled, thus misleading the public and shifting the blame for plastic waste from the producer to the consumer. Oil companies, in particular, touted recycling to sell more plastic, even when they knew it would never work on a large scale. This disinformation campaign included the building of recycling centers, which often closed within five years, and the creation of Resin Identification Codes (RICs) – numbers imprinted on plastic products that gave consumers the impression of a vast and viable recycling industry.
The challenges of plastic recycling are further exacerbated by the increasing variety and quantity of plastics in use. There are now thousands of different types of plastic, and none of them can be melted down together. Additionally, plastic is cheap to produce and highly profitable, giving manufacturers little incentive to reduce their output.
The solution to the plastic waste crisis lies upstream with the producers. To address plastic pollution, manufacturers need to be held accountable for the damage caused by their products and should be encouraged to develop more recyclable products and sustainable alternatives. While these ideas are not new, they have gained renewed attention from global policymakers and innovators seeking to make sustainability profitable.
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Oil companies misled the public
Oil and gas companies have long misled the public about plastic recycling, promoting it as a solution to the plastic waste problem despite knowing that recycling plastic is not economically or technically feasible. This deception has been used to sell more plastic, escape regulation, and protect profits.
An investigation by NPR and PBS Frontline revealed that the oil and gas industry used the promise of recycling to sell more plastic, even though they knew it would never work on a large scale. This is further supported by a report from the Center for Climate Integrity (CCI), which provides evidence that fossil fuel and petrochemical companies have used the false promise of plastic recycling to increase virgin plastic production over the last six decades, creating and perpetuating the global plastic waste crisis.
Industry documents show that starting in 1989, oil and plastics executives lobbied almost 40 states to mandate a recycling symbol on all plastic packaging, even if the plastic was not recyclable. This symbol, known as the "chasing arrows," was rolled out by the Society of the Plastics Industry (now the Plastics Industry Association) in 1988 and has been widely recognized as a sign of recyclable plastic. However, experts have long said that this symbol is highly misleading, and federal regulators have recently echoed these concerns.
The deception goes beyond just misleading symbols. Oil and gas companies have also invested in recycling technologies and infrastructure, giving the appearance of a commitment to recycling. However, these efforts have ultimately been unsuccessful due to the economics of plastic recycling. It is simply cheaper and easier to make new plastic out of oil than it is to recycle plastic trash. As a result, most plastic ends up in landfills, despite public efforts to recycle.
The consequences of this deception are significant. Communities are left to bear the costs of dealing with plastic waste, and the environment suffers as plastic production continues to ramp up. Legal efforts are now underway to hold these companies accountable for their misleading marketing and the damage they have caused.
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Plastic waste ends up in landfills
Plastic waste ending up in landfills is a significant issue, with plastic production ramping up and a smaller percentage of it being recycled. A Greenpeace report found that most plastic ends up in landfills, even though people put it in their recycling bins. This is due to the challenges of recycling plastic, including the high costs of collection and sorting, and the vast number of different types of plastic that cannot be melted down together.
The plastic waste that does end up in landfills is subject to long-term degradation, which can lead to the release of harmful volatile organic compounds and the formation and spread of microplastics. These microplastics are transported to the surroundings by air and leachate, causing numerous hazardous effects on the environment and various floral and faunal species.
The United States, for example, has seen an increase in landfilled plastic waste due to low recycling rates, population growth, a preference for single-use plastics, and low disposal fees in certain areas. In 2019, only about 5% of waste plastic in the US was recycled, while a staggering 86% was left in landfills. The rest was burned to generate electricity. The problem has been exacerbated by China's refusal to import non-industrial plastic waste from the US since 2017, which has disrupted the global waste trade.
The economic impact of landfilled plastic waste is also significant, with the market value of this waste estimated at $7.2 billion on average. Furthermore, the energy embodied in the waste plastic, representing the energy used to manufacture it, equates to about 12% of the country's energy consumption by the industrial sector. This highlights the lost energy opportunity presented by plastic waste, which could have been utilized for power generation.
Overall, the issue of plastic waste ending up in landfills is a pressing environmental and economic concern that requires urgent attention and sustainable solutions.
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Plastic is expensive to recycle
Plastic is cheap to produce and highly profitable. However, it is expensive to recycle. The process of collecting, sorting, and repurposing plastic waste is costly and time-consuming.
Firstly, collecting plastic waste for recycling is challenging due to the diverse range of plastic types and the lack of efficient systems to gather and sort this waste. There are thousands of different types of plastic, each with unique chemical compositions and properties, which cannot be melted down together. This variety of plastics requires specialized collection and sorting methods, increasing the complexity and cost of recycling.
Secondly, sorting plastic waste is a significant challenge and expense in the recycling process. Different types of plastic must be separated to be effectively recycled, and this sorting process is often done manually, which is labor-intensive and slow. While technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence and robotic sorting machines, have been introduced to enhance sorting efficiency, these innovations come with their own financial investments and maintenance requirements.
Additionally, the economic viability of plastic recycling has been questioned. The cost of recycling plastic often exceeds the value of the recycled material, especially when compared to the cheaper option of producing new plastic from oil. This economic reality has led to situations where recycling companies incur higher costs for recycling than for disposing of plastic waste as garbage.
The high cost of plastic recycling has resulted in low recycling rates and the prevalence of landfills. Despite public efforts to recycle plastic waste, the actual recycling rates fall far below the standards set by organizations like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation New Plastic Economy Initiative. Globally, less than 10% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, with specific countries like the United States recycling only 8% of their plastic waste.
To address these challenges, systemic changes are necessary. Policymakers, companies, and society must work together to develop better recycling programs, invest in sustainable alternatives, and reduce plastic production and consumption. Holding plastic producers accountable for the environmental impact of their products and encouraging the development of more recyclable materials are crucial steps toward improving the plastic recycling landscape.
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Recycling infrastructure is lacking
Plastic recycling infrastructure is lacking in many countries, which has severe environmental consequences. For instance, in 2022, a Greenpeace report found that most plastic ends up in landfills, despite people's efforts to recycle. This is due to a variety of factors, including the difficulty and cost of sorting and processing plastic waste, the lack of market demand for recycled plastics, and the challenges of contamination and lack of standardization in plastic types.
The problem is particularly acute in developing countries, which often lack the resources and infrastructure to manage plastic waste effectively. These countries are expected to account for much of the growth in plastic production over the next few years, so the issue is becoming increasingly urgent. Without the proper infrastructure, plastic waste will continue to pollute the environment, harm wildlife and marine life, and contribute to climate change.
One of the main challenges is the sheer variety of plastics, with thousands of different types, each with unique chemical compositions and properties. This makes it difficult and expensive to collect, sort, and process plastic waste. It also means that different types of plastic cannot be melted down together, further complicating the recycling process.
Another issue is the limited market demand for recycled plastics. Businesses often face concerns about the quality and reliability of recycled plastic products compared to virgin plastics, making it less economically viable to recycle. This is compounded by the fact that it is often cheaper to produce new plastic from oil than from recycled plastic.
To address these issues, increased investment in recycling infrastructure is necessary, as well as the development of new technologies and the implementation of standardized labeling and identification systems for plastics. Businesses can also play a role by investing in advanced sorting machinery, supporting local recycling initiatives, and creating new products made from recycled plastics.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic recycling sucks because it is expensive to collect and sort, and there are thousands of different types of plastic, each requiring different recycling methods. Plastic is also cheap to produce, so it is often more cost-effective to produce new plastic than to recycle old plastic.
To improve plastic recycling, the federal government needs to invest in realistic recycling programs and ban most plastics that are not recyclable. Additionally, those who produce plastics need to pay for the damage it causes, and the world will also have to make less of it.
When plastic is not recycled, it often ends up in landfills or the environment, including the ocean. Plastic does not chemically degrade, so it breaks apart into microplastics, which have been found in the ocean, snow and rainfall, the air, and even in human blood and breast milk.
