Is Plastic Recycling Effective to Reduce Plastic Pollution?
Greenpeace has warned that recycling plastic might make it more harmful and should not be regarded as a solution to the pollution challenge ahead of the latest round of international plastics treaty discussions.
Plastics are already at odds with a circular economy, the Worldwide Environmental Network stated in a report that compiled evidence demonstrating that recycled Plastic Pollution is more harmful than virgin elements.
Separate research has demonstrated that breaking down plastics for recycling spreads tiny plastic particles into the environment. The publication is scheduled to coincide with the start of new talks for a prospective global plastics treaty.
Why has Plastic become a Huge Problem?
Bags, single-use plastic bottles, and containers, as well as car parts, pipelines, and siding, are all made of plastic. Similarly, plastic garbage is all around us.
While the impact of Plastic Pollution on marine life is widely established, scientists are only now beginning to investigate the impacts of single-use plastic on humans and human fertility, land ecosystems, crops, and other plants.
In 2018, the United States alone created 35.7 million tons of plastic garbage. 27 million tons were landfilled, 5.6 million tons were burnt, and three million tons, or 8.7 percent, were recycled. According to some studies, plastic debris carried abroad for recycling may end up in landfills and rivers instead.
Researchers estimate that almost 7,000 million tons of pure single-use plastic were manufactured globally in 2015. 9 percent of that may have been recycled, 12 percent burnt, and the remainder remains in landfills, still in usage, or our environment.
Approximately one-fourth of all Recyclable plastic waste is never recycled globally. In poorer nations, discarded plastic occasionally gets burned in the open, releasing harmful compounds into the environment.
Are all the plastics Recyclable plastic?
Many household plastic products have triangular recyclable symbols stamped on them. However, only two types of plastic are frequently recycled: #1, PET or polyethylene terephthalate, or PET for short, and #2, HDPE or polyethylene with a high density, and usually only bottles, tubs, and jugs (not, for example, salad containers, fruit boxes, or clamshell packages). These constitute only a small portion of total plastic trash.
Recyclable plastics are often downcycled rather than fully recycled. Upcycling occurs when plastic trash is converted into a more desirable product, such as clothing or shoes.
Recycling yields an equivalent product that can be recycled several times. The number of times a plastic may be efficiently recycled, however, is currently restricted.
What Happens to the Plastic that is not Recycled?
Recycling is the most evident way to reduce plastic pollution. The vast majority of plastic, however, winds up in landfills. Some single-use plastics are biodegradable, whereas others are compostable and must be taken to a commercial composting facility.
According to the United States Public Interest Research Group (US PRIG), 94% of Americans support recycling. 70% of Americans believe that recycling must be prioritized. Only 34.7% of all Americans recycle.
In the United States, less than 10% of plastic gets recycled each year. The remaining 33 million tons are wasted, with 22-43% of Plastic Pollution ending up in landfills and the remainder burnt or littered; all three have a negative impact on the environment and human and wildlife health, resulting in tremendous expenses.
Lastly
Reduce plastic output by improving Recyclable plastic rates. This wasted plastic cannot be processed and repurposed unless it is recycled. Instead, fresh plastic must be manufactured, necessitating the use of extra natural resources.
You can help save the environment by keeping waste plastics out of landfills, the air, and the oceans, as well as reducing the amount of natural resources utilized to create new plastics.
