Plastic recycling is a "failed concept" in the U.S., study says

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Washington — Plastic recycling rates are declining even as production shoots up, according to a Greenpeace USA report out Monday that blasted industry claims of creating an efficient, circular economy as "fiction."

Titled "Circular Claims Fall Flat Again," the study found that of 51 million tons of plastic waste generated by U.S. households in 2021, only 2.4 million tons were recycled, or around five percent. After peaking in 2014 at 10 percent, the trend has been decreasing, especially since China stopped accepting the West's plastic waste in 2018.

Virgin production — of non-recycled plastic, that is — meanwhile is rapidly rising as the petrochemical industry expands, lowering costs.

"Industry groups and big corporations have been pushing for recycling as a solution," Greenpeace USA campaigner Lisa Ramsden told AFP.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/plastic-recycling-is-a-failed-concept-in-the-u-s-study-says/ar-AA13jvQE

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I don't get it. Not that hard to have a recycling bucket, fill it with

plastic, glass, aluminum/tin cans -- and then drive to recycling. In my town, you can put out recycling twice a month for curb-side pick-up.

[leftieNanner]

4. Where we used to live

They did not recycle plastic. Neither the curbside pick-up nor at the recycling center. I had to stop buying things in clam shells - particularly berries - because the packaging would be going into the landfill.

Now I can recycle the plastic, but have decided that it's ultimately better just not to buy it.

[tazkcmo]

5. Too many different kinds of plastics.

Plastics with styrene, p e t, nylon and other ingredients do not recycle well due to the cost of separating out these additives. In addition, it is labor intensive to sort millions of little recycling buckets that have been put to the curb with all sorts of different plastic items in them many of them dirty or with food still in them. There's other reasons I don't have time to list. I'm on my break and have to go back to recycling plastic.

[Timeflyer]

2. Such a tough issue.

It's individually hard to avoid plastic--to get a whole society to cooperate, when recycling it isn't working and industry takes the cheapest route, is daunting. Getting Styrofoam packaging recycled is basically impossible in most communities.

[al_liberal]

3. It's not due to lack of participation.

Most recyclers will only take plastics that are in demand for recycling. Here it’s 1s and 2s with narrow openings. Think milk jugs and water bottles. You’re not supposed to put any other plastics in the bin. Everything else goes to the landfill. Is that on me as a consumer? I’d gladly put it all in the bin if they would take it.

[VMA131Marine]

6. We need to find organic alternatives for all single-use plastics

[NNadir]

7. If there was anyone at Greenpeace who had even a trace of understanding of science...

...they might be able to comprehend the issue, but as Greenpeace is largely an organization where scientific insight is poorly regarded, there's not much that can be explained to them.

[brewens]

8. I live in a fourplex where we have what must be about a 100-gallon recycling bin.

It is collected every two weeks and is full. In fact, if no one breaks down boxes, it's nowhere near enough. There are a couple handicapped people here that can't do it, so I break them down for them. I'm just happy as hell everyone here uses it.

[zeusdogmom]

9. Think about what you personally purchase every day (week)

Is it encased in extra useless plastic? Looking at you Costco 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 Can you purchase the same or similar item in a non-plastic container? The best shampoo I have ever used comes in a bar. Ditto the conditioner. If possible buy your meat from the meat counter where the meat is wrapped in paper vs. the styrofoam tray and plastic wrap. Do you really need a plastic straw with your fast food beverage? Easy changes.

Plastics are everywhere and in everything (micro plastics). Each of us can up our game and be aware of what we buy and use and attempt to remove some of the plastic from our lives. Pick a couple of things to try to eliminate from your life - start with the single use water bottles - use a refillable one - there are water fountains everywhere. And so are those d*** empty plastic bottles. I was walking Zeus this morning and saw over a dozen of them strewn about a park area (busy weekend)

I understand how useful and necessary plastics are in many items and areas of life. No problem with that. It is all of the unnecessary - at least in my mind - stuff.

OK - I’ll get off my soapbox now.

[Genki Hikari]

10. It would help if they'd all get on the same page and stick to it for a while

The rules keep changing where I live about what will or won't be accepted to the point that I no longer have any idea what they'll take when it comes to plastic. Every time I turn around, the rules have changed. The last ruling we had that I remember, we couldn't put plastic that had been used for food storage in the recycling, and that was nearly all of the plastic that we used.

So now I toss only cans, glass and paper in the recycling bin.