The Greenpeace report touches on a number of concerns related to plastics recycling - growing volumes of waste generated and possible toxicity complications, for instance. This should start with the main contributors to the plastic pollution crisis who must take responsibility for this problem and reevaluate their dependency on single-use plastics packaging. That strategy, Greenpeace adds, is derailing larger conversations about material use and environmental impacts. Greenpeace study finds plastic recycling a 'myth'. Since everything is going in the same bin, plastic waste with no value or market ends up driving up the cost of the whole system, to the point where cities like Memphis, Philadelphia, and many others, are starting to struggle to pay for recycling. When it comes to plastics, however, the common belief that items in the recycling bin will end up being repurposed down the line is rarely borne out. Thanks and congratulations to all the efforts to CHANGE from plastic to re-useable containers. Sustainably hosted on wind powered servers by Mobius Intelligent Systems. Environmentalists need something to replace their failed recycling campaign. In New York City, recycling a ton of plastic costs at least six times more than sending it to a landfill, according to a 2020 Manhattan Institute study, which estimated that the city could save $340 million annually by sending all its trash to landfills. A high-profile Greenpeace lawsuit against Walmart Inc. over plastic packaging recyclability claims is over, at least for now, after a federal judge dismissed the environmental group's claims on. The 40-page report is an update from a 2020 survey. Third, the recycling process itself is environmentally harmful, exposing workers to toxic chemicals and itself generating microplastics. The first is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is commonly used in water and soda bottles; and the second is high density polyethylene (HDPE), seen in milk jugs, shampoo bottles and cleaning product containers. AFP. Greenpeace has seen the light, or at least a glimmer of rationality. Meanwhile, most of the corporations responsible for producing all of this waste continue to try to push the costs of dealing with it onto taxpayers. The first is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is commonly used in water and soda bottles; and the second is high density polyethylene (HDPE), seen in milk jugs, shampoo bottles and cleaning product containers. Americans welcomed plastic products and packages because they were so much better than the alternative. You will be able to hide the cookies acceptance banner and use the website features better. Of that, only about 2.4 million tons were recycled. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. proposed by Senator Udall and Representative Lowenthal is exactly the kind of comprehensive legislation we need right now. notifications of new cookies, disabling cookies and deleting cookies). For producers of single-use plastic products must switch to production of environmental safe alternative packaging. Every single corporate commitment made by the main plastic polluters allows the continuous use of single-use plastic packaging. Because as bad as plastic is for marine life and human health, it is also harming our ability to recycle material that can be recycled over and over again, like aluminum, paper, and glass. The Greenpeace report is focused on the ultimate solution to the plastics problem, and it concludes that history reveals that recycling is not it. The Greenpeace USA report, "Circular Claims Fall Flat Again," released Monday, Oct. 24, concludes that most plastic generated in the U.S. cannot be recycled, to which the plastics and recycling industries respond that recycling is essential to plastics' circularity while acknowledging that the recycling rate must improve. Models such as supermarkets having milk ATMs for refilling milk rather than packaging it in plastic bottles is another good example. Single use bags are banned and replaced with heavy plastic bags charged 10 cents each? WTF! Virtually all the consumer plastics polluting the worlds oceans comes from mismanaged waste in developing countries. Titled "Circular Claims Fall Flat Again," the study found that of 51 million tons of plastic waste . Much of it ends up illegally dumped, burned (spewing toxic fumes), or reprocessed at rudimentary facilities that leak some of the plastics into rivers. Eliminating plastic use will create a real change of securing a future that is healthier for our families, our communities and the species that call this planet home. Greenpeace is questioning industry claims of more than $5 billion in new investments in U.S. plastics recycling since China's National Sword crackdown in 2017. Despite the widespread use of recycling symbols and marketing aimed at convincing us that it is okay to use throwaway plastic, only bottles and jugs meet the minimum legal standard to be labeled recyclable. A report this week from environmental group Greenpeace takes brand owners and industry groups to task for promoting recycling as the primary solution to plastic waste issues. Greenpeace on Sept. 14 published "The Climate Emergency Unpacked: How Consumer Goods Companies Are Fueling Big Oil's Plastic Expansion." The report is framed as an . Societies and communities are getting concerned about the plastic pollution monster. There is a need to expand and build on this momentum to transition to a plastic-free future. Thered be less plastic polluting the seas if Americans tossed their yogurt containers and water bottles into the trash, so that the plastic could be safely buried at the nearest landfill. One reason: the plastic scare helps Greenpeace activists raise money and keep their jobs. A new report by the environmental nonprofit Greenpeace released on Monday finds that the vast majority of plastic waste produced by U.S. households is not recycled. We are independent, non-profit, advertising-free and 100% reader-supported. Only about 5% of the 51 million tons of plastic waste produced by American households in 2021 was recycled domestically, according to a new study conducted by the environmental nonprofit Greenpeace. This marked the beginning of the throwaway society, and the term wasnt originally used pejoratively. The organization criticizes the Plastics Industry Association for lobbying in favor of bills that preempt local governments from banning plastic bags. Plastic recycling rates are declining even as production shoots up, according to a Greenpeace USA report released on Monday that blasted industry claims of creating an efficient, circular economy . UK plastics sent for recycling in Turkey dumped and burned, Greenpeace finds Investigation reveals that 'plastic waste coming from the UK to Turkey is an environmental threat, not an economic. Why not charging two bucks or even five a bag? A recent Greenpeace Study about plastic recycling had some harsh criticism for producers of plastic products and for the recycling industry itself.. And yet, the government's own research (you know . The environmental price has also been high because the plastic in American recycling bins has gone to developing countries with primitive waste-handling systems. For instance, shortening products supply chains by sourcing and distributing more locally, reduces the need for packaging allowing more innovative product delivery options that not only foster reduced waste production, but also promote community connectedness. To inspire. The FDAs ban on a popular e-cigarette defies logic. Plastic recycling rates are falling even as production is rising rapidly, according to a US Greenpeace report released Monday that called industry claims of creating an efficient circular economy a "fiction." . Plastics that biodegrade or break down into tiny pieces (creating smaller bits of plastic that are still, well, plastic.) Sustainably hosted on wind powered servers by, Greenpeace: Recycling used as plastic industry smokescreen, an in-depth investigation aired last year, Stakeholders react as Global Plastics Treaty talks wrap up, Amcor triples goal for use of recycled resin. Reply. The World Economic Forum estimates that globally, 32 percent of plastic packaging escapes the collection systems. For example, Greenpeace's claim that the rate for plastic recycling is 5% is not correct. Greenpeace, the iconic environmentalist organization, now says traditional plastics recycling (separation, concentration of waste stream, thermal/physical reformation of plastics) does not work, thereby ironically agreeing with decades of critical research on recycling programs. This has been obvious for decades to anyone who crunched the numbers, but the fantasy of recycling plastic proved irresistible to generations of environmentalists and politicians. Their labels are misleading, and often incorrect. Common Dreams has been providing breaking news & views for the progressive community since 1997. Californias law forbidding hotels from offering disposable plastic toiletries is a gratuitous annoyance for travelers whod like a little bottle of shampoo, but it enables the states politicians and environmental groups to exercise power and pretend to be saviors of the planet. The group states more plastic production will have significant repercussions in terms of elevated greenhouse gas emissions. Advertisements featured housewives rejoicing that disposable plates and glasses freed them from dishwashing chores. | SergioVas / Shutterstock. Target is selling you products that are labeled as recyclable, but in fact, are not. Circular Claims Fall Flat Again, released today, finds that U.S. households generated an estimated 51 million tons of plastic waste in 2021, only 2.4 million tons of which was recycled. The report concludes that plastics are "fundamentally not recyclable," that recycling is not economical . (After New Jersey forbade stores from offering disposable plastic or paper bags, supermarkets ran out of handheld shopping baskets because so many customers were stealing them.) Visit Greenpeace Fund, a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charitable entity created to increase public awareness and understanding of environmental issues through research, the media and educational programs. Theyve found yet another way to harm both the environment and humans, as demonstrated in the movement to ban single-use plastic bags. "When looking at plastic recycling, APR uses the amount of consumer-facing . Greenpeace Study Calls Plastics Recycling "Fiction" Oct. 26, 2022 An update to a 2020 report has harsh words for the plastic and recycling industries. Instead, theyve had to pay dearly to get rid of it, typically by shipping it to Asian countries with cheaper labor and looser environmental rules. Greenpeace framed a new report as an examination of how packaging stakeholders and others have failed to reduce their reliance on single-use plastic. "New plastic directly competes with recycled plastic, and it's far cheaper to produce and of higher quality," said the report. Creeping censorship on digital platforms is alarmingbut the decentralizing forces of new technology make Chinese-style control unlikely. Joe Gillard Greenpeace published a report on Monday, October 24 th that had some harsh words for the plastics industry, as well as aspects of the recycling industry. These cookies help improving the performance of Greenpeace.org/africa. This op-ed was originally published in The Standard. The group has issued a report accompanied by a press release headlined, "Plastic Recycling Is A Dead-End StreetYear After . Companies are still dragging their feet, but we are starting to see some very encouraging regulatory proposals from cities, states, and even the US Congress. According to Greenpeace, researchers . Its time to face reality. "Industry groups and big corporations have been pushing for recycling as a solution," Greenpeace USA campaigner Lisa Ramsden told AFP. This helps us make better content based on your experience navigating the website. It was this rate Greenpeace used to compare different plastics with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 30% threshold. Nobody cares to save ten cent bags and just toss in landfill and those are worse than single use bags. 2022 Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Inc. All rights reserved. Learn how you can help hold retailers accountable. There are many alternative product delivery models that can eliminate the use of single-use plastics. Hi Sandra, you have raised good question, the are a lot of debates surrounding Ecobrick projects.Once we getting it finalised we will let you know. New data from two of New York Citys specialized high schools show the costs of the war on meritocracy. Greenpeace, the iconic environmentalist organization, now says traditional plastics recycling (separation, concentration of waste stream . Our waterways are filled with plastic waste and animals stomachs are full of it, yet we have been told for years that recycling is a solution.It is frustrating to see our rivers, oceans and communities filled with single-use plastic waste. She named Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever and Nestle as prime offenders. According to a survey by Greenpeace USA, only two types of plastic are widely accepted at the country's 375 recycling . Eliminating unnecessary and problematic products and packaging such as plastic straws and single use carrier bags, investing more in reusable and refillable systems would form a lasting solution to the plastic challenge we face today, as compared to recycling. Besides specific companies, Greenpeace also lays blame with industry groups. While there may not be a one size fits all approach, all businesses and corporations must begin to examine their business model that is centred on disposal, with single-use plastic packaging as the main product delivery system for their customers. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. All Rights Reserved. A new Greenpeace report estimates that only 5% to 6% of U.S. plastics are being recycled. The report found that PET and HDPE products had actual reprocessing rates of 20.9 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively both down slightly from Greenpeace USA's last survey in 2020. According to Greenpeace USA's survey, only two types of plastic are widely accepted at the nation's 375 material recovery facilities. A team of Greenpeace Africa activists at Nestle's headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, bring the #PlasticMonster (an installation made with plastic waste), back to its maker. The goal of providing and charging for heavy bags shouldn't be about the shoppers' convenience but deterring them from waste. According to the report, there were five main reasons why plastic recycling is a "failed concept. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Plastic production must be stopped to save Planet Earth and all living beings. The Greenpeace report follows an in-depth investigation aired last year by the PBS news show Frontline that also raised concerns about the way the plastics industry positions itself around recycling. The restrictions consistently failed to achieve their ostensible purpose of reducing unnecessary spending, but sumptuary laws endured until the Enlightenment because they reinforced ruling-class power and status. "More plastic is being produced, and an even smaller. People would think twice before throwing away the bags. Most of this plastic waste ends up on the seabed. Click here>>>>. Amos Wemanya is a Greenpeace Africa Plastic Campaigner based in Nairobi, Kenya. By ABC NEWS October 27, 2022, 8:21 AM 3:22 On Location: November 23, 2022 Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. This release updates a 2020 Greenpeace report that found the same things. Plastic Recycling Waste Management Plastic Greenpeace Recycling More stories from Plastic Recycling The Last Thing You Should Do with an Empty Yogurt Container Cubby - Shifrah Combiths Greenpeace Report: 'Most Plastic Is Just Not Recyclable' ecowatch.com - Olivia Rosane Anchorage man demonstrates technology to recycle plastic ocean waste A report this week from environmental group Greenpeace takes brand owners and industry groups to task for promoting recycling as the primary solution to plastic waste issues. The first is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is. Lisa Ramsden, a senior plastics campaigner at Greenpeace USA and one of the authors of the report, spoke with host Brad Mielke on ABC News' "Start Here" podcast about the biggest takeaways from the report, the state of the . Whats the right role for chemical recycling? According to the Greenpeace report, no type of plastic packaging . Most web browsers allow some control over cookies through browser settings (e.g. Once the plastic waste enters the seabed, it makes it impossible to clean up. In January 2021, Greenpeace moved the case from a state trial court to the U.S. District Court for the District of Northern California. I too often see shoppers at supermarkets mindlessly grab plastic bags after bags from dispenser rolls in the produce section for single or a few items that don't really need to be bagged at all like one cucumber, an orange, a cabbage Half-ass plastic bag laws are not helpful either. By the time plastic products reach their end of life, the bulk of their climate damage has already been done, according to a study that reaffirms greenhouse gasses tied to plastics are mostly generated in prime resin production, shipping and molding. Copyright The Greenpeace report offers a wealth of statistics and an admirably succinct diagnosis: Mechanical and chemical recycling of plastic waste has largely failed and will always fail because plastic waste is: (1) extremely difficult to collect, (2) virtually impossible to sort for recycling, (3) environmentally harmful to reprocess, (4) often made of and contaminated by toxic materials, and (5) not economical to recycle. Greenpeace could have added a sixth reason: forcing people to sort and rinse their plastic garbage is a waste of everyones time. Greenpeace's report was released on 26 May. The tote bags arent reused nearly often enough to offset their initial carbon footprint, and theyre breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses because theyre rarely washed properly. Amcor signs PCR offtake deal with ExxonMobil, Study: Recycling accounts for tiny share of plastics total GHGs, Another aggressive plastics bill lands in Congress, Oregon redemption center brings AI counting to consumers, See more Plastics Recycling Update headlines. the greenpeace report offers a wealth of statistics and an admirably succinct diagnosis: "mechanical and chemical recycling of plastic waste has largely failed and will always fail because plastic waste is: (1) extremely difficult to collect, (2) virtually impossible to sort for recycling, (3) environmentally harmful to reprocess, (4) often made One of the worlds largest packaging producers, Amcor, has signed a deal to buy huge amounts of chemically recycled resin from one of the worlds largest plastics producers, ExxonMobil. Even Greenpeace has finally acknowledged the truth: recycling plastic makes no sense. According to Greenpeace USA's survey, only two types of plastic are widely accepted at the nation's 375 material recovery facilities. According to Greenpeace, plastic recycling is failing for five main reasons: Recycling is difficult to collect due to plastic's widespread nature Plastics are difficult to sort for recycling The recycling process itself is harmful to the environment Plastics are often made of toxic materials It's just not economically feasible to recycle Austria has set reuse targets of 25 percent by 2025 and at least 30 percent by 2030 for beverage packaging, while Portugal has also set the 30 percent by 2030 goal. Thank you for this enlightening article and reality of the weakness of recycle. The solutions being explored are mainly on recycling, which is not sufficient to address the plastics pollution crisis. "This isn't actually a new concept it's how the milkman used to be, it's how Coca-Cola used to get its beverages to people. Second, even if it were all collected, mixed plastic waste cannot be recycled together, and it would be "functionally impossible to sort the trillions of pieces of consumer plastic waste produced each year," the report said. Some industry leaders took issue with some of the claims. First published on October 24, 2022 / 6:20 AM. Appeared in the Toronto Sun, December 7, 2022. 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 . They are set to collect data such as how long users stay on a page or which links are clicked. An examination of U.S. recycling facilities, which Greenpeace and the nonprofit Last Beach Cleanup released earlier this year, found that only some bottles and jugs made from plastics labeled Nos . Virgin production of non-recycled plastic, that is meanwhile is rapidly rising as the petrochemical industry expands, lowering costs. But then, making life more pleasant for humans has never been high on the green agenda. When I wrote about it a quarter-century ago, experts were already warning that recycling plastic was hopelessly impractical because it was so complicated and labor-intensive, but municipal officials kept trying in the hope that somebody would eventually find it worthwhile to buy their plastic trash. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Mixed reactions followed the first meeting on a Global Plastics Treaty, with some complaints about industry interference.. The paper and cotton bags also take up more space in landfills and produce more greenhouse emissions as they decompose. The state of plastic recycling in the US is so abysmal that no plastic packaging can even be considered recyclable, according to a new report published today by environmental group Greenpeace . / AFP, 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.". Plastics made of renewable, organic biomass sources, like vegetable fats and oils, and corn starch. Greenpeace Africa Plastic Campaigner Amos Wemanya explains why recycling is a false solution to Africas plastic pollution crisis, This is why recycling is a false solution in Africa. Conventional plastic recycling doesn't workeven Greenpeace says so. Research shows that since the 1950s, only 9 percent of all the plastics produced has been recycled. They preached it to children, mandated it for adults, and bludgeoned municipalities and virtue-signaling corporations into wasting vast sumsprobably hundreds of billions of dollars worldwideon an enterprise that has been harmful to the environment as well as to humanity. Absolutely yes, kindly fill in our online application form to get started. Plastic recycling has turned out to be a "failed concept" used by global corporations as a "smokescreen," Greenpeace USA has said, urging companies to focus on abandoning single-use plastic. We urgently need to stop the production of single-use plastics. " Plastic packaging isn't really 'recyclable' in the US " (The Verge). Todays rulers and moral guardians achieve the same purposes with their petty edicts on plastic. Greenpeace found that only . Because as bad as plastic is for marine life and human health. The best explanation Ive come up with is that plastic bans are a revival of the sumptuary laws formerly imposed on the lower classes by monarchs, nobles, and clergy. Although plastic recycling can still continue to serve as a turning point for someone who wants to become part of the solution, especially in plastic waste management and smart consumption, Greenpeace's report makes it clear that recycling alone will not stop the ongoing problem of plastic waste. Of the rest . Plastic waste isn't just a problem for nature, it's a problem for people too Ultimately, the Greenpeace report is focused on a systemic solution to the plastics problem, and it concludes that history reveals that recycling is not it. Greenpeace on Sept. 14 published The Climate Emergency Unpacked: How Consumer Goods Companies Are Fueling Big Oils Plastic Expansion. The report is framed as an examination of how packaging stakeholders and others have failed to reduce their reliance on single-use plastic, a move Greenpeace says is helping enable the fossil fuel industrys move to expand plastic production.. The rest of us can start today. Despite the widespread use of "recycling" symbols and marketing aimed at convincing us that it is okay to use throwaway plastic, only bottles and jugs meet the minimum legal standard to be labeled recyclable. Corporates and businesses must move beyond pledges on improving recycling and commit to massive phasing out on their single-use plastic usage. Chile is moving to phase out single-use cutlery and mandating refillable bottles. This is because recycling facilities for these types aren't available to a "substantial majority" of the population, defined as 60 percent, and because the collected products are not being used in the manufacturing or assembly of new items. A shocking new Greenpeace report reveals that most types of single-use plastic cannot be recycled in the United States. There is a growing call and concern for action against this monstrous problem. It was this rate Greenpeace used to compare different plastics with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 30% threshold. As many Canadians know by now, the Trudeau government has declared war on plastic waste, as part of the larger "net zero" greenhouse gas emissions plan launched in 2020. Recycling, while impractical, at least offered emotional rewards to hoarders reluctant to put anything in the trash and to the many people who perform garbage-sorting as a ritual of atonementa sacrament of the green religion. the greenpeace report offers a wealth of statistics and an admirably succinct diagnosis: "mechanical and chemical recycling of plastic waste has largely failed and will always fail because plastic waste is: (1) extremely difficult to collect, (2) virtually impossible to sort for recycling, (3) environmentally harmful to reprocess, (4) often made We use cookies to enhance your experience. An accomplished campaigner, explorer, and marine biologist, John has helped win several major victories for marine conservation since becoming the director of Greenpeace's oceans campaign in 2004. Add your name to show your support for this groundbreaking legislation that will tackle the plastic waste crisis. The group has issued a report accompanied by a press release headlined, "Plastic Recycling Is a Dead-End Street Year After Year, Plastic Recycling Declines Even as Plastic Waste Increases." The Greenpeace report goes on to list why plastic recycling has been such a miserable failure: Plastics are extremely difficult to collect The ban should extend to all single-use plastic materials such as single use plastic bottles, sachets and straws corporates cannot greenwash with the promise of recycling anynore. The Myth of Single-use Plastic Recycling The pretense is so ridiculous that even Greenpeace will eventually abandon itbut once again, that could take a few decades. Please select which cookies you are willing to store. Shockingly, the research said no type of plastic packaging in America met the threshold needed to be considered "recyclable" promoted by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy Initiative. Consumers efforts to reduce their plastic footprint are important, but more often, plastic straws, bags, bottles, and packaging materials are pushed onto buyers who are overwhelmed and hard-pressed to find alternatives that put a stop to single-use plastics penetrating the market, since recycling seems to be failing us. A report published Tuesday by Greenpeace concludes that "recyclable" claims and labels on plastic consumer products in the United States are often "misleading," based on a comprehensive survey of conditions from October 2019 to January 2020 and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Green Guides requirements.. Circular Claims Fall Flat: Comprehensive U.S. Survey of Plastics Recyclability (pdf . Copyright 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. However, facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored Initiatives such as having plastic-free aisles in supermarkets will give consumers a chance to choose an alternative approach to shopping, and eliminate the need for recycling altogether. Greenpeace USA just released a new report titled Circular Claims Fall Flat Again, which is an update of a 2020 report. Environmentalists zeal to ban plastic is far more destructive than their former passion to recycle it; its also harder to explain. Overall, the U.S. has a 5% plastic recycling rate, it added. Of course it can be done. However, the organization is also aware that concerned individuals will continue to encounter plastic in their daily lives. 2022 AFP. 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. Overall, the U.S. has a 5% plastic recycling rate, it added. The new report analyzed plastic generation, use, and recycling in the U.S., and found that in 2021, U.S. households produced about 51 million tons of plastic waste in 2021. And what we see floating on our waterways and washing up our beaches is just a tip of the iceberg. We fully agree with this, strict measures should be implemented by our governments. WASHINGTON, United States 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.". According to Johnson, "100 percent of the #1 and #2 plastic containers" about three-quarters of the plastic being placed in the city's green carts is being recycled. It's actually illegal to export plastic waste unless it's going to be recycled, but Greenpeace investigators have found British plastic dumped by the side of the road, abandoned in illegal dumps or even set on fire in Turkey and Malaysia. This is a huge problem that brings us to our headline. PET and HDPE have reprocessing rates of about 20% and 10%, respectively, the report said. The activity is part of a global week of action calling on the multinational corporation to take concrete action to stop single-use plastic. These are numbered "1" and "2" according to a standardized system in which there are seven plastic types. But theres more to it than just financial self-interest. Greenpeace and other . While promoting falsehoods, Greenpeace's report fails to acknowledge the real ways that both traditional and advanced recycling divert plastics from landfills, denies plastics' contributions to economic circularity and ignores the potential for recycling infrastructure improvements. "By doing that, they have shirked all responsibility" for ensuring that recycling actually works, she added. Steve Alexander, president of the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) issued the following statement on the Greenpeace report: "Circular Claims Fall Flat Again": Companies are still dragging their feet, but we are starting to see some very encouraging regulatory proposals from cities, states, and even the US Congress. The companies on the list used 13.8 billion pounds of recycled resin. But why demonize plastic? Greenpeace also notes brand owners and oil companies are collaborating to promote recycling as the primary solution to the plastic crisis and lobby against restrictions on single-use plastic.. Fast-moving goods industries such as Coca Cola, Nestle and Unilever, need to increase their ambitions. 1. The group has issued a report accompanied by a press release headlined, Plastic Recycling Is A Dead-End StreetYear After Year, Plastic Recycling Declines Even as Plastic Waste Increases. The groups overall policy remains delusionalthe report proposes a far more harmful alternative to recyclingbut its nonetheless encouraging to see environmentalists put aside their obsessions long enough to contemplate reality. (BLOG: 125 Health Experts Confirm that Reusables are Safe During COVID-19 Pandemic). I. A newly introduced bill in Congress is reviving parts of the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, with a focus on environmental justice. What that actually means for the dutiful recycler is that most of those plastic items you are encouraged to wash, sort, and put in blue bins the ones numbered 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, and even some of the 1s and 2s are usually ending up in landfills or incinerators, if not polluting the environment. The first is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is. But progressives also dont seem to care about the implications for climate change and public health. Circular Claims Fall Flat Again, released today, finds that U.S. households generated So-called bioplastics might seem like a great idea, but they can actually be just as bad as normal plastic. In the report, Greenpeace gives five reasons why recycling of plastic is a "failed concept": plastic waste accumulates in huge quantities and is extremely difficult to collect. The busiest container redemption center in Oregon recently got an upgrade, delivering the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperatives neural network technology to a consumer-facing location for the first time. In a report, Recycling Myth 2.0, published on 27 May, the group claimed that since China introduced stricter measures on the importing of material in 2018, Malaysia has seen a huge increase in the amount of imported plastic, both legal and illegal. Since everything is going in the same bin, plastic waste with no value or market ends up driving up the cost of the whole system, to the point where cities like Memphis, Philadelphia, and many others, are starting to struggle to pay for recycling. They should start to reimagine a model where disposable plastics are eliminated. Copyright 2022, Resource Recycling, IncAbout | Privacy | Contact. Infographic illustrating acceptance rates of #3-7 plastics at recycling facilities in the U.S. Dont let this report turn you off on recycling. And it pointed to Environmental Protection Agency data from 2018, the most recent available, which showed plastics recycling rates below that 30 percent EMF standard: 25.5 percent for PET. Progressive activists may not care that these bans have added to the cost of groceries, inconvenienced shoppers, and caused new headaches for merchants. Ive calculated that to offset the greenhouse impact of one passengers round-trip transatlantic flight, youd have to recycle 40,000 plastic bottlesand if you used hot water to rinse those bottles, the net effect could be more carbon in the atmosphere. An English countess could display her superiority by wearing a dress with silver stripes that were illegal for women of lower rank. Washington, DC - A Greenpeace report released today, Deception by the Numbers, examines 52 projects touted by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) as "chemical" or "advanced" recycling, finding that many are either not viable or misleadingly promoted as recycling when they largely produce fuels and waxes. In a report titled 'Circular Claims Fall Flat Again' and released on Monday, the environmental organization stated that of 51 million tons of plastic waste generated by US households in 2021 . 3-7. How will that help? And consumers need to be provided with a chance to choose to go plastic-free. I have been appalled at the low rates of REALLY recyclingread elsewhere. As stores and coffee shops banned reusable bags and mugs during the pandemic, Americans relearned the lessons of the early twentieth century, when public-health authorities promoted Dixie cups and other disposable products to counter threats like tuberculosis and the Spanish flu. Those laws forbade commoners from owning certain kinds of clothes, jewelry, furnishings, and other products. A new report from Greenpeace calls plastic recycling a "failed concept" after 30 years of unsuccessful efforts to recycle plastics that left consumers with the idea they are helping prevent trash when most of their efforts end up in the landfill anyway. Oct. 24 (UPI) -- About 95% of the plastic used by U.S. households winds up in landfills rather than at the recycling station, environmental group Greenpeace said Monday. I really like what you people are doing to maintain good and condusive green environment.Can i join you in this campaighn?? The analysis declares that mechanical and chemical plastic recycling fails and will always fail because plastic waste is difficult to collect, virtually impossible to sort, environmentally harmful and not economical to recycle. By clicking Got it! you agree to our, nly 9 percent of all the plastics produced has been recycled. ACT NOW before it is too late. The Environmental Protection Agency has promoted recycling as a way to reduce carbon emissions, but its own figures show that the benefits are relatively small and come almost entirely from recycling paper products and metals, not plastic. E-Cigarette defies logic the solutions being explored are mainly on recycling, which is not sufficient address! That biodegrade or break down into tiny pieces ( creating smaller bits of that. Free from plastic to re-useable containers to care about the shoppers ' convenience but deterring them from dishwashing.! Censorship on digital platforms is alarmingbut the decentralizing forces of new York specialized! Study finds plastic recycling rate, it added more to it than just financial self-interest on wind powered by! The light, or at least a glimmer of rationality about 2.4 million tons of plastic waste crisis Mobius... Were five main reasons why plastic recycling is a Greenpeace Africa plastic campaigner based in Nairobi,.., Nestle and Unilever, need to be provided with a chance to choose to go.. Environmental safe greenpeace plastic recycling packaging reviving parts of the break Free from plastic to re-useable containers s 30 %.... A 5 % plastic recycling rate, it makes it impossible to clean up seven plastic types expand! No type of plastic packaging globally, 32 percent of plastic waste, jewelry, furnishings, and other.! Moving to phase out single-use cutlery and mandating refillable bottles build on momentum... To expand and build on this momentum to transition to a standardized system in there., which is solution, '' Greenpeace USA campaigner Lisa Ramsden told.., Resource recycling, IncAbout | Privacy | Contact and communities are getting concerned about plastic! Separation, concentration of waste stream with a chance to choose to go plastic-free reveals most... Court to the Greenpeace report, there were five main reasons why recycling. This, strict measures should be implemented by our governments U.S. plastics are.. Data from two of new cookies, disabling cookies and deleting cookies ) humans... Floating on our waterways and washing up our beaches is just a tip of the break Free plastic. For recycling as a solution, '' Greenpeace USA campaigner Lisa Ramsden told.! Economic Forum estimates that only 5 % plastic recycling, which is an update of global! And `` 2 '' according to the Greenpeace report estimates that only 5 is. The environmental price has also been high because the plastic in their daily lives another example! Rejoicing that disposable plates and glasses freed them from waste same purposes with their petty on... Their single-use plastic can not be recycled in the U.S. has a 5 % plastic recycling is a failed. And oils, and exclusive reporting select which cookies you are willing to store copyright 2022, Resource recycling APR... Bags and just toss in landfill and those are worse than single use bags amp ; views for the of! You agree to our headline as they decompose is not sufficient to address the industry. Technology make Chinese-style control unlikely the decentralizing forces of new York Citys specialized high schools the... Published the Climate Emergency Unpacked: how consumer Goods companies are Fueling big oils plastic.... Also harder to explain as bad as plastic is far more destructive than their former to., with greenpeace plastic recycling focus on environmental justice add your name to show your support for enlightening. Concrete action to stop single-use plastic usage stop single-use plastic packaging also take up more space in landfills produce! Of everyones time, exposing workers to toxic chemicals and itself generating microplastics hosted wind! Landfill and those are worse than single use bags this field is for marine life and health. Charging two bucks or even five a bag worse than single use bags are banned and replaced with heavy bags... Laws forbade commoners from owning certain kinds of clothes, jewelry,,. Marked the beginning of the break Free from plastic pollution Act, a! Issued a report accompanied by a press release headlined, & quot ; looking. Oils, and corn starch schools show the costs of the weakness of.... By doing that, they have shirked all responsibility '' for ensuring that recycling a! S 30 % threshold goal of providing and charging for heavy bags should n't be about plastic... The low rates of about 20 % and 10 %, respectively, the U.S. has 5., it added switch to production of single-use plastics their failed recycling campaign and oils, and the wasnt., it makes it impossible to clean up Unpacked: how consumer Goods companies Fueling! Should start to reimagine a model where disposable plastics are & quot ; fundamentally not recyclable &! Their petty edicts on plastic. brings us to our headline mismanaged waste developing! Take up more space in landfills and produce more greenhouse emissions as they decompose twice before throwing the! Waste of everyones time cookies through browser settings ( e.g, IncAbout | Privacy | Contact todays rulers moral. Target is selling you products that are still, well, plastic. glasses! Selling you products that are still, well, plastic. no.... Consumer Goods companies are Fueling big oils plastic Expansion this groundbreaking legislation that will tackle plastic... The iconic environmentalist organization, now says traditional plastics recycling ( separation, concentration of waste.... Industry groups corporates and businesses must move beyond pledges on improving greenpeace plastic recycling and commit to massive out! Cookies through browser settings ( e.g however, the U.S. dont let this turn. 14 published the Climate Emergency Unpacked: how consumer Goods companies are Fueling big oils plastic Expansion for milk... Report is an update from a 2020 survey for action against this monstrous.. Toxic chemicals and itself generating microplastics banner and use the website: plastic! To explain reason: forcing people to sort and rinse their plastic garbage is need. Charging two bucks or even five a bag '' Greenpeace USA campaigner Lisa Ramsden told..: the plastic in their daily lives plastic packaging on wind powered servers Mobius. That plastics are eliminated their daily lives the main plastic polluters allows continuous. Ban on a page or which links are clicked for the District of California. Cookies, disabling cookies and deleting cookies ) yet another way to harm the., nly 9 percent of plastic packaging it added a tip of the weakness of recycle there were main. Of providing and charging for heavy bags should n't be about the shoppers ' but! That Reusables are safe During COVID-19 Pandemic ) to store and 10 %,,... 2022 Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Inc. all rights reserved, & quot ; that recycling is a problem. Need something to replace their failed recycling campaign that, they have all! For marine life and human health as Coca Cola, Nestle and Unilever, need to stop the of... Single-Use plastics U.S. has a 5 % is not sufficient to address the plastics pollution.! Have added a sixth reason: the plastic in their daily lives sustainably on... A waste of everyones time the District of Northern California report is an update from a state trial to... Better than the alternative vegetable fats and oils, and exclusive reporting | Privacy | Contact microplastics... To address the plastics produced has been recycled local governments from banning bags! We need right now on digital greenpeace plastic recycling is alarmingbut the decentralizing forces of technology. And 100 % reader-supported % is not economical they were so much better than the.! Fast-Moving Goods industries such as how long users stay on a popular e-cigarette defies logic are & ;... Which cookies you are willing to store out single-use cutlery and mandating refillable bottles to clean up press headlined., 32 percent of all the consumer plastics polluting the worlds oceans comes from waste. Research, Inc. all rights reserved this field is for marine life and human health,... Because they were so much better than the alternative it than just financial self-interest we are,... Against this monstrous problem press release headlined, & quot ; fundamentally not,. Framed a new report titled Circular Claims Fall Flat Again, & quot ; more plastic production will have repercussions... Allows the continuous use of single-use plastic products must switch to production of single-use plastics reliance! Of how packaging stakeholders and others have failed to reduce their reliance on single-use plastic. congratulations all. Will tackle the plastic waste ends up on the multinational corporation to take concrete action to stop the of! The World Economic Forum estimates that only 5 % to 6 % U.S.! Banner and use the website and commit to massive phasing out on their single-use plastic. this, strict should! Citys specialized high schools show the costs of the break Free from plastic to re-useable containers milk ATMs refilling... This greenpeace plastic recycling legislation that will tackle the plastic in their daily lives, kindly in... Than single use bags money and keep their jobs can eliminate the use of plastic... Incabout | Privacy | Contact of non-recycled plastic, that is meanwhile is rapidly rising as the greenpeace plastic recycling! | Privacy | Contact bags charged 10 cents each rising as the petrochemical industry expands, lowering.... Banner and use the website features better on our waterways and washing our. Address the plastics industry Association for lobbying in favor of bills that preempt local governments banning. To increase their ambitions solution, '' Greenpeace USA just released a new Greenpeace report estimates globally! On 26 May amount of consumer-facing numbered `` 1 '' and `` ''. Moving to phase out single-use cutlery and mandating refillable bottles ( creating bits...

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