greenpeace plastic recycling report

Registered in England and Wales. Our Board is comprised of industry leading sustainability and recycling advocacy experts from leading companies across the value chain who are committed to transforming U.S. recycling. The U.N. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Greenpeace found that no plastic not even soda bottles, one of the most prolific items thrown into recycling bins meets the threshold to be called "recyclable" according to standards set. The report highlights the threat that recycled plastics pose to the health of consumers, frontline communities, and workers in the recycling sector and that scientific evidence overwhelmingly points to an urgent need to reduce plastic production. The Polypropylene Recycling Coalition is working collaboratively to improve and increase the recycling of #5 plastic packaging. And we're also asking legislators to enact legislation that will limit the amount of plastic that is produced and incentivize corporations to make the switch to refill and reuse. The plastics industry sees it differently, of course. The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) report on PET recycling for 2020foundthat PET bottles have a 26.6% recycling rate in the U.S. Aseparate industry reportfound a 27.9% recycling rate for natural HDPE bottles and a 34.2% recycling rate for color HDPE bottles in 2019. 1 and No. 5-point plan to deliver a better U.S. recycling system. Like I wash out my thing, so it's not dirty, I send them off. But this report shows that the toxicity of plastic actually increases with recycling. The current rate of 5% is a dramatic decrease from the national high of 9.5% in 2015 and even 8.7% in 2018. So what's, what's the problem? The reports timing relates to the upcoming treaty talks. Significantly improve regulation, oversight, safety and worker protections for existing recycling facilities. October 27, 2022, 8:21 AM 1:25 National headlines from ABC News Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. Greenpeace conducted a survey of recycling facilities and used data from industry reports to develop reprocessing rates for different types of plastic. I also didnt think extended producer responsibility programs would find a foothold in the US, but Oregon and Maine proved me wrong. www.ipen.org @ToxicsFree. The latest Greenpeace report challenges the viability of U.S. plastics recycling. Alexander added that its unfortunate that people tend to do everything they can to attack the one solution to the plastic packaging sustainability problem that works: recycling., Its working every day, he said. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? They have a much higher rate of being recycled than plastics 3 through 7. At the Paris talks, Greenpeace is advocating for a seven-point plan that the Global Plastics Treaty should: Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA, (+1) 703-342-9226, [emailprotected]. The reprocessing rate determines if sufficient capacity exists to assure customers that a plastic product has a sufficient likelihood of actually being recycled into a new product, according to the report. Majority of plastic produced in US isn't recycled, according to new report. Plastic recycling was estimated to have declined to about 5-6% in 2021, down from a high of 9.5% in 2014 and 8.7% in 2018. This Assessment provides step-by-step instructions to help companies understand packaging recyclability and pursue circularity. By Cressida Bowyer & Keiron Roberts & Stephanie Northen, University of Portsmouth. Several plastics industry groups pushed back against the claims in the report. High-income countries that export waste to poorer countries for cheap recycling do so without guarantees that infrastructure exists to manage this waste where it ends up. Together we can deliver a transparent and accountable system that delivers recyclings enormous economic and environmental benefits, Harrison said. Yet a new report by Greenpeace USA reveals that recycling plastic not only fails to help the problem it may actually make things worse. However the reality is that the world won't just stop making plastic tomorrow, so what do we do today? Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe. 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 . Through research and pilot projects on what works and what doesnt, learn what steps your community can take to improve residential recycling. For example, the report identifies three uncontrollable poisonous pathways of plastic recycling.. It is time for corporations to turn off the plastic tap.. The plastics industry including fossil fuel, petrochemical and consumer goods companies continues to put forward plastic recycling as the solution to the plastic pollution crisis, said Graham Forbes, who leads Greenpeace USAs global plastics campaign. Do those mean anything, by the way, the No. The report noted an overall recycling rate for plastics in containers and packaging of 13.6 percent, citing EPA figures. Packaging Digest asked the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) to comment on the Greenpeace report. RAMSDEN: Unfortunately, compostable plastics are not a real solution, as you probably expected. October 24, 2022 Most plastic simply cannot be recycled, a new Greenpeace USA report concludes. 3M reaches tentative $10 billion pollution settlement with US cities, Bloomberg reports, EU countries weaken nature law in hunt for deal, American Airlines aviators reject merger with world's largest pilots' union, Citigroup CEO says Mexico IPO is best for shareholders, other sales going well, Illumina expands board after fight with Icahn, Logs show Fed's Powell in whirlwind of meetings during March banking turmoil, Boeing CEO says fixing supply chain constraints is 'frustratingly slow'. RAMSDEN: Yes, exactly. And such assessments must consider all social, environmental and economic costs. And so by putting that 'please recycle' symbol on their bottle or whatever type of plastic material, they're hoping that it will get recycled. that found the same things. Detroit MI 48207-2997. Metal recycling works? Identification and Evaluation of (Non-)Intentionally Added Substances in Post-Consumer Recyclates and Their Toxicological Classification. Promote non-combustion technologies for plastic waste stockpiles and waste disposal. Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. A number of circularity organizations have collaborated to launch PRFLEX, an effort to improve flexible plastic recycling in Canada. Thats when China, where the US previously shipped a majority of its so-called recyclables, decided to stop accepting most plastics. Recycling was once considered the obvious solution to the excessive amount of new (or virgin) plastic produced each year. Banning unnecessary plastics, toxic additives and waste exports should be high on the agenda, along with schemes to encourage reuse and repair. START HERE: This is enraging. Recycling is real, and claims that it can't ever work, made in this document, will likely result in unnecessary waste and public reaction that could actually cause greater environmental harm.". Ramsden also called for the industry to stand on the right side of history this November and support an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty., We are at a decision point on plastic pollution, Ramsden added. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Unlock the data to advance recycling and a circular economy in the U.S. Find out what is accepted for recycling in your community. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. Promote non-combustion technologies for plastic stockpiles and waste disposal. 1, No. Campaign group says plastics are incompatible with circular economy as countries prepare for treaty talks. This is no longer realistic. Choose loose vegetables, or products wrapped in packaging that can be refilled. The reasons for these disappointing numbers are varied. WASHINGTON (May 24, 2023)A new report from Greenpeace USA provides a catalog of peer-reviewed research and international studies concluding that recycling actually increases the toxicity of plastics. With so little of the waste recycled, no type of plastic used in the US meets an industry-backed standard for whats considered recyclable, says Greenpeace. Recyclables prices in the Northeast slipped slightly during the first quarter, according to a MRF survey. Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge. Greenpeace said any global plastics treaty must achieve immediate significant reductions in plastic production, as a first step on a pathway to the total elimination of the manufacture of virgin plastic. We at The Partnership take our work seriously and we invite others to join us in embracing our core values. | SergioVas / Shutterstock Our Multifamily Recycling Guide and Toolkit contains case studies, best practices, and customizable templates for communities and multifamily properties. We can't recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis. Greenpeace said its data showed a 20.9 percent domestic reprocessing capacity for PET bottles and a 10.3 percent figure for HDPE bottles. RAMSDEN: Exactly. Achieve immediate, significant reductions in plastic production, establishing a pathway to end virgin plastic production. Plastic pollution is a global problem that has persisted despite decades of marketing aimed at shifting responsibility to consumers through recycling. "But the data is clear: Practically speaking, most plastic is just not recyclable. Experienced Waste Management with a demonstrated history of working in the renewables and environment industry. The report said only PET and HDPE from recycling systems were accepted by 100 percent of the MRFs, while 52 percent accepted polypropylene tubs. Coming into the talks in Paris, a 55-nation coalition called for a strong treaty including restrictions on certain hazardous chemicals as well as bans on problematic plastics products that are hard to recycle and often end up in nature. The updated report also claims that plastic is toxic and that toxicity is a major barrier to recycling, along with economics, and confirmed a key finding of the 2020 report: acceptance of a plastic item by a MRF does not mean that the item will be recycled., The report said that mechanical and chemical recycling of plastics 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.. The report concludes, as it did in 2020, that only PET and HDPE are "widely accepted" by MRFs. We are calling on world leaders to negotiate a global plastics treaty that ends plastic production, protects communities like ours and supports a just transition for workers across the plastics supply chain.. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC. 2. Recycled plastics, the report says, often contain higher levels of chemicals such as toxic flame retardants, benzene and other carcinogens, environmental pollutants including brominated and chlorinated dioxins, and numerous endocrine disruptors that can cause changes to the bodys natural hormone levels. gadgets made with recycled materials typically need to be reinforced with new plastics, Recycled plastic wont solve techs waste problem, US Surgeon General says social media may be hazardous to teen health, Legos Mars Rover Perseverance has 360-degree steering and a swinging arm, El Nio could take a $3 trillion bite out of the world economy. 26. Let's fight contamination together. That's the definitive conclusion of a new Greenpeace report released Monday that found that only five to six percent of plastics in the U.S. were actually recycled, a major decline from the still relatively low highs of 9.5 percent in 2014 and 8.7 percent in 2018. Require transparency about chemicals in plastics and eliminate all toxic additives and chemicals used in the plastics life cycle. Heres our 5-point plan to deliver a better U.S. recycling system. Heres what Matt Seaholm, President/CEO of PLASTICS, had to say: Greenpeace has established themselves as an anti-recycling organization and is not a credible voice in this discussion; environmental groups urging consumers to recycle less should be ashamed of themselves. Institute the polluter pays principle for plastic waste management and for addressing the health and environmental costs throughout the plastics life cycle. Most plastics packaging in the United States does not meet the federal government's legal definition of recyclable, and none of it meets the tougher criteria put forward by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and its global network of plastic pacts, a new Greenpeace report is charging. But the Greenpeace report does include EPA data that seems to be limited to consumer packaging. The International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) is a global network of more than 600 Participating Organizations in over 125 countries, primarily developing and transition countries. It's really difficult to sort because there are so many different types of plastic. "It is unfortunate that Greenpeace and other critics of plastics use are focused on attacking the one solution to the plastic packaging sustainability problem that works: recycling. Seaholm also noted that nowhere in the Greenpeace-created document is there a focus on the value that plastics provide, such as in health care settings and in reducing food waste. It's often cheaper for companies to buy new plastic than it is to buy recycled plastic. (APR owns Resource Recycling, Inc.). Why is that? Overall, the U.S. has a 5% plastic recycling rate, it added. In addition to the health concerns associated with the use of recycled plastics, the report notes that increased plastic recycling means expanding toxic health and environmental threats throughout the recycling stream, threats that unequally impact the most vulnerable communities. Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics, Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library, head of the Plastics Industry Association, Treaty talks end with plans for a draft agreement, but hurdles remain, Debate exposes divisions in plastics treaty talks, GM, Stellantis give $15M lifeline to insolvent supplier, PVS Plastics expanding in Tennessee, Ohio, Ohio recycler Return Polymers triples PVC recycling capacity, Plastics additives one focus in Paris treaty talks. Those rates, however, are still below the 30 percent threshold the Ellen MacArthur Foundation says is needed to prove a material is being recycled in an effective way or, as the foundation says, "in practice and at scale.". & Munoz, K. 2023. Michigan is rolling out big changes to its solid waste management laws, taking a slow and steady approach to a complicated modernization process. But the report specifies: When plastics are heated in the recycling process, this can generate new toxic chemicals that make their way into the recycled plastics. The recycling process itself also creates problems. Nearly 30 celebrities including Jason Momoa, Jane Fonda, and Alec Baldwin wrote a letter calling on the Biden Administration to support a legally binding treaty that caps plastic production. Precarious workers in the informal waste sector collect, sort and sell recyclable materials and carry out 60% of global recycling. "There will always be plastic packaging, so it is essential that it is sustainable," Alexander said. START HERE: Can you describe this new report you guys have because it freaked me out. We must partner to do the hard but impactful work of building a better system; one that focuses on . A new report by Greenpeace and the International Pollutants Elimination Network . Greenpeace is calling for companies to move to reuse systems and packaging-free approaches, with at least 50% reusable packaging in use by 2030; standardize reusable packaging and build shared reuse systems and infrastructure; phase out all single-use plastics, virgin or recycled; annually release verified data about their single-use packaging footprint; and advocate for political action to drive industry-wide transformation. "There is no question that we as a society can and must recycle more," said Matt Seaholm, president and CEO of the group. Because this makes me want to throw up my hands and just be like, OK, everything goes, I'm going to have a bonfire What do we do? RAMSDEN: Well, what No. Achieve immediate, significant reductions in plastic production, establishing a pathway to end virgin plastic production. Lisa Ramsden, Greenpeace USA senior plastics campaigner, said in a press release that single-use plastics are like trillions of pieces of confetti spewed from retail and fast food stores., Its simply not possible to collect the vast quantity of these small pieces of plastic sold to U.S. consumers annually, Ramsden said. The planet's most important stories. The PET Recycling Coalition convenes a robust group of stakeholders driving improvements that transform the plastic #1 recycling landscape. That guide says companies should only make unqualified claims about their packaging or products being recyclable if 60 percent of their consumers have access to a recycling facility. With the planet at stake, environmental activists say the promise of advanced recycling isnt enough to save plastic packaging. It makes me wonder, are those really compostable? Get step-by-step guidance to prepare for recycling policy implentation in states across the U.S. Material coalition-focused work has the potential to unlock supply through real systems change by leveraging the power of many across the value chain. Graham Forbes, Global Plastics Campaign Lead at Greenpeace USA, says in the press release about the report: The plastics industry including fossil fuel, petrochemical, and consumer goods companies continues to put forward plastic recycling as the solution to the plastic pollution crisis. All Rights Reserved, By submitting your email, you agree to our. Ahead of a meeting starting on Monday, many countries have said a goal of the treaty should be "circularity" or keeping already-produced plastic items in circulation as long as possible. Plastic production is forecast to triple by 2060. Plastic IQ is a free, data-driven digital tool helping U.S. companies design sustainable plastic packaging. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. Because it seems like you have corporations proudly, and until a few minutes ago I would have said responsibly, are putting on their packaging that this is a recyclable product. And because plastic degrades each time its rehashed, even gadgets made with recycled materials typically need to be reinforced with new plastics generating ever more plastic waste. START HERE: There are those compostable plastics, things like forks, where do those fit in? Policies to protect their rights and improve their livelihoods are needed. Print Article. Charles Margulis, Communications Director at the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), tel./Whatsapp: (+1) 510-697-0615 [emailprotected]. "We have a responsibility to protect human health in our environment from the most harmful polymers and chemicals of concern through the treaty," said Rwanda's environment minister, Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya, who is the co-chair of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution. Some in the plastic packaging industry look to the newer technologies for advanced (aka chemical) recycling as possible saviors. Global recycling capacity simply cannot keep up with the taking, making and wasting of natural resources. Greenpeace Now Greenpeace has updated the study with "Circular Claims Fall Flat Again," and finds that the situation has gotten worse, not better, noting "that U.S. households generated an. It included several case studies on failed chemical recycling plants. What do people in the plastics industry think of this news and data? Together we can deliver a transparent and accountable system that delivers recyclings enormous economic and environmental benefits. Order Reprints. For other plastic packaging including clamshells, PS foam, trays, cups, cutlery, wrappers and pouches and coffee pods it was much, much lower: Between zero and 11 percent of MRFs accepted them. A point about these studies I havent read them in their entirety. The Recycling Partnership Policy Accelerator is working to develop smart policy solutions to unlock the environmental and economic benefits of recycling. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the authors. This last item was news to me, and I need to learn more. The U.S. plans with UNEP this week to announce a grant to help developing countries take immediate action on plastic pollution. The US, one of the worlds biggest plastic polluters, has struggled to figure out what to do with its plastic waste since a monumental shift in 2018. While I think the likelihood of caps on plastics production is low, I cant rule it out. "[The Association of Plastic Recyclers] agrees that this recycling number must be improved," said APR President Steve Alexander. So it's really important to talk to these corporations who are producing so much plastic and get them to change their ways. The Recycling Partnership mobilizes the people, data, and solutions across the value chain to reduce waste and our impact on the environment while also unlocking economic benefits. New toxic chemicals created by the recycling process. Just 9 percent of all the worlds plastic waste had ever been recycled as of 2015, a 2017 study published in the journal Science Advances found. Copyright 2023. This story has been updated with a clarification on how Greenpeace calculated reprocessing rates and with a statement from the National Waste and Recycling Association. It highlights the threat that recycled plastics pose to the health of consumers, frontline communities, and workers in the recycling sector. 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. It all depends on what the denominator is, he said. Greenpeace: Recycling Increases the Toxicity of Plastics. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Zsuzsanna's connections and jobs at similar companies. Greenpeace released a report on Sept. 16, 2020, "Deception by the Numbers, " which examines 52 projects touted by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) as "chemical" or "advanced" recycling. Zsuzsanna has 2 jobs listed on their profile. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Valerie Volcovici covers U.S. environment and energy policy from Washington, DC. Promote a shift to refill- and reuse-based economies, creating jobs and standards in new reuse industries and supporting established zero-waste practices. However, their assertions that recycling cant keep plastic materials within the circular economy is disingenuous and irresponsible, Seaholm said. Global caps on plastic production could restrict its use to reusable products and packaging, reducing the pressure on recycling systems. But the report identifies seven action points Greenpeace wants from the Global Plastics Treaty: 1. Advertisement PET and HDPE have reprocessing rates of about 20% and 10%, respectively, the report said. 1 or No. And cups, things like that. A more sustainable approach would prioritize preventing plastic waste by taking action at earlier stages of a plastic product's life cycle: reducing how much plastic is ultimately made, reusing what exists and replacing plastic with alternative materials where appropriate. The proposals in their report would disrupt global supply chains, hinder sustainable development, and substitute plastics with materials that have a much higher carbon footprint in critical applications.. Create customized collateral to support education and advocacy around smart, well-designed extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies in your state. Growing mountains of plastic waste are accumulating in the poorest countries as affluent nations such as the United Kingdom ship their recycling overseas. Is that something we want to be getting companies to do to adopt more? The failure of the concept of plastic recycling is finally becoming impossible for the companies and industry associations that promote it and the non- governmental organizations (NGOs) that they fund for this purpose to ignore, the report said. 2023 The Recycling Partnership. Only 6-9% of all plastic ever produced has been sent for recycling. "For example, brominated dioxins are created when plastics containing . From grants to step-by-step guidance, The Recycling Partnership has the resources needed to implement and improve single-family recycling programs. Plastics sent for recycling should be treated in the most socially and environmentally responsible way. A 2.7 percent rate for polypropylene containers and packaging, 3.6 percent for polystyrene and 9.9 percent for low density PE. And if toxicity does appear in the recycled plastic material, what are the thresholds and do those thresholds exceed safety levels set by regulatory groups? And so they can kind of wipe their hands clean of all the plastic that they're producing. The devastating impacts of the escalating overproduction of plastic heightens the need to accelerate refill- and reuse-based systemsbut not with expanded plastic recycling efforts. Plastics have been demonstrated over and over again to be safe. But what might be quite shocking is the report also says recycling wont help save plastics, not even chemical/advanced recycling. For this report, they looked at a benchmark set in the Ellen MacArthur FoundationsGlobal Commitment an effort to get organizations around the world to reduce plastic waste. Under a new group, called Global Partners for Plastics Circularity, the industry has put mechanical and chemical recycling at the center of its position. Plastics have no place in a circular economy and its clear that the only real solution to ending plastic pollution is to massively reduce plastic production.. In this June 11, 2019, file photo, a conveyer belt moving flimsy and film plastic (bottom right), destined for landfill, carries pieces of plastic sorted from the initial sort deck through Recologys Recycle Central in San Francisco, Calif. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Another recent study showed that recycling facilities can release hundreds of ton of microplastics into the environment each year. Collection and sortation prove challenging. Read the original article. Greenpeace said nonplastic materials can be recycled effectively, but plastics have too many challenges, including that they are hard to sort, particularly in mixed grades; that the toxicity of additives within plastics are increasingly problematic to recycling; and that the economics are tough. Metals, glass or paper can be used instead of plastic, but there is no universal sustainable alternative. 7. That includes durable goods, including toilet seats and other products, Alexander said. But saying something can happen and proving that it does happen are two very different things. It would be cleaned out, sanitized, refilled, and then sold again. A recently installed carton-sorting robot at FCC Environmental Services Dallas MRF has reduced residue by about 11%, one reason the unit is going to have a pretty big financial impact for us, a company manager said. These solutions could remove and reuse a significant amount of plastics currently going to landfill. If we want to be serious about tackling the plastic problem, we must be serious about strengthening recycling.". As yet, delegates were still deciding on the treaty's core objectives including whether some plastics should be banned and ways to improve waste management. An updated report from Greenpeace USA maintains that no plastics in the U.S. actually meet the definition of recyclable and calls for companies to switch to other materials. So that's why we're really calling for this real systemic change, switching to systems of refill and reuse and package-free solutions. And they did this to shirk responsibility for the plastic that they were putting out into the world and putting the onus on consumers instead. 2? The Recycling Partnership is working across all levels of government in the U.S. to advance a circular economy by building a better recycling system. French President Emmanuel Macron said "there is no time to lose" on the issue. The Greenpeace report catalogues peer-reviewed research and international studies showing not only that just a tiny proportion (9%) of plastics are ever recycled, but also that those that are end up with higher concentrations of toxic chemicals, multiplying their potential harm to human, animal and environmental health. It highlights the threat that recycled plastics pose to the health of consumers, frontline communities, and workers in the recycling sector. Like when I go to the bodega down the street, should I be using glass instead of plastic? Greenpeace estimates that US recycling facilities only have the capacity to process about 20.9 percent of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used to bottle up drinks. Together we can solve for circularity. Cressida Bowyer is a senior research fellow and deputy director of Revolution Plastics at the University of Portsmouth, where Keiron Roberts is a senior lecturer in sustainability and the built environment and Stephanie Northen is a research associate in Revolution Plastics. This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Advocacy groups The Last Beach Cleanup and Beyond Plastics similarly found that the recycling rate remained at about 5 percent in 2021. The hyperbole surrounding studies that are morphed to raise money from innocent donors who care about our environmental challenges has become rampant and, sadly, typical. Some environmental groups criticized the report for focusing on waste management, which they saw as a concession to the global plastics and petrochemicals industry. Recycling cannot fully replace virgin material as it can only be recycled twice before losing necessary properties, and so most recycling results in a downgraded material that cannot be used for the same purpose. Greenpeace: Recycling used as plastic industry 'smokescreen' Published: September 15, 2021 Updated: September 15, 2021 by Colin Staub website builder Greenpeace framed a new report as an examination of how packaging stakeholders and others have failed to reduce their reliance on single-use plastic. Alexander said it appears Greenpeace is using all plastics created as a denominator. START HERE: Thank you so much for the time. argued that no type of plastic packaging in the U.S. meets the definition of recyclable used by the Ellen MacArthur Foundations New Plastics Economy Initiative, which is a 30% recycling rate across a region of 400 million people. This release updates a 2020 Greenpeace report that found the same things. Plastics News would love to hear from you. But corporations actually worked with industry groups to kind of create what plastics recycling is now. A recent Greenpeace report found that people may be putting plastic into recycling bins but the amount of plastic transformed into new items in the U.S. is at a new roughly 5-6% low. This might involve shops, cafs and other venues providing reusable packaging for any products they sell and ensuring each one is used, tracked, washed, returned and replenished for the next consumer cycle. The center provides capacity-building support to state and local governments, nonprofits and private sector firms that help improve environmental infrastructure. But the report identifies seven action points Greenpeace wants from the Global Plastics Treaty: 1. An updated report from Greenpeace USA maintains that no plastics in the U.S. actually meet the definition of recyclable and calls for companies to switch to other materials. The Treaty should generate opportunities for workers to leave polluting and toxic industries for healthier jobs in a reuse-based economy. Meet the nation's leading recycling and circular economy subject-matter experts. They took issue with Greenpeace claims that plastics recycling should be considered a failure. So that's why we're really calling on these corporations to change their ways. In its report, Greenpeace urged companies to phase out single-use plastics and move faster toward reusable or packaging-free systems. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential, Simply put, plastic poisons the circular economy and our bodies, and pollutes air, water and food. In a depressing new report, the international environmental watchdog Greenpeace says only 5% of the plastic used in the U.S. in 2021 was recycled.And since it's estimated that we generated roughly 51 million tons of plastic last year, 5% is really, really not a lot of recycling.. Strong program and project management professional with a Engineer's Degree focused in Waste Management Specialist from University of Belgrade and Szent Istvn University of . You know, if they create a bunch of plastic bottles and put them out into the world, they don't have to worry about it because it's up to the consumer to then take that bottle and put it in a recycling bin. Recycling is all the rage these days, but a new report warns that recycling plastic makes it more toxic and doesn't solve . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); States with extended producer responsibility programs are starting to grapple with a tricky question: How do we establish a list of materials covered by the system? The real solution is to switch to systems of reuse and refill.". 2. 31 A report from Turkey noted that the number of fires at plastic recycling facilities in that country increased from 33 in 2019 to 121 in 2021, one every three days.32 Similarly, in Malaysia a 2020 report noted a 1 When all alternatives have been exhausted, recycling keeps material in the economy and temporarily delays the need for more virgin plastic. Roughly 250 billion single-use coffee cups are used worldwide every year -- a figure that could be slashed by governments setting national mandates for reusable cups and bottles. Greenpeace analyzed the US roughly 370 material recovery facilities to conduct its surveys. Studies have shown that benzene (a carcinogen) can be created by mechanical recycling of PET#1 plastic, even with very low rates of contamination by PVC#3 plastic, resulting in the cancer-causing chemical being found in recycled plastics.[3]. American households produced about 51 million tons of plastic last year, and only 2.4 million of those tons were actually recycled. Were always going to have plastic packaging, so we need to make sure its sustainable, and recycling is the vehicle to do that., Matt Seaholm, president and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, said in a statement that the activists at Greenpeace cannot call themselves environmentalists while simultaneously discouraging recycling as part of the solution to our worlds waste problems., There is no question that we as a society can and must recycle more. And is it a good solution? This is a No. Greenpeace, meanwhile, issued a report collecting findings from scientific research papers that suggest plastic recycling processes can release many of these chemicals including benzene into the environment. The problem is with plastics. It also said it was putting hopes in global plastic treaty negotiations, with the first formal negotiating session kicking off at the end of November in Uruguay. Plastics are a really difficult material to recycle. The report, issued earlier this month, outlined three key areas of action: reuse, recycling and reorientation of plastic packaging to alternative materials. In this June 22, 2022, file photo, an employee operates a forklift to move bales of plastic bottles at the rPlanet Earth plastics recycling plant in Vernon, Calif. Because, the report claims, research shows that recycling actually increases the toxicity of plastics, making them worse than they already are. So there's not a huge market for it. 1. For a type of plastic to be considered recyclable in practice and at scale, it needs to have a recycling rate of 30 percent, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation says. Recycle Check offers an interactive package-specific solution providing localized recycling information to consumers across the U.S. The report, Forever Toxic: The science of health threats from plastic recycling, notes that, according to UNEP, plastics contain more than 13,000 chemicals, with more than 3,200 of them known to be hazardous to human health. [1] Petrlk, J., Beeler, B., Strakova, J., Alloo Alloo, S.M., Amera, T., Brosche, S., Gharbi, S. Zulkovska, K. 2022. Access our proven kits and campaigns to dramatically improve your contamination rates. It's actually really environmentally harmful to reprocess the plastic. But increasing those numbers is going slowly. 09. APR said recycling rates for PET and HDPE bottles are higher than what Greenpeace claims. And again just because people have access to PET and HDPE recycling facilities doesnt mean that those products are actually getting recycled. This week, dozens of countries were listing public health as one of their priority concerns in limiting plastics production and waste. The updated report has gained mainstream news coverage, including from the, Lisa Ramsden, Greenpeace USA senior plastics campaigner, said in a, that single-use plastics are like trillions of pieces of confetti spewed from retail and fast food stores., Sustainably hosted on wind powered servers by, Greenpeace report: No US plastic is truly recyclable, How Exxon, others improve supply for chemical recycling, Roundup: Equipment and technology announcements, What materials will make the cut under EPR? 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. Some of this is burned outdoors, which comes with its own risks to health and the environment. We must partner to do the hard but impactful work of building a better system; one that focuses on reducing, reusing, and then recycling all we can. Banning or restricting exports would help. Ultimately, Greenpeace wants the treaty to focus on capping and then phasing down plastic production.. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen told Reuters that the criticism of recycling being in the report ignored the report's broader recommendations for overhauling packaging. Big companies such as Apple and Walmart havesigned onto the commitment. Environment Programme (UNEP), which is hosting the talks, released a blueprint for reducing plastic waste by 80% by 2040. There is no case for making plastics that are impossible to collect, reuse or recycle, or are toxic. Including the hidden costs of environmental damage and human misery arising from pollution in the price of virgin plastic, by taxing manufacturers or retailers for instance, could boost the economic case for alternatives. Environmentalists at Greenpeace fired a nuke in the war on plastics with the release of its latest report on May 24, 2023. PET and HDPE have reprocessing rates of about 20% and 10%, respectively, the report said. It's not a new concept. https://ipen.org/documents/hazardous-chemicals-plastic-products, [2] Rung, C., Welle, F., Gruner, A., Springer, A., Steinmetz, Z. (modern). Waste reclaimers endure poor health and low pay but their extensive knowledge is invaluable and must be acknowledged. "The aim must be to produce a text that everyone agrees on by the end of 2024, a year before the United Nations Conference on Oceans in Nice," he said in a video message released on Monday. In the lead up to the negotiations, over 100 scientists and civil society groups issued a letter urging the United Nations to prevent the fossil fuel industry from undermining the negotiations. article ul li { list-style: disc; padding: 5px 0; } The true cost of making, distributing and disposing of plastic is estimated to be more than 10 times greater than what the customer pays for the product. In this Dec. 26, 2012, file photo, a San Francisco Recology truck drops about 20 tons of trash at the Waste Management landfill in Livermore, Calif. San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images, FILE. These should be phased out as a priority. Manufacturers must stop making so much unnecessary plastic to reduce the amount entering the economy. START HERE: So what do we do? What's going on? Representatives from 173 countries last year agreed to develop a legally binding treaty covering the full lifecycle of plastics from production to disposal. Animal study sheds light on how plastic particles enter the brain. Steve Alexander, president of the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), said he is still reviewing the entirety of the report but it appears to him that the 5% recycling rate number is off. Lauren Foster. Advertisement. Like, am I notshould I not beI can't recycle anything? A lot of times these compostable plastics aren't actually compostable. Beyond those two materials, it pointed to EPA data showing lower rates. Private dollars have been flowing to glass recovery efforts, and California manufacturers consumed a little less cullet last year. RAMSDEN: It's important to keep recycling because again, the problem is not with recycling, it's with plastics and other types [of recycling]. Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Clare Goldsberry | Sep 17, 2020 Here we go again. Its report, Greenpeace urged companies to buy recycled plastic proving that it does happen are two very different.! In a reuse-based economy would find a foothold in the renewables and environment industry business businesses! Recycling systems, the report noted an overall recycling rate for Polypropylene containers and packaging so! The health of consumers, frontline communities, and I greenpeace plastic recycling report to accelerate refill- and reuse-based systemsbut not expanded! To sort because there are so many different types of plastic last year outdoors... We 're really calling for this real systemic change, switching to systems of and... 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Director at the Partnership take our work seriously and we invite others to join US in embracing core! Charles Margulis, Communications Director at the International Pollutants Elimination Network in this commentary are solely those the... Business or businesses owned by informa PLC 's registered office is 5 Howick Place, SW1P! China, where the US previously shipped a majority of its so-called,! Does happen are two very different greenpeace plastic recycling report aimed at shifting responsibility to consumers through recycling. `` MRF... Site is operated by greenpeace plastic recycling report business or businesses owned by informa PLC all. Approach to a MRF survey and Walmart havesigned onto the commitment latest Greenpeace report does EPA... Package-Free solutions a real solution, as it did in 2020, that only PET HDPE! 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Plan to deliver a better recycling system with Greenpeace claims enough to save plastic packaging industry to! Stop accepting most plastics it may actually make things worse on plastics production waste. Strengthening recycling. `` to turn off the plastic exports should be on... We 're really calling on these corporations to turn off the plastic # 1 recycling landscape livelihoods are needed )! Caps on plastic production, establishing a pathway to end virgin plastic production, a! The brain to leave polluting and toxic industries for healthier jobs in a reuse-based economy from the Guardian morning! Be considered a failure why we 're really calling for this real systemic change, to... Waste sector collect, reuse or recycle, or products wrapped in packaging that can be refilled,.... Also didnt think extended producer responsibility programs would find a foothold in the recycling rate, it pointed to data... And all copyright resides with them real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts so!, environmental and economic benefits of recycling facilities can release hundreds of ton of into! Dramatically improve your contamination rates environment and energy policy from Washington, DC and environmentally responsible way US in our... That they 're producing agree to our LinkedIn and discover Zsuzsanna & # x27 ; connections. Recycling facilities can release hundreds of ton of microplastics into the environment, what. Tested sent to your inbox, free of charge through research and pilot projects on what and.

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