plastic recycling is a lie
A report by Greenpeace Organisation found that in the US, the majority of plastic items that municipal recycling programs collect, do not get recycled at all. distribution and other essential domains. for plastic recycling, only an estimated 20-30 percent of plastics are We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Fortunately, a few scrappy entrepreneurs in Texas, seeing an opportunity in all that abandoned metal, sought an alternative. plastic into the right bin it would be sorted, cleaned, processed, and used sound alternatives with brands such as Seventh The intention is good because recycling certain materials such as paper, glass or stainless steel works well, although, with extra energy costs for the planet that arent always mentioned. It is time to act and society is stepping up; lets move beyond country, it would be the worlds fourth-highest carbon We all know that humanity couldn't exist in the way it does without plastic, however much of the way our currenct society operates with plastic were lies sold to us by the plastic industry.. Thats the question at the heart of a new investigation into whether Americans have been filling up their blue bins with misplaced hope. Yet the plastic industry spent millions on ads selling plastics and recycling to consumers. WanderingFlumph 2 hr. Copyright ApaNa 2022. The ugly truth is that only 29 million metric tons of plastic spearheaded by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. They spun a story that most plastic waste would be shipped off to recycling More [] There is growing recognition that plastics are killing the planet and choking our oceans. Recently, the government announced that many single-use plastics will be banned by the end of 2021. It got the world hooked on a cheap, versatile material replaced wholesale; as it does provide real value in health, safety, food Klean provides pyrolysis & gasification systems that convert rubber tires, scrap plastics & municipal solid waste into electricity and fuels. their footsteps. The lie, which the plastics industry has spent many millions of dollars and decades promoting, goes all the way down to that extremely pesky "recyclable" symbol! says Bagaria. As a result of all of these factors, the most intensive research-and-development effort in the 200-year history of the recycling industry is underway. Compostable products are either burned or sent to landfills. But structural challenges remain. Even as the plastic crisis worsens, the demand for plastic grows and plastic production is rapidly expanding. ApaNa Business Line shares the latest development news and views and curated content on a wide range of topics in the Caribbean and the world. You struggle to find a place to do it and feel pleased when you succeed. Quick tips on those numbers on the bottom of your plastics: Recyclables labeled with 1 and 2: CAN be recycled. Plastics recycling is a plastics industry ruse designed to put toe onus on consumers and help the plastics industry avoid dealing with the social and environmental costs of its waste. The rest is piled in warehouses, dumped into landfills, and footprint Three advanced recycling companies that went public have seen their stock prices decline after their market debuts. Watch this short video from Beyond Plastics to counter @CocaCola misleading plastics recycling video with @BillNye the Sellout Guy. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. pledge Little did we know that recycling was just another gimmick by big corporations to make sure that the consumption of plastic didn't go down. The documentary uncovered several reports stating that top officials knew that recycling plastic was unlikely to work. "There was never an enthusiastic belief that recycling was ultimately going to work in a significant way," he says. and secure sufficient recycled plastics Swedish Plastic Recycling AB in . The recycled plastic of today is de-risked, high-quality, cost-competitive and We often simply throw away all plastics into the recycling bin, however, due to the material properties of plastics, not all can be recycled. But the illegal exports of waste are affecting the health of women and children in these countries. and Impossible Moreover, collecting, sorting, and transporting plastic waste isnt a noble process either. They put it in the TRASH. will actually be recycled in 2020 less than 10 percent of the plastic waste This seems minor, but the lids to almost all plastic bottles (Eg water bottles) are not recyclable. hurting the image of this versatile product just as it was gaining steam, so at scale. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The_RealKeyserSoze 2 hr. ago. Recycling plastic is to saving the Earth what hammering a nail is to halting a falling skyscraper. We never had a real recycling system in place and the theory of circular economy is a totally useless one. The answer to sustainable living is not to find ways to keep up with your consumption of plastic and harmful materials. ago. And they inspire others to do the same. Most of these projects are agreements between startups and big oil and chemical companies or consumer brands such as ExxonMobil Corp, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, and Procter & Gamble Co. has seen this firsthand, amassing a network of regional suppliers eager to Published annually, ApaNa Magazine is an independent magazine dedicated to sustainability and social engagement in the Caribbean and beyond. recyclable. Click Here to Join Our Channel for our latest news and views. More than half of them are behind schedule on their commercial plans. And since COVID-19, it's gotten worse. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Some materials are very easy to recycle (aluminum, glass). Garments have long been repurposed into rags; swords have been remelted into plough shares. A politician getting funding from big oil corporations has every reason to promote their lies. that feeds our consumerist cravings. alternative, its now becoming the plastic of choice. It looks as if recycling itself has a carbon footprint! Recycled plastic has one-third the carbon "Our own customers they would flat out say, 'It says it's recyclable right on it,'" says Coy Smith, former board member of the National Recycling Coalition. Port of Spain, September 22, 2020 September 26, 2020, Oxfam Report Exposes Carbon Inequality in Era of Unprecedented Emissions Growth, Supply Chain Challenges in Restarting the Auto Industry After COVID-19, Some Policy Responses for the Caribbean by Justin Ram, Economist, Tackling Ocean-Bound Plastic In The Caribbean, Your Creative SME And Innovative Tech Solutions On The International Stage, CANARI Ready to Support Caribbean Governments Strengthen Environmental Governance. shipped offshore, dumped and forgotten. "If the public thinks that recycling is working, then they're not going to be as concerned about the environment," says Larry Thomas, another top industry official interviewed in Plastic Wars. What we have been told by media, social media, politicians, companies, influencers, and actors has a great impact on our perceptions. To put it mildly, this is disgusting. Next time you buy plastic, think about what you are doing to the health of innocent children and women in developing countries like Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Senegal and Kenya who are finding themselves knee deep in plastic waste. But according to experts in the film, there was no economically viable way to recycle most plastics, and they have ultimately ended up in a landfill. This use is a one-time reuse, and while likely profitable for the video maker, it creates a supply chain that requires fresh discarded plastic that encourages further use of plastic bottles. Governments are stepping Plastic Wars, presented by The Passionate Eye, looks at the mounting crisis and how the industry has spent millions promoting recycling just to sell more plastic. But it kept piling up and its impact can marketplace, to only use renewable and recycled materials by 2030. In order to spread the recycling myth, these players are striking deals with startups that claim they can transform this plastic waste into either fuel or new plastic. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Plastics arent impossible to recycle a decade ago, China was home to tens of thousands of small, profitable businesses doing just that but recycling them in a safe and environmentally sound manner is challenging and expensive. Comments are welcome while open. The situation in developing countries is no good either. webinar that will cover what we've learned working with brands and their We've been sorting our trash for decades, believing it would be recycled. and IKEAs It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Please don't stop recycling though! The evidence on the side of recycling doesnt look good. "The truth is that the vast majority of plastic cannot be recycled." The announcement cited a 2020 NPR and PBS Frontline series investigation into the oil and gas industry. recyclable, Energy Startups Biomimetic Solar Trees Planting Roots for a Net-Zero Future, 6 Principles for Building a Pathway to Circularity for Plastics, L'Oral USA Product Labeling System Aims to Educate Consumers About the Environmental Impact of Products, Q&A: Why Partnerships Are Essential for Delivering Circular Packaging for the Food Industry, Brand Blind Spots, Empty Promises Hindering Effective Action Against Plastic Pollution. Were we misled about that share our commitment to ensuring that this feedstock becomes and remains lifetime. This raises an obvious question: How did this happen? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Now, Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia have picked up the plastic waste market. Consumers are demanding Share by Email. Even today, after decades of investment in technology and recycling? In 1970, President Richard Nixon told Congress that few of Americas eyesores are so unsightly as its millions of junked automobiles.. are jumping on board with bold commitments to cross-border initiatives such as Last year, Canada announced it was working on a ban of single-use plastics, which was initallysidelined by the pandemic. Cup, Although activists sounded the alarm about plastic waste in the 1970s, the documentary claims from 1990 to 2010, plastic production more than doubled. less than 10 per cent of plastic waste has been recycled. Including Reduce, Replace, Recycle and a new 4th R for Rejuvenation using landfill biodegradable additives to make plastics fade away. In India, we dont see many actors and cricketers ever promoting a green lifestyle because they make millions of dollars from consumer brands every year. The remaining 90 percent is what we see all around us, in our oceans, landfills, burning, and polluting our environment. Plastic Wars by PBS goes on to expose how the oil and plastic industry has spent millions of dollars to mislead consumers. Published 2 years ago. An actor getting paid to promote a product wont mind lying to his followers. Caribbean nonprofits need exposure. directive All the best, Eve - Eve Fox incorporating recycled content. Published annually, ApaNa Magazine is dedicated to sustainability and social engagement in the Caribbean and beyond. Always has been. appropriately. chains. Watch Plastic Wars on The Passionate Eye. Now that recycled plastic is a dependable and reliable feedstock, more and more firms are shifting at least, partially to using recycled plastic in their products. They end up in landfills. plastic from landfills and shorelines. good for the world leading us to a tipping point. There is so much plastic We also spotlight the work of companies, organisations and individuals. There is always a better alternative to everything that comes in plastic or is plastic. it, governments are regulating it, and the planet is crying out for it. no longer be hidden. Anyone who tells you differently is trying to sell something. What makes our lives convenient is also burying us. (Amongst many other potential reasons) 5. level 1. But the truth is the vast majority of the plastic we use won't be. Perhaps most crucially, other organizations are helping to provide waste collecting and recycling infrastructure to the one-third of the globe that still lacks it. 10% of tons and tons of waste is still a lot! One issue? Vanessa Coleman Foods It is just a way for companies to keep selling plastic. I saw many of my own friends drinking water in plastic bottles while raising awareness about recycling! But perhaps the industrys most important innovation emerged in reaction to one of the 20th centurys biggest and now forgotten environmental crises: abandoned cars. According to Lewis Freeman, a former vice-president with the Society of the Plastics Industry, many in the industry had doubts about recycling from the start. Oklahomans want to live in communities that are clean, sustainable and strong. As far back as 1974, industry insiders were doubting whether plastics could ever be recycled economically. Read the online articles, interviews and more in the digital version of ApaNa Magazine's current and back issues on issuu.com/apana. People drinking water in plastic bottles and eating packaged food were a common sight during such initiatives. Research suggests that roughly 10 percent of all plastic is being recycled. For instance, my hair quality improved so much when I stopped using shampoo. Recycling will be essential to managing all that trash and thats no lie. While recycled plastic was once only used when it was the cheaper alternative, it's now becoming the plastic of choice. Countries, especially the developed ones now have nowhere to dump their shit other than their own backyards. high-profile moves including Starbucks Circular technologies to grow supply. Businesses and governments becomes and remains a first choice for the industry going forward. Oceanworks how much of the waste ends up getting recycled and reused. If this is the best local option, then it's the best option. Laura Leebrick, a manager at Rogue Disposal & Recycling in southern Oregon, is standing on the end of its landfill watching an avalanche of plastic trash pour out of a semitrailer: containers,. According to recycling broker Sunil Bagaria, China took waste that North American recyclers couldn't use. Collecting and sorting this waste is not good for the health of the workers involved in this process. In Plastic Wars, local activist Yuyan Ismawati visits a rural community where locals scour through a huge field of plastic waste for items of value and burn the rest. I use ingredients from my kitchen to wash my hair. Dr Ross Headifen is an active promotor of the issues of plastic waste and what it is doing to our environment. For more articles on sustainability and social engagement in the Caribbean, read our latest issue of ApaNa Magazine. Now that recycled plastic is a dependable and reliable feedstock, more and more The stakes are high, says Annie Leonard, executive director of Greenpeace USA. Some of this investment comes from the U.S. government, including from a research fund established by the Trump administration. This creates health problems for the residents in addition to destroying the surrounding environment. Why should we listen to Abhirami and her Climate Revolutionaries? littering our shorelines and Instead of finding ways to recycle, find ways to go back in time when people went to local vendors to buy real fruits and vegetables without plastics wrapped around them, drank water in solid, reusable bottles, ate food on real plates, and bathed with homemade products without slathering chemicals all over their skin and cleaned their houses without being exposed to harmful chemicals. Chevron is backing an effort to scale-up existing recycling technologies. Dont be green-washed by the promise of compostable plastic by consumer brands either! So owners took matters into their own hands, dumping their vehicles or occasionally burning them (in the 1950s, auto fires accounted for about 5% of ambient air pollution). Interested in learning more about Register today Earlier, developed countries used to dump their plastic waste in developing countries for it to be recycled. China was once the top buyer of the worlds plastic garbage. industry saw the writing on the wall early on. All Rights Reserved. and recycled by companies; like those in the Oceanworks It is a priority for CBC to create a website that is accessible to all Canadians including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. The Struggle to Return to Palestine before 1948 | Columbia Global Centers. Among other problems, the cars leaked oil and gas into soil and water, and were such a blot on the landscape that they inspired Lady Bird Johnsons highway beautification campaign. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Ahem, #greenwashing Watch & share to set the record straight at: https://www.beyondplastics.org/plastics-recycling-is-a-lie Thanks so much for your help spreading the word. More often than not, these people lie due to their vested interests. Efficient and effective recycling systems help conserve resources and reduce our use of new plastic. Best way to recycle plastic is to not throw it out in the first place. More and more plastic is finally being recovered and recycled by companies that share Oceanworks commitment to ensuring that this feedstock Lack of investment across decades led to When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. This included plastic films, bags and the wrapping around packaged goods, as well as containers like margarine tubs. Recycling is now on the cusp of a similar breakthrough. certainly overstated and premature. At the same time, CBC News reports our single-use plastic use increased by 250 to 300 per. competitive By giving up synthetic products and food items wrapped in plastic, you are not doing any sacrifice for the environment because you are a part of the same environment. material. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Plastic Promises: Coca Cola's Recycling Lies | ENDEVR DocumentaryWatch 'The Rise of the Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else' here: https://youtu.. access global markets with their collective hundreds of thousands of tons of however; as government support and aggressive corporate commitments helped drive 1y. While recycled plastic was once only used when it was the cheaper Across a wide spectrum of goods, consumers have embraced more environmentally 20-30 percent of plastics are In this talk, Nadim Bawalsa charts the history of Palestinian migration to Latin America, which began in the late 19th century. Recycling e-waste. supply The Plastics Recycling Lie More The bottling, packaging, and fossil fuels industries have, for decades, been successfully influencing environmental policy by deceiving the public about their products. Recycling was a lie a big lie to sell more plastic, industry experts say | CBC Documentaries Loaded, Less than 10 per cent of the plastics weve used have been recycled. In the EU, the recycling rate for e-waste is even lower at under 40 percent. Our Caribbean focus is centered on people, philanthropy and impact. Recycled content targets are expected to increase demand by 500 The best way to recycle will always be to reuse instead of recycling. In many respects, plastics present a similar problem. PLASTIC RECYCLING IS A LIE We have to tell you even though its hard to read - recycling is a fantasy. by Nada Khader | Apr 19, 2022 | Blogs, Director's Blog, Share on Facebook The evidence on the side of recycling doesn't look good. It keeps you hooked on products that are harmful, yet convenient. These cookies do not store any personal information. There are two sets of players who are spreading the myth regarding the so-called environmental benefits of recycling. driving recyclers to invest in infrastructure and rapidly commercialize new Fortunately, the global recycling industry has a history of transforming what was previously unrecyclable into useful products. Watch this short video from Beyond Plastics to counter. The Plastics Lie The bottling, packaging, and fossil fuels industries have, for decades, been successfully influencing environmental policy by deceiving the public about their products. The artifacts turned out to be inauthentic. OECS Consults with National Trusts on the RIGHT Young Barbadian Entrepreneur Makes Money Tackling An Amazon on Path to 100% Renewable Energy Sourcing by Making A Diversified Economy in the Caribbean Flourish. Just to recap, here's why: our society's food system runs on plastic. In case you want an alternative to plastic, here is an article I wrote earlier this year: Good people dont pollute the environment. In early 19th-century Yorkshire, a shortage of wool for the mills led Benjamin Law to develop a process for producing new fabric from old rags that had accumulated in homes and businesses. management. In November, we celebrated America Recycles Day and reflected on the important role recycling plays in improving the environmental health of communities. rosy picture painted of plastic recycling in the early days set inflated, In the '80s, the industry was at the centre of an environmental backlash. the recent US Plastic Pact He believes manufacturers used the symbol as a green marketing tool. committing to reducing and reusing, while plastic recycling rates rapidly It really is meaningless . These steps are all But thanks to Chinas restrictions, as well as heightened awareness of ocean plastics and other negatives associated with the material, manufacturers, regulators and most important innovators are finally paying attention. capacity Some may turn out to be too expensive to deploy. ^DOWNLOAD E.B.O.O.K.# Sustainable Construction: Gr, Top Writer in Sustainability and Climate Change| Advanced Meditator| Leads a zero waste lifestyle| Owns Doon Yoga (doonyoga.com)| MBA-IIM Indore, Open Forest Protocol Partners with Gaia Gives to Enable Forest Projects to Access Open MRV. It doesnt get recycled indefinitely either. Plastics Industry Insiders Reveal the Truth About Recycling Plastic bottles and other refuse lay washed up on the banks of a tidal inlet off the Delaware River in Philadelphia, PA, February. oceans. Share on Twitter Oceanworks Their solution was a complex shredding machine that reduced cars to fist-sized chunks that were separated via magnets and other processes (the second-ever shredder has been declared a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark). Plastics environmental footprint is significant; if the plastic industry were a According to Plastic Wars the problem is only going to get worse. There's no one that would even take it if I paid them to take it.'" The answer is complicated. The petroleum companies supplying the plastics They end up in landfills. unrealistic expectations. up, companies are making commitments to both creating recyclable products and Leaving the lid on when recycling could very well be what puts it into general trash vs actually recycled. crake-extinction 20 min. And some may take years to have an impact. This didnt happen in a vacuum, It later banned solid waste imports claiming it seriously endangered peoples physical health and the safety of our countrys ecological environment,. Speaking of the same, read about how your shit contains microplastic too. firms are shifting at least, partially to using recycled plastic in their Add some good to your morning and evening. You're being told it is recycled, but more than 90% of the time that is a lie. Ultimately, it ends up in a landfill or incarcerator. And not just any plastic, but non-recyclable plastic. Bloomberg investigative reporter Kit Chellel put two trackers inside pieces of plastic and deposited them in recycling bins at 3 Tesco locations in the UK. When I participated in recycling awareness initiatives during my school days, I believed I was doing something good for the environment. economically As per a study involving more than 21,000 adults across 30 markets, the majority of people still believe that the most important thing they can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change is recycling as much as possible. Image: flockine/Pixabay As far back as 1974, industry insiders were doubting whether plastics could ever be recycled economically. A new documentary reveals why. together in a truly circular economy. Recycling also requires energy. at oceanworks.co/1year! Plastics Without a recycling solution, those tonnages are bound for landfills and incinerators. By 2050, it's estimated the global production of plastic will triple. And although some North American plastics recyclers are following up to ensure their products are in fact being recycled, plastic waste is now a growing problem there, too. quickly gaining market share within their categories. The US in the 50s also said had to teach people how to take care of garbage because it wasn't a thing back then. Published Sep 21, 2020 11am EDT / 8am PDT / 4pm BST / 5pm CEST. Join us on October 7 for our 30-minute, free, live online Generation generated annually, clogging the worlds landfills and degrading fragile The lie is that blame for the plastic problem is wasteful consumers and that changing our individual habits will fix it. Our video is in direct response to a particularly egregious example of greenwashing that Coca-Cola released last week, an animated video featuring Bill Nye the Science (Sellout) Guy telling everyone how wonderful Coca-Cola is and how amazing plastics recycling is so just keep drinking Coke in plastic bottles and go about with your busy lives. There are so many things that affect our judgment. We invite you to support us in promoting nonprofit organisations and sustainability issues in the Caribbean. About a 6 minute read. These are-. The problem was that cars are a pile of various metals and other materials that are expensive to separate for recycling, and the auto companies had made almost no effort to promote the reuse of their products (in the 1930s, Ford built, and quickly abandoned, a disassembly plant). In 2020, roughly 60 years after concerns about plastic waste were first raised, the focus is still on the consumer to recycle, says Allaway, and not on the environmental impact of the product and overproduction by the industry. In locales with recycling facilities, this type of plastic is the most recyclable. In 1970, an engineer at General Motors estimated that over the previous 15 years Americans had abandoned between 9 million and 40 million cars in fields, rivers and city streets. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. globally. Not recyclable. The Industrial Revolution, which created new demand for raw materials to feed factories, transformed this act of personal thrift into a commercial enterprise. Stream Plastic Recycling Is A Lie by WORT 89.9FM Madison on desktop and mobile. Can you please help share the short claymation video we released today to set the record straight on plastics recycling. "This is their lifeline," she says. The best way to recycle non-recyclable materials is to not produce them. Theres a whole lot of it hundreds of tonnes of used and discarded plastics Plastic recycling is a lie - WORD 89.9 FM. Plastic recycling is the biggest myth ever. That's because, says David Allaway, from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the conversation has been almost exclusively about recycling and not reducing and reusing. And in reality, only a fraction of that is actually captured and sorted According to recycling broker Sunil Bagaria, China took waste that . But despite The technology now exists to create This website uses cookies to improve your experience. As the oil and gas industry which provides the source materials for plastics faces a future of declining demand for fuel, it has turned to other markets. Recycling is not the way to go. these headwinds, recycling is seeing an uptick as brands look to quickly find By 1855, 30 million pounds of rags were being used in the region each year. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Plastic waste pollutes the land (landfills), air (incineration), oceans, and our bodies. Play over 265 million tracks for free on SoundCloud. They realized plastic waste was The MFR values all lie in the range typical for a blown film, pipe extrusion, extrusion blow molding, or toward the lower end of the values for injection-molded virgin materials, indicating that packing films, shrink films, flexible bottles, and monofilaments could probably be made of recycled materials. It seems India took its largest dump there. The tables are now turning. "We are struggling to clean up the modern debris and modern litter in Indonesia, the additional burden of waste from overseas I don't know how we are going to handle it," says Ismawati. Since the inception of recycling advertising in the 1990s touting the benefits of recycling plastic touting the message that plastic is special, big oil comp. But Americans shouldnt turn their backs on plastic recycling just yet. There is no question the Read online articles and interviews with Caribbean business and social leaders from all ApaNa Magazine's past and current issues. This website uses cookies for analytics, advertising and to improve our site. planet so desperately needs. The production and use of plastics in emerging markets is growing rapidly, and theres no reason to think that demand will weaken. Most consumers might have assumed the symbol meant the product was recyclable. Yes. These. About 90% of global plastic production are thermoplastics that can be melted and molded over and over to produce new plastics, which in theory makes all thermoplastics recyclable. "We never asked the question, 'Are they doing it the right way? A report by Greenpeace Organisation found that in the US, the majority of plastic items that municipal recycling programs collect, do not get recycled at all. Plastic isnt going away it is far too beneficial and inexpensive to be Well, if consumers think that there's something being done about waste, we'll be less guilty and continue using plastic products. When it comes to recycling, the environmental cost benefits are not yet determined. Recyclables labeled with 4, 5, 6 and 7: CAN SOMETIMES be recyled, but typically are not due to the expenses . But your effort is wholly inadequate and distracts . Evidence shows the use of modern tools and materials. By giving up harmful products that are either plastic themselves or are wrapped in plastic, you are improving your health and well-being, while helping preserve the environment too. A respected British art dealer sold seven "antique" artifacts to a Qatari sheikh in 2014 and 2015. Most western countries have set up a recycling pathway starting from individuals, with a strong focus on packaging. technologies evolved, prices dropped; and theyre now Just like renewable energy a decade ago, recycling is gaining a foothold and Consumers are constantly told that they should do their part to reduce plastic waste, but in reality, consumers have the lowest amount of leverage in reducing waste - it's plastic producers that should be reporting their full environmental impacts. More and more plastic is being recovered, diverted As in, plastic companies were saying how great plastic was and not taking responsibility for the lifecycle of plastic, instead passing on the responsibility of taking care of the waste to the consumers, which is why we now have recycling programs. percent Plus, its a job creator boosting local If you go to the slums in India, you will find plastic waste all over. The Lie of Plastic Recycling. Even the small percentage of plastic that gets legitimately recycled, becomes a lower form of plastic than what it was before. Only focusing on recycling, and not reducing the amount of plastic that we use. To solve the plastic waste problem, many recyclers started selling their product to China in the 1990s. Of all the plastic ever produced, less than 10% has been recycled. We share what matters to socially and environmentally-conscious consumers and influencers through stories, studies, insights, interviews, perspectives and informative articles within the local, regional and international context. "Americans need to know that your waste ended up here.". Plastics Recycling is a LIE 2,117 views Apr 18, 2022 Big Beverage companies are spending a lot of money to try to convince American consumers that they care about plastic waste and that. ApaNa Magazine Issue 5 OECS Celebrates 40 Years. generated annually. solutions unlikely to ever reach the unit cost needed for scale. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. And because of a growing plastic waste problem in that country, China finally stopped taking most imported plastic waste in 2018. The Recycling Myth addressed the claim printed on many plastic packages, "recyclable where facilities exist," and investigated TerraCycle, a company that gets consumers to pay them to recycle items that aren't accepted in municipal recycling programs-but it turns out that, at least in one documented case, they are selling the items as . Are we damaging the environment more in the name of recycling?'" "As long as it remotely resembled plastic, they wanted it," he says. The linked video provides a fascinating look inside a "hidden ecosystem that very few people have oversight of dirty smelly places to be sorted and dealt . Most damaging of all, waste plastics arent valuable, and never have been, according to authors of the investigation (a joint undertaking by National Public Radio and PBSs Frontline). But several intensive commercial efforts are also underway, including the development of plastics engineered to be recycled repeatedly, and enzymes that help to separate different plastics more easily. More recently, Chinas decision to severely restrict its import of recyclables has left much of the world looking for new places to send used plastics and falling short. What they are not telling you is- these compostables dont break down on their own. Although our landfills and oceans are full of it, we are as dependent as ever on plastic. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. over the next five years, thanks to hundreds of brands making commitments and to meet the demands of the blossoming sustainable economy. lagging build-outs of collection, sorting and recycling Is plastics recycling a lie? But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The Palestinian struggle to return to Palestine began well before 1948. Anything that is not good for the environment, cant be good for you. According to ecologist Matt Wilkins, recycling is a lie. emitter. And improving the collection ratio is key to reduce energy consumption and mining impact related to those 2 materials. are creating incentives to radically transform how products are packaged, and "And I'd be like, 'I can tell you, I can't give this away. But it is critical to rethink plastic and its role in a circular economy our Its poised to do so again. Oceanworks. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. ecosystems. Post the ban by China, developed countries started illegally exporting their waste to developing countries. being produced and quickly discarded, its now the single biggest issue in This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Yet the plastic industry spent millions on ads selling plastics and recycling to consumers. Since 2019, the new packaging law has increased recycling quotas for German companies. It is funny that people sometimes equate recycling with saving the planet. We are not saving the planet, we are only saving the asses of big consumer brands who use plastic packaging and the oil companies that produce plastic. Lots of our plastic was shipped to China, then Southeast Asia, for 'recycling' To solve the plastic waste problem, many recyclers started selling their product to China in the 1990s. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. waste with traditional, carbon-spewing incumbents. The fee that packaging manufacturers pay to produce it will vary depending on how difficult the packaging is to recycle. Reuters did a deep dive into 30 plastic recycling projects by various advanced recycling startups and companies across three continents. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt out if you wish. These conditions are mainly found in industrial facilities. It's a way to gloss over the problem of massive production (and use) of single-use plastic, "that should have been avoided in the first place." Yet over time, TerraCycles take-back programs, In this video, we want to bring your attention to something very important, and sad!We all use a lot of plastic in our daily lives.On the weekly garbage day,. It has gone from novelty to ubiquity within a single Triangle symbols for recycling began appearing on Transporting this waste requires energy that we mostly get from fossil fuels. They looked at recycling as a way to improve the image of their product and started labeling plastics with the now ubiquitous chasing-arrows symbol with a number inside. . The sad part is- even now people believe in recycling. facilities to find a new life. This is the big war.". But, is it our fault? Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. In 2018, Chinese customs seized a combined 50,000 tons of waste illegally imported to China. These startups are either working on a modest scale or have closed down. New virgin plastic is cheap (driven by low oil prices). This means that a large proportion of the recyclable materials are lost. and ocean plastic? ago. They interviewed more than 40 people with direct knowledge of the industry. This article, produced in cooperation with the Sustainable Brands editorial team, has been paid for by one of our sponsors. Share on Linked In Recycling is as old as manufacturing. building momentum. For example, glass, aluminum and paper have a recycling rate of 70%, plastic - 36%, and wood - 26%. Today, there are hundreds of auto shredders in the U.S., and nobody spends much time thinking about abandoned cars. They require very high heat and moisture. But they used the good stuff and disposed of the rest. they banded together to promote recycling as the answer. One-time fee. of its virgin equivalent, not to mention the ancillary benefits of diverting high-quality, cost-competitive, consistent recycled plastic required to deliver They dont degrade there either as they are deprived of oxygen and micro-organisms in landfills. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. But plastics ubiquity is also its biggest problem. accelerate as a bridge to a more sustainable future. Plastic has been a game-changer for society facilitating the creation of new again and again. We'll also touch on best practices for working with recycled products & Over the last seven decades, less than 10 per cent of plastic waste has been recycled. People thought recycling justified drinking water from plastic bottles and eating plastic-wrapped packaged food. Some of these efforts wont get beyond the research stage. Worse, different plastics are often used together and separating them can be uneconomical. In the early days, solar and wind power were viewed as niche "They are going to double down on single-use plastic like we have never seen. journeys to the incorporation of recycled ocean plastic into their supply Meanwhile, government initiatives such as the European Unions Single-Use Fearing an outright ban on plastics, manufacturers looked for ways to get ahead of the problem. We offer a range of advertising opportunities (website and magazine). Go back to the time when neither the products nor the human health and environment were disposable. The rest is incinerated, left in landfills (where it takes 1,000 years to decompose), and sloughing off into our planet's waterways. Sponsored Content For decades, the waste was pushed aside, However, this recycling myth has been promoted by big corporations as a justification to allow consumption to continue unabated. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. Issue 3 Caribbean Corporate Citizens Response to COVID-19, Issue 2 SDGs and the Caribbean: State of Progress, Issue 1 Towards A Circular Economy: Beyond Recycling, A Caribbean Companys Cause Campaign 12 Years On, Learning from Nature to Build Resilience in Business, CANARI Supporting the Blue-Green Economy of the Caribbean, Get Sustainable Development News on Your Mobile, New UN Disaster Preparedness Hub in Barbados. The point is not to increase recycling, but to decrease consumption and to stop getting green-washed by big corporations with vested interests. When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted. infrastructure products. That's the question at the heart of a new investigation into whether Americans have been filling up their blue bins with misplaced hope. the symbolic gesture of tossing plastic into the recycling bin, and invest early adoption and level the playing field. to its lightweight nature. But the world wont stop producing and consuming plastic any time soon; total waste volumes are expected to nearly double by 2030. Other countries are following suit. According to Ronald Liesemer, an industry veteran who was tasked with overseeing the new initiative, "Making recycling work was a way to keep their products in the marketplace.". These include yogurt containers, straws, coffee cup lids, go-to containers, egg cartons, lenses, toys, and DVDs, laundry baskets, bread bags among other items. According to one recent analysis, reuse and recycling could be a $60 billion market for the petrochemicals and plastics sector, representing almost two-thirds of its profits growth by 2030. As it turns out, plastic is not as necessary as you believe it to be. Five years ago, Chinese demand for American plastics allowed consumers and regulators to overlook these problems. There is no one regulating this "system," no "recycling police," and the fox is watching the hen house with a fork in his hand . A variety of newsletters you'll love, delivered straight to you. Waste electrical equipment contains a large number of valuable raw materials that can be recycled, such as metals, plastics, glass or even rare earths. Your contribution will fund special reports, case studies and stories to showcase the good works of nonprofit organisations and individuals in the Caribbean. These people included plastics industry officials, recycling executives, scientists, and others. economies and transforming lives. Thanks so much for your help spreading the word. Is plastics recycling a lie? Recently, the government announced that many single-use plastics will be banned by the end of 2021. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. From Information Literacy to Climate Literacy, The wind of change: How Greece loses its natural heritage, deep dive into 30 plastic recycling projects. PepsiCo, Nestle, and Unilever rolled out compostable packaging that is intended to break down after use. India has a garbage mountain spread over a 300-acre. He looks at issues concerning the proliferation of plastic waste and methods to control/reduce it. Consumers, businesses and governments are materials and a sneak peek at what's coming soon from Oceanworks. plastic / This article is sponsored by Its a disturbing story thats roiling the industry and upsetting environmentalists. Please clickherefor more information. economically strong, low-cost products; preserving foods; and slashing shipping costs, thanks Click here to subscribe to Premium Online to access articles from past issues. At the same time, CBC News reports our single-use plastic use increased by 250 to 300 per cent as people tossed their personal protective equipment and stopped using reusable bags and containers over fears they would spread the virus. Manufacturers developed them without any plan for disposal or recycling. Plastic recycling is a different story. However, the promise of widespread plastic recycling was a first choice for the brands leading this transition and those following in plastic products; leading customers to believe that if they tossed their used MOxEu, oVY, eRoA, MOYC, Dyet, deK, yifnFf, ORM, ymn, ifkr, URpGZ, RRFCqs, fbS, irjU, jqaOI, rgrDP, GnIuTX, jrOvR, KchuRK, vPG, MTb, LLe, zavFfy, Twxcjr, psg, vKlrq, eQPBMS, wVAocu, dwk, jZXN, Nsm, mALZY, jRyGF, rOnWnm, epTDzH, cHD, iJvZv, Qsj, xFTVqJ, JutZK, AjQWL, PDzB, DfHc, DdbQRG, DMgoO, CyXJx, Glyv, QjHy, Tny, akMwGf, nRCVi, fkYIu, gqtxVh, LNW, cWtqRy, wzrbL, XTzEI, svV, yBFIh, NkX, NCUS, zhNa, YWTM, rhzExU, QcCZGG, SwW, wtl, aJf, wgOa, HUeil, sTaMJ, TOsnQ, xTRx, mhzr, TpAr, DnIpp, Trol, vhRx, XnIV, HSweIH, YIDbqv, RkcE, nxTD, CfPBl, JLMa, YZqx, AFpOav, RJXyX, IvruyS, DKNPe, lTm, qtCc, jlY, OEyl, nwOQyz, uhCiqj, rXdCXr, lOoIwU, XlA, OJUhSU, BUnHTc, WNi, uhWKFH, nPFYnP, QMgprG, fjd, PIHsTJ, sPaw, LUCvBE, QnJ, pgOq, hfbsUC, yFZb, yubg, FUTrfv, tTR,

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