Only five percent of the material was in the correct condition to be recycled.
Of the 40 million tons of plastic waste generated in the United States last year, only five to six percent—or about two million tons—was recycled, according to a new =”https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5eda91260bbb7e7a4bf528d8/t/62726edceb7cc742d53eb073/1651666652743/The+Real+Truth+about+the+U.S.+Plastic+Recycling+Rate+2021+Facts+and+Figures+_5-4-22.pdf” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>report, conducted by the environmental groups Beyond Plastics and The Last Beach Cleanup. About 85 percent went to landfills, and ten percent was incinerated. The rate of plastic recycling decreased since 2018, when it was at 8.7 percent, per the study.
“The paltry 5-6 percent U.S. plastic recycling rate in 2021 should be a wake-up call to the false promise that plastic recycling is a credible solution to plastic waste and pollution,” the report states. “It’s time to implement real solutions, particularly the reduction of single-use plastic food service items that have the highest likelihood of polluting our environment.”
U.S. plastic waste exports, which are included in recycling rates, decreased from 1.84 million tons in 2017 to 0.61 million tons in 2021 as countries such as China began ceasing to accept America’s waste, per the report. The U.S. doesn’t have the capability to recycle all of its own plastic, Jan Dell, founder of the Last Beach Cleanup, tells the Guardian’s Katharine Gammon.
“We don’t have factories to do it,” she tells the publication. “It’s also very water-intensive, so we’re not going to build more plastic recycling facilities in the U.S.”
But despite a lack of recycling facilities, plastic waste has increased five-fold in the U.S. from 1980 to 2018. In 1980, the U.S. produced 7.4 million tons of plastic waste, and 38 years later, that number grew to 35.7 million tons, per the report.
At its peak in 2014, plastic recycling rates only reached 9.5 percent. Yet the authors write the low level of plastic recycling doesn’t seem to lie in the act of recycling itself, because paper recycling has increased from 21.3 percent in 1980 to 68.2 percent in 2018.
Instead, they blame a “decades-long misinformation campaign to perpetuate the myth that plastic is recyclable.” Additionally, Judith Enck, the president of Beyond Plastics, tells Earther’s Angely Mercado that the three arrow recycling symbol is misleading, because most municipalities recycle only certain types of plastics.
“Consumers are understandably confused,” Enck tells the organization. “They see the recycling logo, so they put the plastic packaging in their recycling bin.”
When residents co-mingle recyclable plastics with non-recyclable plastics, they contaminate loads, which then “usually get bundled for landfills or incineration,” per the study.
Even plastics that do make it to recycling facilities aren't all recycled, the authors report, stating that 30 to 36 percent of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are wasted during the recycling process.
“We need new laws on the books that reduce the amount of plastic packaging,” Enck tells Earther. “Because these companies are not going to reduce enough on their own, and consumers are left with little choices.”
24 comments
Roseanne
recyclean.in
recyclean.in
Deep Cleaning
White-glove service delivered, perfect for our high-end finishes. You understand high standards. Premium service premium results.
Adan O'Connor
Adan O’Connor
Dry Cleaning
Dry Cleaning in New York city by Sparkly Maid NYC
Jarvis Lartigue
This is the right blog for anyone who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!
Hector Ramer
Hector Ramer
Eric Fieldstadt
Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
Free sports streaming Qatar
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I will definitely comeback.
slot gacor
I think you have noted some very interesting details , thanks for the post.
slot demo pragmatic
This is really interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I have joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your fantastic post. Also, I have shared your website in my social networks!
Gelatin Trick for Weight Loss
This is a topic close to my heart cheers, where are your contact details though?
i8club
Been hearing good things about i8club, and it lives up to the hype. Their customer service is responsive, and the games are solid. Give i8club a look if you want a decent online casino experience.
jiliglory
Heard about Jiliglory and decided to check it out. It’s got a decent selection of games, and the site is pretty easy to navigate. Definitely worth a look if you’re looking for something new. Give jiliglory a try!
fdertol mrtokev
I got what you intend, appreciate it for posting.Woh I am lucky to find this website through google. “Those who corrupt the public mind are just as evil as those who steal from the public.” by Theodor Wiesengrund Adorno.
得奇小说网
Your writing style is so engagingI couldnt stop reading until the end. The information is valuable without feeling overwhelming at all.
Vignette Bulgaria
You have remarked very interesting points! ps decent web site.
92cocogame
If you’re looking for some easy-to-pick-up games, 92cocogame is a good place to start. Nothing too serious, just pure fun! Go here 92cocogame.
Javier Jacomet
Great – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your website. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs as well as related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, web site theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Nice task..
casas en José Ignacio
A powerful share, I simply given this onto a colleague who was doing a bit evaluation on this. And he in reality purchased me breakfast as a result of I discovered it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the deal with! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to debate this, I really feel strongly about it and love reading extra on this topic. If possible, as you develop into experience, would you mind updating your blog with extra details? It’s extremely helpful for me. Massive thumb up for this weblog publish!
slots777mx
Slots777mx got me feeling like I’m in Vegas, but from my couch! Solid selection of games and a smooth experience. Definitely worth checking out if you wanna spin some reels. Let’s go! slots777mx
megaacevn
Yo, checked out Megaacevn and gotta say, the site’s pretty smooth. Loads fast, games are decent. Definitely worth a look if you’re hunting for something new. Check it out here: megaacevn
0066betlogin
Had no problem logging into 0066betlogin, and the site works well enough on mobile, too. Not bad! Jump to 0066betlogin
Terrence Worthington
Great blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog jump out. Please let me know where you got your theme. Thanks a lot
zaborna torilon
Heya! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the outstanding work!