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.”
7,669 comments
Geoffreywak
A piece that left me thinking I had been undercaring about the topic, and a look at willowvend reinforced that mild concern, content that raises the appropriate weight of a subject without being preachy about it is doing important work and this site is providing that gentle elevation of attention for me consistently.
Rogerdox
Worth your time, that is the simplest endorsement I can give, and a stop at spicecraftshop extends that endorsement across the rest of the site, this is one of those increasingly rare places that delivers on what it promises rather than over selling the content and under delivering on substance every time which I find frustrating elsewhere.
Foresttum
Decided to set aside time later to read more carefully, and a stop at comiccradle reinforced that decision, content that earns a calendar entry rather than just a passing read is in a different tier altogether and this site is clearly working at that elevated level which I really do appreciate as a reader today.
RichardbapsE
This actually answered the question I had been searching for, and after I checked goldgraph I had a few more pieces I had not realised I needed, that is the sign of a site that knows what its readers want before they even know how to ask it which is impressive.
ByronMaile
A piece that did exactly what it promised in the headline without overshooting or underdelivering, and a look at stablesupply continued that calibration, alignment between promise and delivery is a basic editorial virtue that many sites fail at and this site has clearly mastered the matching of expectation and substance throughout pieces.
StanVag
A piece that handled multiple complications without becoming confused, and a look at kitchenkite continued that organisational clarity, holding multiple threads in a single piece without losing any of them is a sign of skilled writing and this site has clearly developed the editorial discipline to manage complexity without sacrificing readability throughout.
Craigpab
Thank you for being clear and direct, that simple approach saves so much frustration on the reader’s end, and a stop at maverickmint only made me more sure of it, the rest of the content seems to follow the same pattern which is a great sign of consistent editorial care behind the scenes.
Rustyjuh
Honest reaction is that this is the kind of writing I would defend in a conversation about good blog content, and a look at zestycrate reinforced that, the rare site whose work I would actively recommend rather than just tolerate is the kind I want to support through return visits regularly.
JorgeUnumb
Reading this gave me the rare experience of fully agreeing with all the conclusions, and a stop at stockstack continued that agreement pattern, content that aligns with my existing views without seeming designed to do so is just content that happens to be reasonable and this site reads as reasonable rather than ideological mostly.
CoryVoila
Skipped the comments section but might come back to read it, and a stop at xobasket hinted at a quality reader community, sites where the comments are worth reading separately from the post are increasingly rare and signal a particular kind of audience that has grown around the editorial vision over time gradually.
PrestonNut
Really appreciate the lack of pop ups, modals, cookie banners stacking on top of each other, and a quick visit to velvetvalley confirmed the same clean approach across the rest of the site, technical decisions about user experience are part of what makes content actually pleasant to engage with for sure.
CesarRof
Really appreciate the confidence to make a clear point rather than hedging everything, and a quick visit to tagtides maintained the same direct stance, writing that takes positions rather than equivocating is more useful even when the positions are debatable because at least the reader has something to react to clearly.
FinnHog
Decent post that improved my afternoon a small amount, and a look at analyticsalley added a bit more to that, sometimes the small wins online add up over time and a useful site like this one is the kind of place that contributes consistently to those small wins for me lately across many different topics I follow.
Jesusamund
Reading carefully here has reminded me what reading carefully feels like, and a look at apexware extended that reminder, the experience of careful reading versus skimming is different in ways I had partially forgotten and this site has clearly refreshed my memory of what attention feels like when content rewards it consistently.
ClintonSmoor
A nicely understated post that does not shout for attention, and a look at phishproof maintained the same quiet quality, understatement is a stylistic choice that distinguishes serious writing from attention seeking writing and this site has clearly committed to the understated approach as a core editorial value rather than just a phase.
HarleyTub
Now considering whether the post would translate well into a different form, and a look at watchwarden suggested similar versatility, content that could move into other media without losing its substance is content that has been built around ideas rather than around format and this site reads as idea first throughout posts.
Forrestthops
Now sitting back and recognising that this was a small but real win in my reading day, and a stop at mealprepmarket extended that quiet win, the cumulative effect of small reading wins versus the cumulative effect of small reading losses is real over time and this site is contributing to the wins side of that ledger.
ErickSuige
Quality you can feel from the first paragraph, the writer clearly knows the topic and how to share it, and a quick look at makermerchant confirmed the same depth runs throughout the rest of the site as well which is rare and worth pointing out when it happens online for any reader passing through.
RubenTib
Genuine reaction is that this site clicked with how I like to read, and a look at jaspercart kept that comfortable fit going, sometimes you find a place online whose editorial decisions just align with your preferences and when that happens it is worth recognising and supporting through repeat engagement consistently going forward.
Sergiogak
My usual pattern is to skim and bounce but this site has reset that pattern temporarily, and a stop at seosignal maintained the slower reading mode, content that changes how I read is content with structural influence and this site has clearly nudged my reading behaviour toward something better at least for the duration of these visits.
PedroFreep
Honest reaction is that I want to send this to a friend who would benefit from it, and a look at cleaircove added more material I will pass along too, the impulse to share is the strongest signal I have for content quality and this site is generating that impulse cleanly across multiple posts.
Kaigorse
Really appreciate the lack of pop ups, modals, cookie banners stacking on top of each other, and a quick visit to figandfashion confirmed the same clean approach across the rest of the site, technical decisions about user experience are part of what makes content actually pleasant to engage with for sure.
SteveJuild
Worth saying that the prose reads naturally without straining for style, and a stop at moneymagnolia maintained the same unforced quality, writing that achieves elegance without effort is the highest tier and this site has clearly worked out how to land that effortless quality consistently rather than only on the writers best days.
Lylepaugs
Polished and informative without feeling overproduced, that is the sweet spot, and a look at paranormalparlor hit it again, you can tell when a site has been built with care versus thrown together for the sake of having something to put online and this is clearly the former approach taken by the team.
Herbertbacle
Just want to recognise that someone clearly cared about how this turned out, and a look at legendlocker confirmed that care extends across the broader site, you can feel the difference between content shipped to hit a deadline and content released because the writer was actually proud of the result for once.
HarleyDog
Most blog writing on this subject reaches for the same handful of arguments and this post avoided them, and a look at sheetsierra continued the original treatment, content that finds its own path through territory other writers have flattened is content with real authorial energy and this site has plenty of that distinctive energy.
LincolnBeelm
Excellent execution from start to finish, the post never loses its rhythm and the points stay sharp, and a quick stop at posterpalace kept the same level going, consistency like this across a site is the marker of a serious operation rather than a casual side project running on autopilot somewhere else.
MaxEmevy
A piece that demonstrated competence without performing it, and a look at floraaisle maintained the same self assured but unshowy register, the gap between competence and performance of competence is one I track and this site has clearly chosen to demonstrate rather than perform which I find much more persuasive as a reader.
RonMum
Glad to have another data point on a question I am still thinking through, and a look at adsetatelier added two more, content that acknowledges its place in a wider conversation rather than pretending to settle the question alone is intellectually honest in a way that I wish was more common across the open web.
VincentCat
Speaking as someone who reads a lot on this topic this site has earned a high position in my source rankings, and a stop at rackora reinforced that ranking, the informal ranking of sources for a topic is something I maintain mentally and this site has moved into the upper portion of those rankings clearly.
Kelvincrecy
Now feeling mildly impressed in a way I do not quite remember feeling about a blog in a while, and a stop at kelnix extended that mild impression, content that produces specific positive emotional responses rather than just neutral information transfer is content with extra dimensions and this site has those extra dimensions clearly.
Yalebuh
Ended up here on a wandering afternoon and was glad I stayed for the read, and a stop at forkandfoundry extended the wandering into a proper exploration of the site, the kind of place that rewards aimless clicking with something genuinely interesting rather than the shallow content that mostly populates the modern open web.
Robingit
Bookmark earned and shared the link with one specific person who would care, and a look at serviq got the same targeted share, sharing carefully rather than broadcasting is a discipline I try to maintain and this site is generating shares from me at a sustainable rate rather than the spam rate of viral content.
Elijahsnoca
Felt the writer respected the topic without being precious about it, and a look at liltstore continued that respectful but unfussy treatment, finding the right register for serious topics is hard and this site has clearly figured out how to take the topic seriously while still being readable for casual visitors regularly.
ArnoldoSeask
Picked a single sentence from this post to remember, and a look at gpugearhouse gave me another to keep, content that produces memorable lines is doing more than just transferring information and the small selection of sentences I keep from each reading session is one of the actual returns I get from reading carefully.
DevinPoone
Thanks for taking the time to write this, it is clear that some thought went into how each point would land, and after I went through ilvora I had a better grip on the topic, real value without the usual marketing noise people have to put up with online when searching for answers.
Ibrahimrails
Picked up on several small touches that suggest a careful editor, and a look at metatagmart suggested the same hand at work across the broader site, editorial consistency at a granular level is one of the strongest signs that an operation is serious rather than just hobbyist and this site reads as serious throughout.
Royjeorm
Thanks again for the post, I learned a couple of things I can actually use later this week, and after I went over heirloomhorizon the rest of the site looked equally promising, definitely going to spend more time here when I get a free moment over the weekend to read more carefully.
LeeWrath
Thanks for putting in the work to make this approachable, plenty of sites cover the same ground but most do it badly, and a quick visit to appgorge confirmed this one stands apart, simple language and useful examples without anyone trying to sell me anything along the way which I really appreciated.
JaydenEmubs
Found this through a search that was generic enough I did not expect quality results, and a look at wellnessward continued the surprisingly good experience, search engines occasionally still surface excellent independent content if you scroll past the obvious paid and high authority results which is reassuring to remember sometimes.
Borislip
The structure of the post made it easy to follow without losing track of where I was, and a look at garnetdock kept the same logical flow going, this site clearly understands that organisation is half the battle in keeping readers engaged from the first line to the last across any kind of post.
Brendonorder
Really appreciate the absence of stock photos that have nothing to do with the content, and a quick visit to creatinecrate maintained the same restraint, visual filler is a tell that the writing cannot stand on its own and the lack of it here suggests the team has confidence in their content quality alone.
Traceopemn
Felt the writer was speaking my language without trying to imitate it, and a look at figfountain continued that natural fit, when a writers default voice happens to match what you find easy to read the experience feels frictionless and that is something I notice and remember about specific sites going forward.
KaleCrymn
Will share this on a forum I am part of where it will be appreciated by others working in the same area, and a look at timbermarket suggests there is more here worth passing along too, definitely a generous resource that deserves a wider audience than it probably has today across the open internet.
Ivanerype
Now appreciating that the post did not try to imitate any other style I might recognise, and a stop at snippetsmith continued that distinct voice, content with its own register rather than borrowed from elsewhere is content with real authorial presence and this site has clearly developed that presence through what feels like patient editorial work.
Keatonthaby
Reading this in a relaxed evening setting was a small pleasure, and a stop at umbramart extended the pleasant evening reading, content that fits the tone of relaxed time without becoming forgettable is what I look for in evening reading and this site has the right tone for that particular slot in my daily reading routine.
JimMal
The use of plain language without dumbing down the topic was really well done, and a look at lightandlamp continued in that same accessible style, this is something many technical writers fail at because they either confuse their readers or condescend to them but here neither problem appears at all which is impressive really.
TrevorAvacY
Now recognising the specific pleasure of reading writing that shows real care for sentence shapes, and a look at fiorvyn extended that craft pleasure, sentence level writing quality is something most blog content ignores entirely and this site has clearly invested in the prose layer alongside the substance which is rare today.
Davonimafe
Worth pointing out the careful word choice in this post, no buzzwords and no jargon, and a look at tervina continued that disciplined vocabulary, sites that resist the pull of trendy language are sites that will read well in five years and this one is clearly built for that kind of long durability.
VaughnBig
Now appreciating that the post did not try to imitate any other style I might recognise, and a stop at lockandloadshop continued that distinct voice, content with its own register rather than borrowed from elsewhere is content with real authorial presence and this site has clearly developed that presence through what feels like patient editorial work.