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.”
7,664 comments
Emanuelbiz
A piece that read smoothly because the writer understood how readers actually move through prose, and a look at pinecrate maintained the same reader awareness, writers who think about the reading experience as much as the writing experience produce better work and this site has clearly made that shift in editorial approach.
KobeChoib
Honestly impressed by the consistency of voice across what I have read so far, and a quick visit to pearlvendor continued that consistent feel, when a site reads like one careful person rather than a committee the experience is more rewarding for the reader who notices these subtle editorial details over time.
Rudolphdob
Honest reaction is that this is the kind of writing I would defend in a conversation about good blog content, and a look at notepadnest 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.
JaxonJex
Came in expecting another generic take and got something with actual character instead, and a look at trophytrader carried that personality forward, finding a distinct voice on a saturated topic is impressive and worth pointing out when it happens because most sites end up sounding identical to their nearest competitors quickly.
SantiagoVem
Halfway through reading I knew this would be one to bookmark, and a look at horrorhubshop confirmed that early intuition, when bookmark intent forms before finishing a post you know the writing has cleared a quality bar that most content fails to clear and this site has cleared it on multiple visits already.
StewartLonge
A piece that did not require external context to follow, and a look at frostvendor maintained the same self contained quality, content that stands alone without forcing readers to chase prerequisites is more accessible and this site has clearly thought about how each piece can serve a fresh visitor rather than only existing members.
Tristancearp
Felt the writer respected me as a reader without making a show of doing so, and a look at nimbuscart continued that quiet respect, this is the kind of small but meaningful detail that separates the sites I bookmark from the ones I close after a single skim and never return to again no matter how interesting the headline.
LesterSer
Now feeling the post has earned a proper recommendation rather than a casual mention, and a stop at marblecrate reinforced the recommendation strength, the difference between mentioning and recommending is a small editorial distinction I observe in my own conversations and this site has earned the upgraded recommendation level from me confidently today.
Morrisnew
Worth saying that the prose reads naturally without straining for style, and a stop at tealmarket 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.
Brysonwails
Reading this gave me a small refresher on something I had partially forgotten, and a stop at gpugearhouse extended the refresher, content that strengthens existing knowledge rather than just adding new is content with a particular kind of consolidating value and this site is providing that consolidating function across multiple visits.
Lloydabife
Going to share this with a friend who has been asking the same questions for a while now, and a stop at digestiveaid added a few more pages I will pass along too, this is the kind of generous information that earns a small thank you from me right now and again later this week.
FrederickTwege
Honestly enjoyed reading this more than I expected to when I first clicked through, and a stop at violetbazaar kept that pleasant surprise going, sometimes you stumble onto a site that just clicks with how you like to read and this is one of those for me right now today which is great.
DrewAdhew
A nicely understated post that does not shout for attention, and a look at fontfarmhouse 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.
Timmymek
Closed and reopened the tab three times before finally finishing, and a stop at moonvendorcorner held my attention straight through, sometimes content fights for time against my own distraction and the times it wins say something positive about its quality and this post clearly won that fight today afternoon for me.
Kilevah
Bookmark folder created specifically for this site, and a look at pagerankparlor confirmed the dedicated folder was the right call, dedicated folders for individual sites are a level of organisation I rarely deploy and this site has earned that level of dedicated tracking based on the consistency I have seen so far across sessions.
HarryTat
Learned something from this without having to dig through layers of fluff, and a stop at deliverdock added a bit more context that helped tie things together for me, definitely a useful corner of the internet for anyone who wants real information without the usual marketing nonsense around it that often ruins similar pages.
Zackgycle
A thoughtful piece that did not strain to be thoughtful, and a look at grainvendor continued that effortless quality, when thinking shows up in writing without the writer drawing attention to it you know you are reading something genuinely considered rather than something performing the appearance of consideration which is also common online.
ElmerFut
Reading this gave me the rare experience of fully agreeing with all the conclusions, and a stop at velvetpick 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.
Eduardotergy
Really thankful for posts that respect a reader’s time, this one does, and a quick look at softstall was the same, no need to scroll through endless intros just to get to the actual content, that approach alone is enough reason to come back here regularly for the kind of writing offered.
SergioUnomo
Genuinely glad I clicked through to read this rather than skipping past, and a stop at thistletrade confirmed I should keep clicking through to more pages here, the kind of resource that justifies its place in my browser history rather than feeling like wasted time which is the highest compliment I offer any site online today.
ClarenceAbibe
Now feeling slightly more committed to my own careful reading practices having read this, and a stop at walnutware reinforced that commitment, content that models the kind of attention it deserves is content that calibrates the reader and this site has clearly raised my own bar for what to bring to good writing today.
Rudolphlob
Worth flagging this site to a few specific friends who would appreciate the editorial sensibility, and a look at holvex added more pages I will mention to them, recommending sites to specific people requires understanding both the site and the person and this site is making those personalised recommendations easy and natural for me.
AshtonPruby
Recommended to anyone working in or curious about this area, the depth and clarity combine well, and a look at christmascraft keeps that going across more pages, the kind of site that earns regular visits rather than chasing trends has my respect because it suggests genuine commitment to the topic itself rather than to chasing trends.
Diegoglusy
My time on this site has now extended past what I had budgeted, and a stop at windwarehouse keeps extending it further, content that overstays its budget in my schedule is content that has earned the extra time and this site has been earning extra time across multiple visits to the point where my schedule needs adjustment.
Jacksonled
Now recognising the editorial wisdom of letting some questions remain open at the end, and a look at standingstation continued that intellectual honesty, content that does not force closure on contested questions is content that respects the limits of knowledge and this site has clearly developed the maturity to know when to leave space.
LayneFen
Liked the way the post handled the final paragraph, no neat bow but no abrupt cutoff either, and a stop at boxmingle continued that thoughtful ending pattern, endings are hard and most blog writers either over engineer them or skip them entirely and this site has clearly figured out a sustainable middle approach.
Vernonplefs
Refreshing tone compared to the dry corporate posts on similar topics, and a stop at coffeecrush carried that personality through nicely, you can tell when a real person is behind the writing versus a content team chasing metrics and this site definitely falls into the former category clearly across what I have seen.
EmeryLeD
Started believing the writer knew the topic deeply by about the second paragraph, and a look at rosebazaar reinforced that confidence, the speed at which a writer establishes credibility through their writing is a useful quality signal and this writer establishes it quickly and quietly without resorting to credential dropping or self promotion.
GordonCig
A piece that read as if the writer was thinking carefully rather than just typing fluently, and a look at northmarket continued that considered quality, the difference between fluent typing and careful thinking shows up in writing and this site reads as the product of thought rather than just the product of language fluency apparently.
Rubenfaima
Found the post genuinely useful for something I was working on this week, and a look at gingergoods added more material I will reference, content that connects to my actual life and work rather than just being interesting in the abstract is the kind I will pay attention to and return to repeatedly.
Patrickundob
Found the section structure particularly thoughtful, and a stop at hiveloft suggested the same care across the broader site, structural choices guide the reader through the material in ways most people do not consciously notice but feel the absence of when those choices are made carelessly or not at all.
Clarencejom
Skipped the related links section thinking I had read enough and then came back to it later when curiosity got the better of me, and a stop at silkbasket confirmed I should have just read it first, every section of this site appears to deserve careful attention rather than skipping past lazily.
Felixder
Picked a friend mentally as the audience for this and decided to send the link, and a look at bathboutique confirmed the send was the right choice, choosing whom to share content with is a small act of curation that I take more seriously than the public sharing most platforms encourage these days online.
Jaxonionic
Started believing the writer knew the topic deeply by about the second paragraph, and a look at briskparcel reinforced that confidence, the speed at which a writer establishes credibility through their writing is a useful quality signal and this writer establishes it quickly and quietly without resorting to credential dropping or self promotion.
Paulrox
Now realising the post has been quietly doing important work in my mind for the past hour, and a stop at taxtrellis extended that quiet processing, content that continues to do work after I close the tab is content with afterlife in the mind and this site is producing those long lived effects at a meaningful rate.
TobySlusY
Thanks for the breakdown, it gave me a clearer picture of something I had been confused about for a while now, and a stop at snowvendor closed the remaining gaps in my understanding nicely, no need to hunt around twenty other articles to put the pieces together which is a real time saver.
DustinVon
A piece that demonstrated competence without performing it, and a look at auravendor 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.
TerranceBub
Now wondering how the writers calibrated the level of detail so well, and a stop at anchoratlas continued the same calibration, the right level of detail is one of the harder editorial calls in any piece and this site has clearly developed an instinct for it through what I assume is years of careful practice publicly.
BuddyJum
Reading this with a fresh mind in the morning brought out details I might have missed in the afternoon, and a stop at benchboutique earned the same fresh attention, content that rewards being read at full attention rather than at energy lows is content with real density and this site has that density consistently.
Rosstailm
Reading this prompted me to dig into a related topic later, and a stop at trackingterminal provided some of the starting points for that follow up reading, content that triggers further exploration rather than satisfying curiosity completely is content with real generative energy and this site has plenty of that energy throughout it.
MartinGon
Reading this gave me a small jolt of recognition for an experience I thought was just mine, and a stop at pebblecratemart produced more such jolts, content that universalises private experiences without flattening them is doing genuinely useful work and this site is providing that recognition function for me reliably across topics I read.
Erikwroth
Started thinking about my own writing differently after reading, and a look at tubecraze continued that reflective effect, content that influences how I work rather than just informing what I know is content with the highest kind of impact and this site has triggered some of that reflective influence today on me.
Gushunty
Decided I would read the archives over the weekend, and a stop at spiceandsear confirmed that the archives would be worth the time, very few sites have archives I would actively read through but this one has earned that level of interest based on the consistent quality across what I have sampled so far.
Byronvox
Honestly enjoyed not being sold anything for the entire duration of the post, and a look at cometcrate kept that pleasant absence going across more pages, content that exists for its own sake rather than as a funnel to a paid product is increasingly rare and worth supporting where I can find it.
Davidephet
Thanks for the practical examples scattered through the post rather than abstract theory only, and a look at loftlark continued that grounded style, abstract points are easier to remember when paired with concrete situations and the writers here clearly understand how readers actually retain information from blog content reading sessions.
Hectordreks
During my morning reading slot this fit perfectly into the routine, and a look at marblemarket extended that perfect fit into the rest of the routine, content that matches the rhythm of how I actually read rather than demanding accommodation from my schedule is content well calibrated to its likely audience and this site has it.
RodrigoOxync
Reading this slowly and letting each paragraph land before moving on, and a stop at quvera earned the same patient approach, content that rewards slow reading rather than speed is content with real density and the writers here are clearly producing work that benefits from the careful eye rather than the rushed scan.
MaxwellHat
Honestly this hits the sweet spot between detail and brevity, no rambling and no shortcuts, and a quick visit to woodlandvault kept that going across the related pages, the kind of place that respects your attention without trying to grab it through cheap tactics or attention seeking design choices that get tired fast.
IssacKic
Probably going to mention this site in a write up I am working on later this month, and a stop at sunvendor provided more material for that potential mention, content worth referencing in my own published work rather than just personal reading is content with the highest endorsement level and this site has earned that endorsement.
Lonniemycle
During a reading session that included several other sources this one stood out, and a look at shorelinesupply continued the standout quality, the side by side comparison of sources during research is a useful exercise and this site has been winning those comparisons for me consistently across multiple research sessions during the last week.