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.”
7,639 comments
1win_bjEi
1win aplicatie sigura [url=https://zepterhealth.ru/pochemu-ne-rabotaet-prilozhenie-1win/]https://zepterhealth.ru/pochemu-ne-rabotaet-prilozhenie-1win/[/url]
ClaytonGep
Without overstating it this is a quietly excellent post, and a look at fieldcrate extended that quiet excellence, content that earns superlatives without demanding them through marketing language is content that has truly earned them through the substance and this site has clearly produced work in that earned excellence category today.
BuddyMer
Honestly thank you to whoever wrote this because it scratched an itch I had not quite been able to articulate, and a stop at lightandlamp kept that satisfying feeling going, the kind of writing that meets unspoken needs is special and this site clearly has writers who understand their readers more than most do today.
NicoFaw
Glad to have another reliable bookmark for this topic, and a look at valecrate suggested several more pages I will be marking too, building a personal library of trustworthy resources is one of the actual rewards of careful browsing and this site is earning a place on my permanent shortlist for the topic.
1win_zcmn
1win depunere USDT Moldova [url=https://neoshibka.ru/kak-popolnit-schet-1win/]1win depunere USDT Moldova[/url]
JesusBrida
Well done, the writing is professional without being stiff, and the topic is treated with care, and a look at graniteaisle reflected that approach, the kind of site I would point a colleague to if they asked for a reliable starting point on this topic in the future without any hesitation at all.
Forestsig
Came back to this an hour later to reread a specific section, and a quick visit to quickcrate also drew a second look, content that pulls you back rather than letting you move on permanently is the kind I want to fill my browser bookmarks with in 2026 and beyond as the open internet evolves.
IbrahimBax
Solid value for anyone willing to read carefully, and a look at springvendor extends that value across the rest of the site, this is the kind of place that rewards return visits rather than offering everything in a single splashy post and then leaving readers nothing to come back for later which is unfortunately common.
Boblow
Liked the careful selection of which details to include and which to skip, and a stop at longtermalliances reflected the same editorial judgement, knowing what to leave out is just as important as knowing what to include and this site has clearly figured out where that line sits for the topics it covers regularly.
Guillermovar
If I were grading sites on this topic this one would receive high marks, and a stop at ringrivulet continued earning those high marks, the informal grading I do mentally for content sources is something I take seriously even though it is informal and this site has been receiving consistent high marks across multiple sessions today.
Dennisirozy
Picked this post to share in a Slack channel where I knew it would be appreciated, and a look at lilyluxe suggested I will share more from here later, content worth sharing into a professional context is content that has earned a higher kind of trust than mere personal interest and this site has it.
VaughnFar
A piece that built up gradually rather than front loading its main points, and a look at gingerbazaar maintained the same gradual structure, content that trusts the reader to reach conclusions through accumulating reasoning is more persuasive than content that announces conclusions and then defends them and this site uses the persuasive approach.
Douglassacle
Definitely a recommend from me, anyone curious about the topic should check this out, and a look at whitenoisewonder adds even more reason for that, the depth and quality combine to make this site one I will be pointing people toward whenever similar conversations come up over the months ahead at work or socially.
GusWal
I learned more from this short post than from longer articles I read earlier today, and a stop at brookaisle added even more useful detail without going off topic, this site clearly knows how to keep things focused without sacrificing depth which is a hard balance to strike for any writer.
JimmyGaini
Honest opinion is that this is the kind of post that builds long term trust with readers, and a look at melvora reinforced that perception, the slow accumulation of trust through consistent quality is the only sustainable way to build a real audience and this site is clearly playing that long game.
Boriszergo
Appreciate that you did not pad this with fluff to hit a word count, the post says what it needs to say and stops, and a look at larnix did the same, brevity here feels intentional not lazy which is a distinction many writers miss completely sometimes when they are working under deadlines.
Robindat
Just dropping by to say thanks for the effort, it does not go unnoticed when a writer cares this much about the reader, and after I went through schemaatelier I was certain this is one of the better corners of the internet for this particular kind of content which is genuinely refreshing.
WilfordJar
Now considering whether the post would translate well into a different form, and a look at fixforge 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.
Stewartstund
Genuine pleasure to read, and that is not something I say often after a casual click through, and a quick visit to yardcart kept the same feeling going across the rest of the site, finding writing that actually feels good to spend time with rather than just functional is increasingly rare on the open web.
Morganawait
Reading this triggered a small but real correction in something I had assumed, and a stop at jeweldepot extended that corrective effect, content that updates my beliefs through evidence rather than rhetoric is content with intellectual integrity and this site has earned that label consistently across the pieces I have read so far today.
RudolphLat
Came across this and immediately thought of a friend who would enjoy it, and a stop at fetchbay also reminded me of someone, content that triggers the urge to share is content that has earned my recommendation and this site has earned multiple from me already across different conversations during the week.
KelvinToify
Most posts I read end up forgotten within a day but this one is sticking, and a look at starrack extended that lingering effect, content that survives the immediate moment of reading rather than evaporating is content with genuine retention quality and this site has been producing memorable pieces at a rate notable across my reading.
Ronaldvew
During a reading session that included several other sources this one stood out, and a look at quistly 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.
KalenWhess
Picked a friend mentally as the audience for this and decided to send the link, and a look at canyoncart 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.
SamDem
Will recommend this to a couple of friends who have been asking about this exact topic, and after sunnyshipment I have even more reason to do so, the kind of site that earns word of mouth rather than chasing it through aggressive marketing or paid placements is always a treat to find online.
BenDat
Polished and informative without feeling overproduced, that is the sweet spot, and a look at breezevendor 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.
Burtonloata
Decided to read more before commenting and the more I read the more I wanted to say something, and a stop at nearbyneeds pushed that impulse further, when content provokes the urge to participate rather than just consume it is doing something quite specific and worth recognising clearly when it happens during reading.
Axeltox
Reading this site over the past week has changed how I evaluate content in this space, and a look at metatagmart extended that recalibration, the standards I bring to reading on the topic have shifted upward as a direct result of regular exposure to this kind of work and that shift will outlast any single reading session.
BenOxymn
Beyond the immediate post itself the editorial sensibility behind the site is what struck me, and a stop at uplora continued displaying that sensibility, content that reveals editorial choices through accumulated reading is content with structural quality and this site has clearly developed an underlying approach worth identifying through multiple sessions of reading.
Larrywam
Took me back a step or two on an assumption I had been making, and a stop at quartoa pushed that reconsideration further, writing that gently corrects the reader without being aggressive about it is a rare diplomatic skill and the team here clearly knows how to land critical points without turning readers off.
JerryOmiMi
Honestly this hits the sweet spot between detail and brevity, no rambling and no shortcuts, and a quick visit to nooklily 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.
DarrickMaync
Now feeling the post has earned a proper recommendation rather than a casual mention, and a stop at ga4gear 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.
Shawnmot
Reading this gave me confidence to make a decision I had been putting off, and a stop at floralvendor reinforced that confidence, content that translates into action in my own life rather than just informing it is content with the highest practical value and this site is generating that action level utility for me lately.
OrlandoUnelp
A clean piece that knew exactly what it wanted to say and said it, and a look at floramarketplace maintained the same clarity of intention, knowing the goal of a piece before writing is something most blog content lacks and the clarity of purpose here shows up in every paragraph for any careful reader to notice.
Geraldtaw
Reading this slowly and letting each paragraph land before moving on, and a stop at outboardoutlet 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.
CarlosSaw
Decided this was the kind of site I would defend in a discussion about good blog content, and a stop at quickmeadowstore reinforced that, very few sites earn active defence rather than passive consumption and this one has clearly crossed that threshold for me without needing any explicit pitch from the writers themselves either.
CaseyTor
Solid post, the structure is easy to follow and the language stays simple even when the topic gets a bit more involved, and a look at driftdahlia kept that same standard going, so I left feeling like the time spent here was actually worth something for once which is rare lately.
Colbygrork
Reading this in the gap between work projects was a small but meaningful break, and a stop at verdantvendor extended that gentle reset, content that provides genuine refreshment rather than just distraction during work breaks is content with a particular kind of utility and this site fits that role for me reliably during work days.
Keenanplaic
If I had to summarise the editorial sensibility of this site in a few words it would be careful and human, and a look at fernbasket extended that summary feeling, capturing the essence of a sites approach in brief is hard but this site has a clear enough identity that the summary comes naturally enough.
LionelWig
Reading this site over the past week has changed how I evaluate content in this space, and a look at claritydrivesmotion extended that recalibration, the standards I bring to reading on the topic have shifted upward as a direct result of regular exposure to this kind of work and that shift will outlast any single reading session.
ForrestGreds
Felt the post handled a sensitive angle of the topic with appropriate care, and a look at brightcrate extended that careful handling across related material, sites that can navigate delicate territory without causing damage are rare and require a level of judgement that comes from experience rather than from following any clear playbook.
DennisFashy
[url=https://sad-dom-ogorod.ru/]Сайт “Дачный участок”[/url]
Princebroal
A clean piece that knew exactly what it wanted to say and said it, and a look at parcelpoppy maintained the same clarity of intention, knowing the goal of a piece before writing is something most blog content lacks and the clarity of purpose here shows up in every paragraph for any careful reader to notice.
EdmundPurce
Worth saying that the writing carries a particular kind of authority without making any explicit claims to it, and a stop at wildwarehouse extended that earned authority feeling, sites that demonstrate expertise through the quality of their explanations rather than by stating credentials are sites I trust most and this site has it.
RodrigoBug
One of the more honest takes on the topic I have seen lately, no spin and no oversell, and a stop at nightaisle kept that going, the kind of voice the open web could use a lot more of rather than the endless echo chamber of recycled opinions floating around every social platform these days.
1win_copt
1win crash игра [url=https://fti.org.kg/x30/]https://fti.org.kg/x30/[/url]
Evanponia
Honestly enjoyed every minute spent here, that is not something I say lightly, and a look at saverstreet confirmed I will be back, the bar for spending time online is high for me these days but this site clears it without effort which is high praise indeed from this reader who is usually rather demanding.
1win_ahmn
1win pariuri esports [url=https://neoshibka.ru/kak-popolnit-schet-1win/]https://neoshibka.ru/kak-popolnit-schet-1win/[/url]
1win_qtki
1win как вывести через о деньги [url=https://tvico.pro/c84b95c7/]https://tvico.pro/c84b95c7/[/url]
ZaneCew
Reading this gave me a small jolt of recognition for an experience I thought was just mine, and a stop at goldenvendorhouse 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.