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.”
9,080 comments
MauriceCauff
The examples really helped me grasp the points faster than abstract descriptions would have, and a stop at coralmeadowmarketplace added a few more practical illustrations that drove the message home, the kind of writing that knows its readers learn better through concrete situations rather than vague generalities is rare and worth recognising clearly.
Aidanvinee
Now considering the post as evidence that careful blog writing is still possible, and a look at lanternorchardcollective extended that evidence, the broader question of whether the modern web can sustain quality writing has obvious empirical answers in sites like this one and seeing them is reassuring even when they remain a minority overall today.
Israelblido
Liked the way the post got out of its own way, and a stop at everemporium extended that invisible craft, the best writing you barely notice while reading because it is doing its work without drawing attention to itself and this site has clearly mastered that disappearing act across the pieces I have read.
Tadpig
Worth flagging that the writing rewarded a second read more than I expected, and a look at bathboutique produced the same second read benefit, content with hidden depths that emerge only on careful rereading is rare in the modern blog space and this site has clearly invested in that level of compositional density throughout.
Arnoldzilia
Reading this on a phone at a coffee shop and finding it perfectly suited to that context, and a stop at stonebazaar continued the comfortable mobile experience, content that works across reading conditions without compromising on substance is increasingly important and this site has clearly thought about the whole reader experience here.
WyattDap
Generally I am cautious about recommending sites on first encounter but this one warrants the exception, and a look at goldenvendorhouse reinforced the exception making, the rare site that justifies breaking my normal cautious approach is the rare site worth flagging early and this one has prompted exactly that early flagging response from me.
Lucasfor
Верификация проходится один раз через загрузку документов с камеры телефона в кабинете Вавада. Комиссии и лимиты зависят от платёжного метода и статуса аккаунта. Прямая ссылка на APK: http://vavadaandroid.pro/ Начните с демо-режима, а затем переходите к ставкам на реальные деньги.
TravisAcimb
Reading this with a fresh mind in the morning brought out details I might have missed in the afternoon, and a stop at quickharbortrading 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.
WilsonNom
Honest reaction is that this is the kind of writing I would defend in a conversation about good blog content, and a look at quickstoneexchange 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.
KeanuBub
Bookmark moved to my permanent reference folder rather than the casual maybe later folder, and a look at woodharborcollective earned the same upgrade, the distinction between casual interest and lasting reference is something I track carefully and very few sites cross that threshold but this one did so without much effort apparently.
JuliusSar
Thanks for the readable length, I finished it without checking how much was left, and a stop at silvercoveemporium kept me reading the same way, when I stop noticing the length of a piece because the content is engaging enough to sustain attention without willpower the writer has done their job well today.
HaroldDib
Took my time with this rather than rushing because the writing rewards attention, and after nightnarrative I had even more to absorb, the kind of content that pays back the patient reader rather than punishing them with empty filler is something I look for and rarely find in regular searches lately.
Sylvesterflues
A piece that was confident enough to leave some questions open rather than forcing closure, and a look at inventoryisland continued that intellectual honesty, content that admits the limits of its scope is more trustworthy than content that pretends to total understanding and this site has the right calibration on certainty consistently.
IraRinee
Skipped past the first paragraph thinking it was setup and had to come back when the rest referenced it, and a stop at jasperdockartisanoutlet similarly rewarded careful reading from the start, content where every paragraph carries weight is content I now know to read from the beginning rather than skipping ahead.
ErnestoOpits
Thank you for not assuming the reader already knows everything, the explanations meet me where I am, and a look at riverbrookdistrict did the same, that consideration is what makes a site feel welcoming rather than gatekeepy which is sadly the default mood across the modern web today for most subjects covered.
LeviCiz
Reading this with my morning coffee turned into reading the related posts with my morning coffee, and a stop at cottonmeadowoutpost stretched the morning further, content that pulls breakfast into a reading session rather than just accompanying it is content that has earned a higher claim on my attention than the average article does.
Zionkax
Reading this in a quiet hour and finding it suited the quiet, and a stop at canyonharborcollective extended the quiet reading mood, content that matches its own optimal reading conditions rather than fighting them is content that has been thoughtfully calibrated and this site reads as having a particular reading mood in mind throughout.
Gabrielisomy
Solid value packed into a relatively short post, that takes skill, and a look at snowcovevault continues the dense useful content across more pages, this site clearly understands that respecting reader time is itself a form of generosity which is something most blog operations seem to have forgotten lately across the wider open web.
GingerExete
Held my interest from the opening line through to the closing thought, and a stop at creekharboroutpost did the same, content that earns sustained attention in an environment full of distractions is doing something right and this site is clearly doing several things right rather than just one or two which I really appreciate.
KeatonCuP
Came across this and immediately thought of a friend who would enjoy it, and a stop at linencoveoutpost 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.
Maxfaw
Reading this with my morning coffee turned into reading the related posts with my morning coffee, and a stop at caramelvendor stretched the morning further, content that pulls breakfast into a reading session rather than just accompanying it is content that has earned a higher claim on my attention than the average article does.
SkylarDig
Speaking as someone who used to recommend blogs frequently and got out of the habit this site is rekindling that impulse, and a look at zenwarehouse extended the rekindling, the recovery of an old habit triggered by encountering work that justifies it is itself a small kind of pleasure and this site is providing that recovery experience.
KrisTup
Quiet confidence runs through the whole post, no need to shout to make the points stick, and a stop at shorelinesupply carried that same restrained voice forward, content that respects the reader by trusting its own substance rather than dressing it up in theatrical language is what I look for online and rarely actually find these days.
DarylCeF
Now adjusting my expectations upward for the topic based on this post, and a stop at marblecoveoutpost continued that bar raising effect, content that resets what I think is possible on a subject is doing real work in shaping my standards and this site is providing those bar raising experiences at a notable rate during sessions.
CarmeloBuima
Felt the writer respected the topic without being precious about it, and a look at rosestonecollective 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.
Coenreide
A piece that did not lecture even when it had clear positions, and a look at timberbrookartisanhouse maintained the same teaching without preaching tone, finding the line between informing and lecturing is hard and most sites land on the wrong side of it but this one has clearly figured out how to inform without becoming preachy.
Gilbertnurdy
Felt like the writer was speaking directly to someone with my level of curiosity, neither talking down nor showing off, and a stop at birchmeadowtradehouse kept that comfortable matching going, finding writing that meets you where you are rather than asking you to climb up or stoop down feels great every time it happens.
Lanesonna
Now planning to write about the topic myself eventually using this post as a reference, and a look at horrorhubshop would also serve in that future piece, content that becomes raw material for my own writing rather than just informing my reading is content with multiplicative value and this site is generating that multiplicative effect.
Emilianoedigh
Thanks for the practical examples scattered through the post rather than abstract theory only, and a look at rubystonegalleria 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.
Garyled
Felt no urge to argue with the conclusions even though I started the post slightly skeptical, and a look at silkmeadowtrading maintained that pattern, writing that earns agreement through clarity of argument rather than rhetorical pressure is the kind I find most persuasive and the kind I want to read more of these days.
TobiasReobe
Left me wanting to read more rather than feeling burned out, that is a good sign, and a look at priceprism confirmed there is plenty more here to explore, the kind of writing that builds appetite rather than killing it which is a rare quality on the modern open internet today across most categories of content.
IgnacioLab
Solid value packed into a relatively short post, that takes skill, and a look at plumharbortrading continues the dense useful content across more pages, this site clearly understands that respecting reader time is itself a form of generosity which is something most blog operations seem to have forgotten lately across the wider open web.
Asherduado
Probably one of the more reliable sources I have found for this kind of careful coverage, and a look at rainstoneoutpost reinforced the reliability, the small group of sources I would describe as reliable for a given topic is curated carefully and this site has earned a place in that small group through consistent performance.
Kyrienal
Reading this prompted me to subscribe to my first newsletter in months, and a stop at coaststoneexchange confirmed the subscribe was the right call, content that earns a newsletter signup is content that has cleared a higher trust bar than a casual visit and this site has clearly earned that level of commitment from me.
EdmundStymn
Reading this prompted me to dig into a related topic later, and a stop at harborhardware 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.
Paulsusly
Reading this in the time it took to drink half a cup of coffee, and a stop at ivorymarket fit naturally into the second half, content that respects the rhythms of a typical morning is content with practical fit and this site has the kind of length and pacing that works for the way I actually read.
JulioFut
Took longer than expected to finish because I kept stopping to think, and a stop at breakfastboulevard did the same to me, content that provokes thought rather than just delivering information is in a different category and the team here is clearly working at that higher level rather than just cranking out posts.
Bjornisone
A genuinely unexpected highlight of my reading week, and a look at brightstoneexchange extended that pattern, the surprise of finding excellent content rather than the predictable mediocre is one of the few real pleasures of casual web browsing and this site delivered that surprise cleanly today which I really do appreciate.
PercyThync
Decent post that improved my afternoon a small amount, and a look at silverstonecollective 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.
KentGek
Appreciated how the post felt complete without overstaying its welcome, and a stop at jewelharborcollective confirmed that economical approach runs across the site, knowing when to stop is a skill many writers never develop but here the discipline is obvious and welcome from the perspective of a busy reader trying to learn things efficiently.
TobyEruri
Most of the time I feel the open web is in decline and then I find a site like this, and a stop at honeymeadowmarketplace reinforced that mood lift, the cumulative effect of finding occasional excellent independent content versus the cumulative effect of finding mostly mediocre content is real for the long term reader maintaining web habits today.
Adrianhag
In the middle of an otherwise scattered day this post landed as a moment of focus, and a stop at warehousewave extended that focused feeling across more pages, content that anchors a fragmented day rather than contributing to the fragmentation is content with real centring effect and this site is providing that anchoring function for me.
Bjornguasp
Reading this slowly to give it the attention it deserved, and a stop at ravenstonecollective earned the same slow read, choosing to read slowly is a small act of respect for content quality and very few sites earn that respect from me but this one did so without any explicit ask which is the cleanest way.
DanielsiC
Will be passing this along to a few people who would benefit from the perspective shared here, and a stop at authorityanvil only added to what I will be sharing, this kind of generous content deserves to circulate widely rather than getting buried in some search engine algorithm tweak that pushes it down the rankings.
Milofrupe
Genuinely good work, the kind that holds up over multiple readings without losing its appeal, and a stop at lemontrailmarketworks kept that going, definitely a site I will be returning to and probably mentioning to others who work in or care about this particular area of interest today and in coming weeks.
Deongob
This filled in a gap in my understanding that I had not even noticed was there, and a stop at gingercoveemporium did the same, the kind of post that gives you more than you expected when you first clicked through from somewhere else, a real find for anyone curious about the area covered here.
BrandonSheni
Reading this gave me material for a conversation I needed to have anyway, and a stop at birchtrailartisanmarket added even more talking points, content that connects to upcoming social or professional needs rather than just being interesting in the abstract is the kind that earns priority placement in my attention these days routinely.
Kendrickneazy
Quietly enthusiastic about this site after the past few hours of reading, and a stop at goldenstoneoutlet extended that enthusiasm, the calibration of enthusiasm to evidence is something I try to maintain and this site has earned a calibrated quiet enthusiasm rather than the loud excitement that usually fades within a day or two of finding something.
Trenttax
Now planning to come back when I have the right kind of attention to read carefully, and a stop at orchardharbortrading reinforced that plan, choosing the right moment to read certain content is a quiet form of respect for the work and this site is generating those careful planning behaviours from me consistently as a reader.
Coryfup
Reading this slowly in the morning before opening email, and a stop at coppercovevault extended that protected attention, content that earns the prime morning reading slot before the daily distractions begin is content with elevated status and this site has earned that prime slot consistently in my recent reading habits clearly.