Recycling Realities
Recycling has gotten a bad rap over the years. The truth is, recycling can work well if we had more recycling facilities globally that were utilizing modern technologies and there was government support that could make it economically appealing for more companies to pursue. It is not a perfect solution but it is necessary to pursue and perfect if we don't want to be buried in plastic waste.
Please note - all recycling is local! To find out what is recycled in your area look at the lid of your recycle bin or call your trash hauler.
Recycling can keep us from being buried in plastic
It is not without its challenges though
There are two main types of recycling. Mechanical and Chemical.
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Mechanical is the most common type, and it involves breaking certain types of plastic materials (most commonly Polyethylene Terephthalate or PET) down into smaller components and then reforming them into secondary plastic products.
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The challenge is mechanical recycling requires a lot of upfront sorting, which is inefficient. But the commonly held belief that PET can only be recycled like this 2-3 times is a misconception. That is only the case in a closed-loop system where no new materials are being mixed in. Not a realistic scenario.
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Chemical recycling changes plastic back into its intermediate chemicals and the result can be used as a secondary renewable feedstock to produce virgin quality plastics that have significantly reduced GHG emissions compared to virgin plastic.​
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The challenge is that toxic chemicals can be released in the process, so chemical recycling needs to be regulated well or it will create more sacrifice zones.
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Upcycling Plastic to objects of permenance
Single-use plastics are the worst
Upcycling plastic waste can take make forms.
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At the low end, people can do things like turn old milk jugs into bird feeders.
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In the mid-ranges, companies like Rothy's can turn plastic waste into shoes and handbags that are durable and washable and can themselves be recycled. Patagonia uses recycled plastic bottles to make fleece jackets. Companies like Mohawk are turning plastic bottles into carpet.
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At the high end of the upcycling spectrum, the creative chemical transformation of plastics turns them into chemical feedstocks that can be used to produce 3D printing precursors or thermally converted into high-quality carbon materials such as graphene which is needed for lithium-ion batteries
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By turning single-use plastic into objects of permanence we are taking them out of the waste stream and preventing them from ending up in landfills or our waterways where the harm they cause will continue for generations.
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Economics of a Circular Economy for Plastic
US consulting firm, McKinsey suggested that profits as much as US$60 billion may be achievable for the plastics and petrochemical industries if 50% of the plastics produced are recycled, while the Boston Consulting Group showed that the profit margins for a recycling plant in Singapore can be as high as 17% with a 22% rate of return. A circular economy for plastic is projected to be valued at US$4.5 trillion by 2030
One of the impediments to recycling in the United States is the misinformation about the industry. For example: "I don't recycle plastic because it is just getting dumped overseas."
However, the chart below, which is from the 2021 recycling report put together by Stina Inc, a recycling consulting organization, debunks this myth! Data collected by Stina shows that 92% of plastic collected for recycling is being processed in North America. Hopefully, this knowledge can help us improve on the current recycling rate for all plastic types which is sitting around 8%.
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