Plastic Recycling: Ditch it or Improve it?
Over the past few decades, plastic has become a ubiquitous part of modern life. We use it for everything from furniture, to food and beverage containers, to toys and more, and it’s a powerful material for our modern convenience. But that convenience comes at an environmental cost – and we’re now realizing just how harmful plastic production and disposal is, both to the environment and to the people and animals who live in it. That’s why the issue of plastic recycling is so important – should we ditch it completely or work to improve our current recycling practices?
History of Plastic
The history of plastic spans back as far as 1907 when Leo Baekeland created the first synthetic polymer – Bakelite. This product, used mainly in electrical components, opened the door to a whole new era of production. By the 1950s, the modern plastics industry had taken off, and the production of plastic had become industrialized, making it available to the public in easy-to-use form.
The Evolution of Plastic Recycling
Alongside the increase in plastic production, governments and scientific agencies began to develop plastic recycling methods to reduce the amount of plastic waste entering landfills and oceans. The first plastic recycling plant opened in 1973, and these began to spread across the globe.
Despite this progress, however, there are still lots of problems with recycling plastic. Currently, only 9.2% of all plastic waste has been recycled, with the remaining 91.5% going to landfills, oceans, or being illegally dumped.
Let’s Take a Closer Look at Why Plastic Recycling Is So Difficult
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Expense. Recycling plastic is often more expensive than simply making new plastic. This is because plastic sorting is a labor-intensive process and plastic must be separated into different types to be recycled.
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Contamination. Even when plastic waste is put in the proper bin for recycling, it can still become contaminated. This is because plastic waste often contains residue from whatever it contained before it was thrown away, as well as other contaminants.
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Downcycled Products. One of the issues with recycling plastic is that it can only be downcycled, not upcycled. This means that it can only be turned into plastics of lesser value, not truly recycled into its original form.
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Lack of Infrastructure. In addition to the financial expense of setting up plastic recycling plants, the lack of recycling infrastructure in some areas makes it difficult to collect and process plastic waste.
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Limited Types Of Plastic Recycled. Not all types of plastic can be recycled and different types of plastic may need to be separated before they can be recycled.
Possible Solutions to Improve Plastic Recycling
Now that we’ve taken a closer look at some of the issues with plastic recycling, let’s consider some solutions that could help improve the process:
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Invest in Recycling Technology. More investment in recycling technology, both from public and private sources, can help make plastic recycling more efficient and cost-effective.
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Promote the Use of Reusable Products. Encouraging the use of reusable products, such as metal, wood, and glass, could help reduce the amount of plastic that needs to be recycled.
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Create Clear Labeling. Making sure all plastic products are labeled with their intended use and type of plastic can help reduce contamination.
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Increase Consumer Awareness. Providing consumers with more information on plastic recycling, as well as tips on how they can help reduce plastic waste, could help increase demand for recycled products.
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Develop More Recycling Infrastructure. Working to develop more recycling infrastructure, particularly in areas that are lacking it, could help make plastic recycling more convenient and accessible.
Plastic Recycling Really Is Worth Pursuing
Plastic recycling is a complex and challenging task, but it’s something we should continue to pursue. Even though the challenges of recycling plastic are great, the potential benefits are even greater. Through continued research and development, as well as public and private investment, we can and should continue to improve our plastic recycling practices. The longer we wait, the worse the consequences for the environment will become. In the end, the choice is ours – do we ditch it or improve it?
