Part 2 of our Plastic Recycling: Myth v. Fact

BUT HERE’S THE PROBLEM: the process described above is FAR from the norm. In truth, only 7 per cent of single-use plastic is ever recycled in Ireland. The rest is incinerated, releasing toxic chemicals and carbon, OR ends up in landfill or our waterways, OR is sold and shipped offshore, often to countries in the global south.

The new plastic drinks bottles deposit/return scheme here in Ireland is an improvement, as it makes plastic bottles easier to bundle together and less likely to overflow bins, litter our towns, rivers and beaches, and cause harm to biodiversity and human health. But the return scheme does not solve the bigger issue: plastic recycling is not the solution.

According to Oceana.org, the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation:

‘Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – the lightweight resin commonly used to make beverage bottles – diminishes in quality when recycled. According to experts, these bottles are often down cycled into fibre or wood replacements instead of being recycled into new bottles. From there, a material can only go downhill. After outliving its usefulness as a carpet or a bench, the next stop is the landfill or incinerator. Even with recycling, there are limits to how long an item can circulate. The idea that our recyclable waste will be “cycled indefinitely” is a widespread myth, according to Dr. Trevor Zink and Dr. Roland Geyer. And if a manufacturer really wants to return a used bottle to its original purpose, they might need to add virgin plastics to the mix to achieve the same quality. That’s right: You have to add new plastics to recycle old ones.’

#refusesingleuseplastic
#refillables
#alternativematerials
#breakfreefromplastic