Recycling plastic

What you need to know

Fact and fiction about recycling

Recycling often seems like the perfect solution to our plastic problem—or, more broadly, the issue of overconsumption and the enormous amount of waste that comes with it. It makes sense: the longer and more often we can reuse items, the less waste we produce. Repairing products instead of buying new ones is a great step in the right direction. Similarly, it’s wise to reuse packaging materials. Many of us already bring our own bags to the store and carry reusable coffee cups for our on-the-go caffeine fixes.

But what about plastic? What happens to the plastic we diligently separate from our other waste?

Plastic: a global issue

Plastic is everywhere in our daily lives—whether in water bottles, packaging, or disposable products. Globally, between 100 and 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year. However, only a small percentage—about 5% to 9%—is effectively recycled. In countries like Indonesia, up to a million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean annually. The Ellen McArthur Foundation estimates that by 2050, if nothing changes, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. So why is so little plastic recycled?

The complexity of plastic

Recycling plastic is more complicated than it seems. To understand why only a small percentage is recycled, we need to look at the production process. Plastics are made from various resins, which are heated and shaped depending on the intended use. For example, water bottles are made from one type of plastic that is blow-molded, while ready-meal containers use another type, produced through injection molding.

The problem begins here: different types of plastic have different melting points and require specific chemical additives to achieve desired properties. These additives make the plastic more flexible or durable. Additionally, colorants are often added. This results in thousands of different types of plastic, not all of which are recyclable.

Quality loss in recycling

Unlike materials like aluminum, which can be recycled indefinitely without losing quality, plastic degrades each time it’s melted down. The structure of plastic weakens with every recycling process, making recycled plastic less valuable and discouraging its reuse.

Aluminum, by contrast, can be melted and reformed without losing strength, and recycling it saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce it from raw materials. Plastic, however, degrades with each cycle, and the resulting product becomes less durable or usable.

Sorting: an expensive process

Households are encouraged to separate their plastic waste for recycling, but this is not always effective. The main issue is that many people don’t know which types of plastic are recyclable. A water bottle might be recyclable, but a food container often isn’t. When different plastics are mixed together, they must be sorted, a costly and time-consuming process for municipalities and recycling companies.

The problem worsens when products are made from multiple types of plastic. Consider a yogurt cup with a plastic lid—these different materials make recycling more difficult, and sometimes impossible. As a result, such items often cannot be recycled at all.

The future of plastic recycling

Once plastic has reached its recycling limit, it typically ends up in landfills or the ocean, where it remains for centuries, posing a serious threat to the environment and marine life. The solution is not simple, but there needs to be a greater focus on producing plastic that is easier to recycle and improving recycling technologies.

As consumers, we also need to become more aware of our plastic use. Reducing plastic consumption, opting for reusable products, and practicing proper waste separation are steps in the right direction. Governments and companies must invest in better recycling infrastructure and enforce stricter regulations regarding plastic production and usage.

The plastic problem is global and urgent. Without action, the environmental consequences will only worsen. The question is not whether we should do something, but when we will start.

 

Sources

• AMCS
• Natuur & Milieu
• Ellen McArthur Foundation

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