Research has shown that plastic recycling rates are virtually unchanged, despite increased production. Thus, in 2022, only 9.5% of new plastic was made from recycled materials. This is reported by AFP, writes UNN.
Details
According to researchers at Tsinghua University in China, plastic recycling rates are virtually unchanged, despite a significant increase in plastic production, which is a "serious global environmental problem."
These results come against the backdrop of international negotiations to combat plastic pollution, which are currently going through a difficult period, after the last round failed to reach an agreement. Plastic has become a serious environmental problem, it has been found in the most remote corners of the planet, from ocean depths to mountain tops, and microparticles of this material have even been found in blood and breast milk.
However, according to scientists, despite growing international concern, there is a "noticeable lack of comprehensive analysis of plastics throughout the supply chain."
To solve this problem, they used national statistics, industry reports, and international databases to create the first detailed global analysis of the plastics sector in 2022 — from production to disposal.
They found that only 9.5% of the 400 million tons of new plastic in 2022 was made from recycled materials.
The global waste recycling rate has remained the same... which indicates a slight improvement compared to previous years
The other part was produced from fossil fuels, mainly oil and gas, which indicates "little progress" in solving the environmental problems associated with the production of plastics.
High dependence on fossil fuels in the production of plastics will further undermine global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change
Contamination with food and labels complicated the recycling of some types of plastic, and another obstacle was the variety and complexity of additives in the materials.
However, another obstacle is purely economic: it is often cheaper to produce new or "primary" plastic than to recycle it.
This economic barrier hinders investment in recycling infrastructure and technology, perpetuating the cycle of low recycling rates
They found that the United States, the largest consumer of plastic per capita, has one of the lowest recycling rates: only 5% is reused.
They also noted a "significant shift" in global waste disposal: the number of landfills is decreasing, and about a third of plastic waste is burned.
The main place for the export of most plastic waste remains landfills, which account for 40% of the total volume of plastic waste in the world.
However, incineration "is becoming the most practiced method of plastic waste disposal", while the countries of the European Union, China and Japan have recorded some of the highest incineration rates.
However, the authors noted that the study does not take into account the "significant role" of informal waste disposal schemes, which may affect the overall level of recycling.
In September, a separate study by scientists from the University of Leeds was published in the journal Nature, which found that burning plastic in landfills and in open fires is as serious a problem for the planet as garbage.
The study says that the informal burning of plastic, mostly in poor countries where there are no alternatives, leads to the spread of plastic in the environment, worsens air quality and exposes workers to toxic chemicals.
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