GREENPEACE'S WARNING: RECYCLED PLASTIC - NOT THE POLLUTION SOLUTION WE HOPED FOR"

 

Greenpeace said before the most recent round of talks for an international plastics convention that recycling plastic might make it more harmful and should not be seen as a solution to the pollution challenge. The worldwide environmental network stated in a study that studies have shown recycled plastics to be more harmful than their virgin counterparts, "Plastics are inherently incompatible with a circular economy."

The findings were released at the same time as new negotiations for a prospective global plastics convention. Separate research has demonstrated that the recycling of plastics releases microplastic contamination into the environment. The development of a legally enforceable convention including the "full lifecycle" of plastics from manufacture to disposal, to be negotiated during the next year, was agreed upon by representatives from 173 nations. The worry is that corporate interests will affect discussions in their absence. Graham Forbes, who is in charge of Greenpeace USA's global plastics campaign, stated that the plastics sector, which includes fossil fuel, petrochemical, and consumer goods corporations, "continues to put forward plastic recycling as the solution to the plastic pollution crisis."

However, recycling actually makes the plastic more poisonous. Plastics have no place in a circular economy, and it is abundantly evident that drastically reducing plastic manufacturing is the only effective way to stop plastic pollution.

Approximately 8 billion tonnes of plastic have been manufactured since the 1950s. Only 9% of plastics are ever recycled, and those that end up in landfills, according to the Greenpeace study, which lists peer-reviewed studies and international studies. According to the study, recycled plastics frequently have higher concentrations of harmful flame retardants, carcinogens like benzene and chlorinated and brominates dioxins and numerous endocrine disruptors that can alter the body's natural hormone levels.

Typically, waste plastics intended for recycling are transported from wealthy nations to developing nations. 

Plastics are manufactured with dangerous compounds, and these chemicals don't just vanish when plastics are recycled, according to Dr Therese Carlson, a science consultant with the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN). Science unequivocally demonstrates that recycling plastic is a harmful process, filled  In other words, plastic poisons the circular economy, harms our health and contaminates our food, water, and air. Recycling harmful chemical-filled plastics is not a good idea. Global regulation of chemicals used in plastics and considerable reductions in plastic manufacturing is necessary for effective solutions to the plastics dilemma.

By 2060, the manufacturing of plastic is expected to treble. Any international plastics convention, according to Greenpeace, must achieve rapid, major plastic production reductions as a first step on the road to completely ceasing the creation of virgin plastic.

 

While garbage disposal solutions are created that do not merely include burning or burying it, the plastics that are still in use must be reused as much as possible, according to Greenpeace.

In recent years, the concept of recycling plastic has gained significant attention as a potential solution to our ever-growing pollution crisis. While recycling undoubtedly has its merits, there is a growing concern that recycled plastic may not be the panacea it is often portrayed to be. In fact, it might even pose greater hazards to both the environment and human health.

One of the primary issues with recycled plastic lies in its composition. During the recycling process, various types of plastic are often mixed together, resulting in a lower-grade material. This compromised quality can lead to reduced durability and structural integrity, limiting the range of applications for recycled plastic and resulting in a shorter lifespan for the products made from it. Consequently, these products are more likely to end up in landfills or the environment, perpetuating the very problem recycling seeks to address.

 

Furthermore, recycled plastic can contain harmful additives or contaminants that were present in the original plastics. These may include toxic chemicals, such as phthalates and biphenyl A (BPA), which can leach into the surroundings, polluting water sources and potentially posing health risks when in contact with humans or animals.

While recycling is undeniably an important step in reducing plastic waste, it should not be seen as a complete solution. To truly combat pollution, emphasis should be placed on reducing overall plastic consumption, improving recycling infrastructure and technologies, and exploring sustainable alternatives. Only through comprehensive and thoughtful approaches can we effectively tackle the pervasive issue of plastic pollution and safeguard our environment for future generations.