Will Recycling Stop Ocean Plastics?
Amidst a rising tide of global plastic production and the management of plastic waste, managers must decide: Can recycling truly stem the relentless flow of plastics into our precious waterways and oceans? Global plastic production is increasing, and scientists project mismanaged plastics will triple by 2060. In 2016, the US was the number one global producer of plastic waste. Recycling is an important aspect of managing waste, but how much does it affect the release of plastics into waterways?
A 2016 EPA report shared that of plastics in municipal solid waste, 75.4% end up in landfills, 15.3% are incinerated, and only 9.3% are collected for recycling. These figures do not account for the dumped or littered plastics that end up in our waterways. Furthermore, they look at materials collected for recycling, not necessarily those that are converted into new products. From initial collection to conversion, recycling has multiple stages. Mismanagement at any point leads to leaks where recyclables ‘escape’ as litter. In 2016, 88% of U.S. plastics exported for recycling went to countries where over 20% of waste materials are mismanaged. Not to mention, contaminated plastic cannot be recycled, regardless of whether it is exported or remains in the country. Hence it is destined for some form of disposal.
Diving deeper into the issue of litter leaks, a study in Portland, Maine found that recyclables easily escape curbside collection systems, overflowing from open-top bins or falling out of collection trucks. The clean up of these leaked recyclables annually costs an estimated $3,920-$19,250 per 1,000 households. In coastal cities, this litter easily enters waterways and damages marine ecosystems. It can also impair storm drains, risking flood damage in an era already facing the challenges of an unstable climate. Inland cities are also significant sources of plastic litter in our oceans.
The composition of our litter offers clues as to why it’s not recycled. Across the U.S., cigarette butts and plastic film are the most common litter types. Light weight as they are, who among us hasn't seen plastic bags blowing across the street or caught in a tree? Plastic films, including bags, aren’t often accepted in residential curbside recycling programs. People aren’t always aware of this and will try to recycle anyways, a practice known as “wishcycling.” In addition to introducing contaminants, plastic film can clog recycling machinery. To further complicate matters, recycling services can be inaccessible. Preventing marine debris will take more than recycling. Policies like bag bans and smoking restrictions target commonly littered items. The capture and removal of debris will play an important role in reducing the marine debris already circling in our seas.
The environmentalist mantra Reduce, Re-use, Recycle recalls that recycling is not the silver bullet for reducing marine debris— it’s not even first in line. The recyclability of plastics varies widely. Rigid types of plastics can often be recycled, but common litter items like cigarette butts and plastic bags cannot easily be. With mountains of plastic pollution, we need to know more and do more.
Earlier this year the EPA released their Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution. The strategy holds three key objectives: (1) Reduce pollution during plastic production, (2) improve post-use materials management, and (3) prevent trash and micro/nanoplastics from entering waterways and remove escaped trash from the environment. Objective 2 notably calls the agency to “conduct a study of the effectiveness of existing public policies and incentives upon the reuse, collection, recycling, and conservation of materials.” The EPA also posed the following question for public comment– what should be considered “recycling activities?” Questions like this arise alongside a growing number of technologies available for the mechanical and chemical conversion of plastics. While item 3 is not in fact recycling, it highlights the point that to address these issues of plastic entering waterways, recycling is not enough.
As policy emerges to address the effectiveness and equity of existing recycling systems, we should celebrate these wins. However, we must keep in mind that this may hardly make a dent on marine debris. When it comes to preventing litter in the ocean, we need to move further upstream.
To reach the authors please email: Jess Jones at jessica.jones.jsj43@yale.edu, and Michael Washburn at forestinsight@gmail.com
