America’s 'recycled' plastic waste is clogging landfills, survey finds

Many plastic items that Americans put in their recycling bins aren’t being recycled at all, according to a major new survey of hundreds of recycling facilities across the US.

“This report shows that one of the best things to do to save recycling is to stop claiming that everything is recyclable,” said John Hocevar, director of Greenpeace’s Oceans Campaign. “We have to talk to companies about not producing so much throw-away plastic that ends up in the ocean or in incinerators.”

Story continuesShe emphasized that bottles and jugs are indeed worth recycling, but said “our findings show that many items commonly found in beach cleanups – cups, bags, trays, plates and cutlery – are not recyclable. In America’s municipal recycling system, they are contaminants.” Martin Bourque, the director of the Ecology Center which handles recycling for Berkeley, California, told the Guardian his organization is spending about $50,000 a year attempting to recycle material that largely isn’t recyclable. He pays to send the city’s mixed plastic to an extra sorting facility in southern California – and half of it still gets thrown out, he said.

Asked to comment on the report’s findings, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, which represents brands trying to improve packaging, acknowledged the recycling industry was facing disruption but said that new US processing capacity was being developed to enhance the recyclability of products. “It’s perfectly acceptable to be disappointed that we have a fragmented, difficult to understand recycling system,” Cramer says. “We have always told people when packages aren’t recyclable and should be left out of the bin to help prevent contamination in the stream. For example, 3s and 7s have always been labeled not recyclable in our program history.

Business Business Latest News, Business Business Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Coronavirus scare leads fund managers to slash China growth outlookInvestment professionals now see China's $12.2 trillion economy rising an average of just 5.2% over the next three years, according to the Bank of America Global Research Fund Manager Survey for February. No accident Tim Cook releases these numbers on a holiday so the cavalry can come to the rescue. Apple. 2nd Biggest economy in the world is not buying iphones. Apple is heading to $225. Apple TV Plus Joke
Source: CNBC - 🏆 12. / 72 Read more »

How to market your startup and grow a successful business - Business InsiderBusiness Insider talked to founders, attended panels, and surveyed entrepreneurs to find out what marketing tools helped them build their businesses.
Source: BusinessInsider - 🏆 729. / 51 Read more »

Fund managers' growth expectations falter amid coronavirus headlines - Business InsiderFund managers slashed their expectations for global growth in February for the first time in months. A familiar culprit is to blame: coronavirus.
Source: BusinessInsider - 🏆 729. / 51 Read more »