3 little-known reasons why plastic recycling could actually make things worse

Source: https://theconversation.com/3-little-known-reasons-why-plastic-recycling-could-actually-make-things-worse-206060

Author: Pascal Scherrer

This week in Paris, negotiators from around the world are convening for a United Nations meeting. They will tackle a thorny problem: finding a globally binding solution for plastic pollution. Of the staggering 460 million tonnes of plastic used globally in 2019 alone, much is used only once and thrown away. About 40% of plastic waste comes from packaging. Almost two-thirds of plastic waste comes from items with lifetimes of less than five years.