Study shows recycling harms the environment.

Recycling is Not as Good for the Environment as We Thought

Contrary to popular belief, recycling plastic is not always the best solution for the environment. In fact, a new study has found that plastic recycling can actually pollute the water and air.

The Study

The peer-reviewed study, led by Erina Brown, a plastics scientist at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, found that up to 13 percent of recycled plastics become microplastics, tiny particles smaller than five millimeters that pollute air and water, if wash water from recycling plants is not filtered.

Brown and her team studied wastewater at a mixed plastics recycling facility in the United Kingdom and found it could produce up to 6.5 million pounds of microplastic per year.

The Impact

The findings of the study are alarming and call for further investigation into the issue. Anja Brandon, associate director of U.S. plastics policy at Ocean Conservancy, said, “We know where the pollution is coming … and we could take measures to actually do something about it through permitting, through regulation, through all of those kind of rules we have available.”

American households generated approximately 51 million tons of plastic waste in 2021, but only 2.4 million tons were recycled, according to a 2022 report by Greenpeace. The process of picking up, sorting, and melting recyclable plastic is more expensive than making new plastic from oil and gas, so waste-management companies are forgoing the practice, meaning “much of that carefully sorted recycling is ending up in the trash,” the Atlantic reported.

The Solution

The new study adds to the growing skepticism of recycling’s merit and feasibility in helping the environment. Instead, the Biden administration’s environmental czars have set their sights on other initiatives like phasing out gas stoves and shutting down coal and gas plants.

Judith Enck, a former senior Environmental Protection Agency official who was not involved in the study, said, “It’s really important to consider that so many facilities worldwide might not have any filtration. They might have some, but it’s not regulated at all. I don’t think we can filter our way out of this problem.”

Conclusion

While recycling is still an important part of reducing waste, it’s clear that we need to find better solutions to protect our environment. We must continue to explore new technologies and policies that can help us reduce our reliance on plastic and other harmful materials.