Plastic recycling promising, but alternatives are the solution

Since the 1950s, plastic has become an indispensable part of our lives. But the artificially created material has started to take over the world, threatening the very existence of life. Researchers, governments, businesses, and individuals are turning to recycling to tackle the plastic demon. Is recycling plastic enough to deal with the problem?

At the United Nations Environment Assembly held in 2019, India, along with other nations, had resolved to entirely phase out single-use plastics by 2025. Over the years, although many Indian cities have introduced a ban on single-use plastics (SUPs), in the absence of regulatory seriousness, they continue to exist and thrive. Commercial production of plastics had started in the 1950s and has since enjoyed exceptional growth, especially in urban areas. Plastic is a widely used, inexpensive, durable, light and versatile commodity with wide application from our kitchens, offices and factories, to our cars, aircrafts and even spacecrafts. In fact, we cannot think of many instances when we do not come in contact with plastic. But the problem lies not in how plastic is used, but in the end-of-life management of products made from it. Estimates show that 60 per cent of marine debris comes from urban centres as polluted waterways and unsound waste disposal systems carry plastic pollution to the ocean. Hence, plastic pollution becomes a collective responsibility of brand owners, recyclers, regulatory authorities, and individuals.
As the deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals approaches rapidly, organisations across the world are recognising the significance and urgency of a circular economy, phasing out SUPs, and recycling, and scientifically incinerating the already present plastic waste. Countries are trying to implement innovations to remedy the plastic collection, recycling, and disposal systems. In Europe, countries including Denmark, Croatia, and Netherlands, have already introduced deposit return schemes, where consumers pay a small amount upfront, which is reimbursed to them when they bring the plastic container to a collection point after usage. Similar schemes and systems have enabled Norway to achieve a recycling rate of 97 per cent for plastic bottles. The Government of India introduced Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021, proposing a complete ban on manufacturing, import, stocking, sale, and use of SUP and SUP-based products. However, many cities and organisations are now coming at the forefront of the battle against plastic usage, waste and recycling, because a bottom-up approach offers more potential in terms of reducing plastic usage and increasing recycling.

Recycling is the new trend

Today, governments, consumers, and businesses are looking more and more at recycling materials. In fact, many cities and businesses are attracting consumers and tourists by highlighting their work on reducing and recycling plastic waste. Recent researches establish that if the rate of plastic pollution continues at the same pace in the years to come, there will be more plastic in the ocean by 2050 than fishes, and 99 per cent of all seabirds in the world would have ingested plastic. This implies plastic entering into numerous food chains, including that of humans, polluting air, land, and water, thereby endangering the very existence of life on Earth.
Recycling of plastic is of paramount importance as it is a method to deal with our existing waste and it is a component of both circular economy and zero-waste systems that could better the livability of both humans and animals. But, there are some impediments to effective and safe recycling. One is the contamination of used plastic, either due to mixing of non-recyclable plastics with recyclable plastics, or by trying to recycle plastics soiled by materials like adhesives, chemicals, and food remnants. Both these problems result in plastics being sent to the landfill instead of being recycled.
Another complication in recycling plastic is found in the very production of plastic based products. Some goods like water bottles are often made from a single plastic, such as polyethylene terephthalate, which allows them to be recycled after usage. However, many plastic-based goods are produced using a mix of plastics, which causes serious issues in the existing recycling process. Many plastic-based products are even made of mixture of plastics and non-plastic materials such as wood or metal, which further complicates their recycling and disposal. In fact, such products do not even see the light of the day at recycling plants.

Plastic recycling – easier said than done

The plastic recycling process starts with the collection of plastic waste and then distribution to designated recycling facilities. Even though cities are considering turning to circular economies, they lack proper disposal and collection of plastic waste. Urban areas in India have introduced separate bins for wet and dry waste, biodegradable and plastic based waste, but public engagement remains zero. The dustbins are used but almost never properly, which results in waste pickers and workers at municipal waste centres having to separate waste into different categories, which could have been done at the source. This not only adds to the already long process of waste management, but creates health related issues for the workers and cleaners.
City of Berlin displays an excellent example of better results in recycling due to better ways of waste collection. The city’s waste management utility Berliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe is one of the largest waste management companies in Europe and is responsible for dealing with the waste accumulated for disposal in Berlin. All households in the city are obliged to use its services. Recyclable waste in Berlin such as glass, paper, and plastic is essentially separated by households and businesses, then collected separately and taken to recycling plants.
Leading the way in India, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) introduced a new plastic waste management strategy in 2020, wherein International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives South Asia will soon set up Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) in the city for collection of PET bottles and aluminium cans. This pilot programme is expected to enhance and streamline the collection and recycling of plastic waste. GHMC is hoping to reduce littering and improve authorized collection and processing of PET items and aluminium cans in the city through these RVMs. As a promotional strategy, the corporation will also introduce users receiving rewards from outlets that will have tie-ups with the provider of RVMs. This system also has the potential to reduce the dependency on the informal sector for recycling of materials, thereby avoiding many occupational hazards and creating proper market out of the programme. To increase citizen engagement, GHMC also conducted women self-help group campaign across shops and temples in the city to stop the use of single use plastics. The organisation also provides recognition and awards to places no longer using SUPs.
After collection and sorting, washing and shredding plastic waste are crucial steps. Resized plastics after shredding is often used for other applications without further processing, such as an additive within asphalt or simply sold as a raw material. The process further involves identification and separation of plastics based on types, and then extruding and compounding it into different products.
Recycling plastic waste does save the environment, but it is unfortunately not the ultimate solution to the problem of plastic waste on planet Earth. Unlike many materials such as glass and aluminium, plastics are not infinitely recyclable; with each subsequent processing, the recycled plastic material degrades and is of a lesser quality than virgin materials. Although, more advanced ways like chemical recycling are being introduced to keep more plastics in the recycling loop for longer periods of time, alternatives to plastic items are the way to a greener and healthier future. With more ideas and innovations coming in, like bamboo toothbrushes, biodegradable sanitary napkins, edible cutlery, biodegradable packaging, cotton food bags, silicone stretch lids, compostable trash bags, cities, corporations, and their citizens are trying to completely replace plastic and plastic based items from their systems, businesses, and lives.