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The goal is to remove plastics from the environment. They eventually break down. So recycling it into new products just makes it wind up in the environment late
by chneu 1y ago
The goal is to remove plastics from the environment. They eventually break down. So recycling it into new products just makes it wind up in the environment later on.
Less plastic is the goal. Not reusing it.
Recycling plastic makes people use more plastic because they think it's being reused.
- barbazoo 1y agoLeaving plastic in use reduces overall emissions, no? These things don’t just stay in the landfill they eventually decompose.
- chneu 1y agoThey take thousands of years to decompose in a landfill. Out in the real world they decompose much faster thanks to environmental factors(mostly physical abrasion). They break down into microplastics and chemicals which mimic hormones, among other issues. Any reduction in new plastic is offset by people using more plastic because they think it's recycled. Again, the goal is to remove plastic entirely from the ecosystem. Recycling encourages more plastic use. That is the entire reason that plastic manufacturers and petrocompanies pushed for plastic recycling so hard, people use more plastic if they think it's recycled. The only real solution are plastic bans in consumer goods/spaces.