Plastics offer what many view as a safer alternative to other types of materials, such as glass. It is lighter in weight, which also provide other environmental savings in terms of energy costs for transportation. However, plastic-derived products are not a perfect solution.
Every phase in the life cycle of plastic has some environmental costs that may make you rethink their purpose in your everyday life. While you cannot avoid plastics all together, some information can steer you in the direction of making a wise and informed choice.
Plastics Production Relies on Petroleum
During the last 50 years, plastic generation has skyrocketed. In 1960, the United States produced about 390,000 tons of plastic, making up a scant 0.4 percent of the total municipal solid waste. In 2007, this figure soared to over 30 million tons and over 12 percent of total waste.
The problem lies with the raw materials needed to produce plastic, namely, petroleum. To produce the amount of plastic bags Americans use each year takes about 12 million barrels of oil. When you think of the other types of plastic you use, it is easy to see how plastic generation impacts oil use.
Plastic Decomposition Time is Unknown
One of the more disturbing aspects of plastic is its longevity. Scientists simply do not know how long plastics persist in the environment. Decomposing bacteria do not act on this inorganic material. Rather, plastic deteriorates over time due to environmental exposure.
Estimates range from 500 years or more for this to occur. Of course, thinner plastic materials like shopping bags will break down quicker. Heavier materials will persist. For plastic lumber, this is a good thing. However, for plastic detergent bottles or other sources, this means that landfill waste will not decompose in the short term, leading to a potential increase over time.
Plastics Recycling Rate Does Match Production
The trends for recycling show that more Americans are recycling regularly today. A survey by GFK Roper Consulting put this figure at 58 percent. Despite this course, plastic recycling lags far behind other types of materials.
In 2010, American recycled over 63 percent of the paper generated. The EPA estimates that 99 percent of the lead-acid batteries were recovered in 2007. While battery recovery is made easy for the consumer, paper recycling shows that individuals will take the initiative themselves to recycle.
Plastic Generation Trends
In 2007, less than 7 percent of plastics generated were recovered for recycling. Coupled with the increased production of plastics, this percentage may even decrease unless aggressive action is taken to boost recycling. Over the long term, this can present an environmental threat.
The answer is a push for use of recycled materials in the same or different forms. For example, about 75 percent of American paper mills use some percentage of recovered fiber in their products. Aluminum represents another success story, with over one-third of aluminum used in the United States coming from recycled materials.
As a consumer, you have an obligation to recycle materials that may present an environmental threat if discarded improperly. Plastics offer a convenience that should not be taken by adding to landfill waste. With the ready availability of recycling options, plastics can easily be managed in a way that does not negatively impact the environment.
Sources:
- Paper Industry Association Council. (2011). Paper & Paperboard Recovery. Retrieved December 17, 2011, from http://paperrecycles.org
- The Aluminum Association, Inc. (2008). Facts at a Glance. Retrieved December 17, 2011, from http://www.aluminum.org
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2008). Municipal Solid Waste in the United States. Retrieved December 17, 2011, from http://www.epa.gov
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Paper Recycling – Basic Information Details. Retrieved December 17, 2011, from http://www.epa.gov
