1. Plastic isn’t killing our planet – it’s the recycling options and disposal routes that are
We wouldn't have a problem with it if all plastic waste was recycled. Why then is it so challenging to make this desire come true?
To begin with, the UK government does not support the recycling sector nearly enough. It actively encourages exporters to transport perfectly recyclable plastic garbage overseas using the antiquated PERN system, where who knows what will happen to it, rather than making every effort to ensure that it is directed back into the circular economy.
Local government policies that are uneven in what they collect and how they collect recyclable waste discourage people and companies from recycling. The government claims that initiatives to "simplify" recycling include creating a "clear list" of materials that ALL local governments and waste collection companies are required to collect from residences and businesses.
This will enable families "recycle more and send less waste to landfill," with at least 65% of municipal waste recycled by 2035, by putting an end to the "confusion" that millions of homes and companies experience due to various collections in various locations (too low and not soon enough in our opinion).
Furthermore, the government must make sure recycling companies are well-positioned to reprocess all of this extra waste; otherwise, it will just result in more plastic being transported in container ships.
2. Only approximately 9% of plastic waste is currently recycled (but we are working hard to change this)
ALL plastic items could potentially be made from 100% recycled material. We are continuously working to develop customised formulas to raise the quality of recycled plastic because we want to make it simpler for businesses across all industries to utilise recycled materials in their goods.
We're on a mission to ensure that no plastic trash ends up in a landfill or an incinerator, and we're doing it through our continual developments and collaborations, like our most recent ones with Unilever, the University of Liverpool, and the Universities of Manchester.
3. 83% of consumers believe it is ‘important’ or ‘extremely important for companies to design reusable or recyclable products.
Consumers are concerned about the environment, and many of them are actively looking for and buying from companies that use sustainable production methods and materials. Customers currently purchase more environmentally friendly goods than they did five years ago, according to 72% of respondents, and 83% of consumers believe it is "essential" or "very important" for businesses to produce reusable or recyclable products.
4. Using paper, glass, or metal instead of single-use plastic will not save the environment.Consumers are being persuaded that better plastic substitutes exist.
However, the production of paper products—which frequently uses virgin pulp from old-growth forests—is more resource- and energy-intensive than the manufacturing of plastic. Glass is created from a particular kind of sand that is taken from riverbeds and ocean bottoms, which destroys the ecology, exposes shorelines to erosion and flooding, and is being used more quickly than the planet can replenish it. The process of extracting aluminium requires a significant amount of energy, which is produced by burning fossil fuels.
The message that firms aiming to sell products should be sending to consumers is to reduce rather than replace. Funny, huh?
5. Plastic waste is not the biggest environmental issue; greenwashing is.
The environment is not benefited from greenwashing. Simply said, it changes where consumption occurs.
As the public, employees, and stakeholders increase the pressure on businesses to be environmentally friendly, brands are being pushed to assert that they are being more environmentally friendly by switching from plastic to paper or glass. This is an established (and dishonest) PR tactic that is becoming more sophisticated. They aren't. Learn more about this here.
6. A point can be reached where no plastic is disposed of in a landfill, burned in an incinerator, or dumped in the sea.
Britain generated 4.9 million tonnes of plastic garbage in 2014. A 2018 research by the Wildlife Report found that just 1.2 million tonnes of that waste—which made up two-thirds of it—was recycled. However, much plastic—if not all—could be recycled or put to other uses.
While other businesses deal with several types of plastic, Bright Green Plastics only works with polypropylene and HDPE. Recycling polypropylene yields products like plastic trays, brooms, and brushes. HDPE is easily recycled and can be used to make sheet and film plastic, pipes, non-food bottles, and more. Automotive components, plastic sheets and film, industrial strapping, fabric, carpet fibre, and even sporting shoes can all be made from recycled PET. While flexible PVC can be used to make faux leather and even electrical wiring insulation, rigid PVC can be recycled and utilised to make window frames and bank cards. Additionally, LDPE, the material used in plastic bags, can be recycled and utilised to make furniture, trash and compost containers, garbage bags, and more.
When opposed to using "virgin" resources, manufacturing a plastic bottle from recycled plastic uses 75% less energy. However, it is also perfectly robust, resilient, waterproof, and lightweight to be utilised, just as it is, for many other uses, such as building materials, making it even more sustainable.
7. The government needs to do more to encourage plastic recycling in the future.
To boost the demand for recycled materials and cut carbon emissions, the Plastic Charge, a tax on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content, will go into effect in April 2022.
However, the government must understand that if it doesn't do more to help the plastic reprocessing business, it won't be able to meet the rising demand. A nice place to begin is by reviewing the PRN system. However, it must also do more to promote recycling, honour companies and producers who go above and above to use recycled plastic, and provide funding for research and innovation.
Find out more about the PRN system in simple terms here.
8. Virgin plastic is not superior to recycled plastic.
Plastic is an everyday item. Recycling is comparatively simple, has a little environmental impact, and is reusable repeatedly. Additionally, it can maintain its integrity and quality to carry on giving thanks to technological advancements in additives like BrightFusion.
Recycled plastic gains better qualities thanks to our exclusive BrightFusionTM additive, giving it comparable performance to that of virgin polymers.
9. Recycled polymer is employed in more than just packaging.
In reality, the packaging is the beginning of the process. Our team of polymer experts can create customised solutions that meet specific physical, mechanical, and chemical performance requirements, enabling the use of recycled plastic in an infinite number of applications. This covers the production of automobiles, building supplies, horticulture, and other uses where only the toughest duty material will do.
A ground-breaking heavy-duty recycled polymer recipe for residential wheelie bins has just been finished by Bright Green Plastics' development team. The wheeled plastic bins used by more than 60 million British households must be durable enough to survive harsh usage for at least ten years in all weather conditions. As a result, up until recently, the only sources of plastic that were strong enough were virgin plastic or recycled dumpsters.
10. The use of plastic is anticipated to be substantial in the future of infrastructure, technology, and medicine.
Plastic is adaptable, lightweight, great for advancements in all industries, and it can even be printed in three dimensions. It is a significant player in our future and it is here to stay. And it's not necessary.
People, brands, organisations, and governments must recognise it as the priceless resource that it is and not as a disposable item to be buried, burned, or sent abroad.
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