Terry Paule on LinkedIn: #plasticpollution #terrypaule #myco #sustainability #climateaction… (2024)

2024 is the year that many types of plastic become the new asbestos - 💡 Brilliant piece in MIT Technology Review from Douglas Main about plastics and recycling. While we all might know plastics - esp. microplastics in drinking water - are a problem, the extent of the issue is shocking. 🔦 Of the 300M+ tons of plastic produced each year, *one-third* is for single-use plastic, i.e. disregarded often minutes after use. Plastic is a modern marvel, but at this extreme, a threat to human/ecosystem health.From the article: "Onepaperestimated that the average person consumes five grams of plastic every week—mostly from water. About95% of the tap waterin the United States is contaminated...Most of the plastic we make, 72%, ends up in landfills or the environment...Only 9% of the plastic ever produced has been recycled, and 19% has been incinerated...half of all plastics in existence have been produced in just the last two decades...If current trends continue, humans will have produced 34 billion tons of plastics by 2050—three times the current total." #circulareconomy #climateactionhttps://lnkd.in/g8J9fqah

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Plastics are controversial due to their production from fossil fuels, emissions during production and disposal, potential toxicity, and environmental leakage. But are plastic alternatives safe?A recent paper by the University of Sheffield shows that switching out plastics for another material in almost all cases increases emissions by between 10% and 90%. Reducing the environmental impacts of plastics such as grocery bags is not just about choosing, banning, recommending, or prescribing specific materials or bags but also about changing consumer behaviour to increase the reuse rate and avoid littering. For example, removing the plastic wrappers from fruit and using the natural fruit skin for protection makes sense, but switching from plastic drinking straws to paper alternatives does not. Across most applications, simply switching from plastics to currently available non-plastic alternatives is not a viable solution for reducing GHG emissions. Material choices should be grounded in scientific facts rather than influenced by popular beliefs.Take a look at the findings here: https://lnkd.in/d7FJ6RqU.#sustainability #wastemanagement #packaging

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New report finds that alternative materials to plastic lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions.A new study from The University of Sheffield discusses the environmental impact of plastics compared to their alternatives, focusing on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite the negative perception of plastics due to their fossil fuel origin, emissions, potential toxicity, and environmental leakage, the study reveals that in 15 out of 16 applications across five major sectors—packaging, building and construction, automotive, textiles, and consumer durables—plastics generate fewer GHG emissions than non-plastic alternatives. These sectors represent around 90% of global plastic usage. The emission reductions from using plastics range from 10% to 90% across their lifecycle. The study acknowledges that in some cases like food packaging, there are no viable non-plastic options. The findings suggest that efforts to reduce plastic use should consider the potentially higher emissions from alternatives. The study advocates for improving the efficiency of plastic use, extending product life, increasing recycling rates, and enhancing waste management to effectively lower emissions.What do you think?#packaging #plastic #sustainability #sustainablepackaging

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The comment section (as of the time of my post) has been full of great insights and respect. When thinking about "sustainability," we need to consider the data. Plastics, generally speaking, offer much lower GHG emissions but have lower recycling rates. Paper options have higher emissions (especially methane) but higher recycling rates. I don't believe one is *better* than the other. However, whatever decision you make, just be honest about why you chose it.

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As a plastic injection molder, addressing the narrative surrounding plastics is vital. The industry faces challenges in public perception, often shaped by media focus on pollution and waste. However, plastics play an essential role in modern society, offering sustainability benefits like lightweighting in transportation, which reduces fuel consumption and emissions. It's our responsibility to advocate for responsible production and disposal practices, and to educate on the indispensable role plastics play in innovation and environmental sustainability. For a deeper insight, consider reading the full article.Thank you Alicia Chrysostomou and Plastics News for this piece.#PlasticsInnovation #aztecplastic #plasticsnews

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📣 #Plastics have been subject to extensive debate and controversy due to various factors, including their production from fossil fuels, emissions during manufacturing and disposal, potential toxicity, and environmental leakage. Consequently, there's been a widespread call to decrease plastic usage and transition towards nonplastic alternatives. However, such calls often disregard the environmental implications of these alternative materials.🏭 The article published by American Chemical Society society delves into the greenhouse gas (#GHG) emissions associated with plastic products compared to their alternatives across 16 applications spanning key sectors such as #packaging, #building and #construction, #automotive, #textiles, and consumer #durables, which collectively represent about 90% of global plastic volume. Surprisingly, findings reveal that in 15 out of 16 applications, plastic products result in lower GHG emissions throughout their #lifecycle, ranging from 10% to 90% less than their alternatives.🔎 Moreover, some applications, notably food packaging, lack viable alternatives to plastics altogether. These findings underscore the need for caution when devising policies or interventions to reduce plastic usage to prevent inadvertently promoting alternative materials with higher GHG emissions. Instead, focusing on enhancing plastic use #efficiency, prolonging product #lifetimes, increasing #recycling rates, and improving waste management emerges as more effective strategies for emission reduction.🔬 Additionally, policies must be grounded in #scientific #evidence rather than popular sentiments to ensure effective emission reduction strategies.

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#Plastics are shrouded in controversial debates. While manufacturers highlight their benefits, more and more stakeholders refer to the problems associated with them. We - Fraunhofer UMSICHT and TNO conclude that plastics will and should remain an important part of our economy and our daily lives. Therefore, their use must be carefully considered, their disadvantages eliminated and their impact on the environment mitigated. In the picture I am holding mixed plastic waste from small household appliances, which is currently difficult to recycle. Understanding how to recycle mixed plastic waste is just one aspect we need to solve on our road to more sustainable plastics.In the #webinar on June 5, 2023 the institutes present the results of their white paper: How a future-proof, circular and sustainable plastics economy should look like. Check free registration: https://lnkd.in/gTzaYZPA#circulareconomy #future #sustainable

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Plastic comes in a wide range of sorts in addition to its many varied shapes and colours. Each one is unique and serves a particular purpose. Because of the chemicals they contain, some forms of plastic, including some that can be recycled, are reusable while others must be disposed of in a different way. The Resin Identification Code (RIC) system, which classified plastic resins into 7 different groups, was first presented by the Society of the Plastics Industry in 1988.Its objective was to "provide a consistent national system to facilitate the recycling of post-consumer plastics." Since then, the RIC has been accepted as the global standard plastic categorization All plastic containers have a number written on their base, let's try to understand what these numbers actually mean.#plasticwaste #pollution #sustainability #recycle #health #climatechange #globalwarming #oceans #wastemanagement #plastic #earth #saveearth #gogreen #conservation #ecofriendly

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Planet vs. Plastics: Not All Plastic Problems Are the Same: A focus on three core areas and four polymers will minimize the environmental impact of plastic and microplastics now and in the long term.