"Companies knew for decades recycling was not viable but promoted it regardless, Center for Climate Integrity study finds".

"Plastic producers have known for more than 30 years that recycling is not an economically or technically feasible plastic waste management solution. That has not stopped them from promoting it, according to a new report.

“The companies lied,” said Richard Wiles, president of fossil-fuel accountability advocacy group the Center for Climate Integrity (CCI), which published the report. “It’s time to hold them accountable for the damage they’ve caused.”

Plastic, which is made from oil and gas, is notoriously difficult to recycle. Doing so requires meticulous sorting, since most of the thousands of chemically distinct varieties of plastic cannot be recycled together. That renders an already pricey process even more expensive. Another challenge: the material degrades each time it is reused, meaning it can generally only be reused once or twice."

Dharna Noor reports for the Guardian February 15, 2024. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Q&A: Everyday Plastics Are Making Us Sick—and Costing Us $250 Billion a Year in Healthcare" (Living on Earth) [3]

"Plastics Reckoning: PVC Is Ubiquitous, But Maybe Not for Long" (Yale Environment 360) [4]