Study finds Americans are only recycling 5% of their plastic waste

Last Beach Cleanup, an organization whose goal is to end plastic pollution, noted in its own analysis that plastic waste per person has increased by 263%, since 1980. Their report goes on to note that while about 5% of plastic waste is placed in recycling bins, not all of this plastic actually gets recycled. It is estimated that only around 30% of PET plastic (polyethylene terephthalate) is reused in the recycling process. 

In a news release, also from Last Beach Cleanup, Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics and former U.S. E.P.A. Regional Administrator, suggested that the situation would require a cooperative effort between the government and corporations:

The report included a variety of suggestions for moving away from single-use plastics. Jan Dell, founder of the Last Beach Cleanup, advised that moving to paper-based packaging is effective, as paper products are biodegradable. In comments to the Guardian, however, she suggested that current recycling labels are misleading to the public:

Resource-Recycling turns the conversation from the environmental impact to the issue of waste management. They note that every landfill has its limits and as more locations close, there will be a greater need for efficient recycling. 

Learn more at The Guardian.