Plastic recycling's new era faces hurdles

Despite big brands' pledges for a greener future, advanced recycling technology lags in effectiveness.

Hiroko Tabuchi reports forThe New York Times.

In short:

• Big companies like Nestlé and Procter & Gamble invest in chemical recycling (also known as "advanced recycling") plants to meet environmental goals, but the technology is problematic.
• PureCycle Technologies, central to these efforts, struggles with technical issues and skepticism over its ability to process hard-to-recycle plastics.
• Critics argue the industry promotes recycling as a solution to deflect from the real issue: the need to reduce plastic production.

Key quote:

“The industry is trying to say they have a solution. It’s a non-solution.”

-- Terrence J. Collins, professor of chemistry and sustainability science at Carnegie Mellon University

Why this matters:

Proposals are in the works for chemical recycling plants across the U.S. To learn more, check out EHN's explainer, along with our recent reporting on conflicts and impacts of chemical recycling in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.