Day 13: Misconceptions About Recycling Plastic

I promised myself that I would not be preachy about my goal to reduce my plastic use. I think I've been pretty good about that. It is not really my style to begin with, and not to mention how hypocritical I would feel. I feel as though I fail more often than I would like to admit - pizza cravings are the worst! But that doesn't mean I let the failures overshadow my victories.

But I often get asked, "Why bother? Plastic is everywhere." I completely understand that sentiment, and I feel the slight need to defend my actions.

I understand I can't completely escape plastic. It is in my laptop, chair, beloved cellphone, contact lenses, my clothes, and my carpet. However, I personally felt that I needed to at least start somewhere, and this 14 day challenge was that "somewhere" for me. And being a politics nerd, the seeds were planted much earlier through the exposition of misinformation and greenwashing that is extremely prevalent in our society when it comes to plastic and other environmental concerns.

For the sake of theme and time, I'm going to keep this brief and try to focus my attention on the myths and misconceptions surrounding "recycling" plastic. I think there is tons of information available online for those who are interested in exploring this further. In the mean time, I have a math lesson to plan for tomorrow after I finish writing this entry.

First of all, we have all seen the recycling symbol. The three arrows that are supposed to mean a recyclable product, but in reality, there are actually no laws that govern the use of the symbol.

Secondly, most plastic products are categorized using the Resin Identification Code and are numbered from 1 to 7 (material such as nylon, polyester, and rubber are not included in the system and are considered non-coded plastic). Most plastic products usually have a number within the recycling symbol as well. I used to throw everything with a recycling symbol into the recycling bin, and didn't think plastic was that harmful. After all, it was being recycled! I was wrong - not all these plastic types are actually recyclable in most municipalities. Thunder Bay only takes #1 and #2 plastic. The rest end up in the landfill. These plastics then leech into the soil, ground water, and atmosphere.

There is also the misconception that plastic is recyclable in the sense that it can be recycled over and over again. In reality, when number 1 to 7 plastics are actually recycled, they don't become the same product again. Instead, they are made into non-coded plastics such as carpet or hard plastic bins that end up being burned (releasing toxins into the atmosphere) or sent to the dump once they outlive their use.

This is obviously a simplified version of a complex process. For example, certain beverage bottles are starting to be recycled into similar style bottles, but that is few and far between. I think the bigger picture is pretty obvious - not that much plastic actually gets recycled. And even when it does, it will eventually end up in the landfills regardless.

Check out this link or this awesome CBC documentary called Forever Plastic for more information and facts. It is pretty nuts. For example, only 7% of discarded plastic is recycled in the US. Or according to Stats Canada, "in 2006 Canadians produced over 1000 kg of waste per person, up 8% from 2004. Of this total 835 kg went to landfills or was incinerated while 237 kg was diverted from landfills."