Coastlines Struggle
This is what happens when we DON'T recycle properly
THE PROBLEM
The US only recycles about 9% of our plastic materials
which is significantly less than China (25%) and Europe (30%)
This means that 91% of that material eventually ends up in our Landfills or the Ocean.
ONCE IN THE OCEAN
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT
8 MILLION TONS
OF PLASTIC ENTER OUR OCEAN
EVERY YEAR
WHERE OCEAN CURRENTS
TAKE THE PLASTIC TO 1 of 5 OCEAN GYRES
THE PLASTICS BREAK INTO MICROPLASTICS
AND OVER TIME
WHICH ARE
EATEN BY FISH AND OTHER MARINE ANIMALS
AND EVENTUALLY
END UP ON OUR DINNER PLATES FOR US TO EAT
THE SOLUTION
One of the most effective routes of stopping plastic pollution (in addition to reducing plastic usage) is to recycle more.
Recycling not only helps divert plastic that would have been polluted, but it also gives new life to a product we once considered waste.
RECYCLING BY THE NUMBERS
Recycling facilities can generate 7-10 more jobs compared to landfills and waste-to-energy plants.
It takes 22 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of virgin plastic, however it only takes 2/3 of a gallon to recycle 1 pound of plastic.
Producing 1 Ton of recycled plastic saves 5,774 Kwh of energy, compared to 1 Ton of Virgin plastic.
Recycling 1 ton of plastic saves 1.5 tons of CO2 Emission compared to producing 1 ton of virgin plastic.
More than 1,600 different businesses in the U.S. use post-consumer recycled plastic.
As recycling collection, sorting, and processing improves, these numbers will also improve! The hope is to create a system where we continuously recycle plastic products, reducing the need to make virgin plastics. Recycling not only helps conserve natural resources, but also protects the health of creatures living on this planet, including us!
SOME RECYCLING RESOURCES!
Kids' Recycling Guide
42,000
GALLONS OF WATER
That's like flushing your toilet 26,250 times in a day!
5,774
KwH OF ENERGY
That can power the average home for 6 months!
1.5
TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS
That's 3 flights from Los Angeles to New York and back!
THE FUTURE
Improving the Recycling System, and reducing plastic pollution
TAKES ALL OF US
Not just one industry, one person, or one place
TRASH LESS & RECYCLE MORE BOTTLES
By recycling the PET Plastic bottles we drink everyday, instead of throwing them in the trash, we are improving the recycling system
HOW? YOU MAY ASK
Recycling PET bottles not only keeps the bottles from going directly into a landfill or worse, the coastlines and oceans, but also, once at a recycling center, the bottles can turn into raw material used to create plastic products (like our food packaging) that would have used new (virgin) plastic, taking more natural resources to produce.
WHO CAN DO THIS?
EVERYONE! (even the critics)
USE MORE RECYCLED PLASTIC (rPET PCR)
We can improve the recycling system by using more recycled plastic (rPET PCR) and ocean diverted plastic in our products
HOW? YOU MAY ASK
As we begin to use more recycled plastic as the raw material of our common plastic items, such as bottles or packages, the demand for that recycled material will increase. The only way for that demand to be met is to recycle more. Hopefully this will curb the production of virgin plastic as well as more and more products begin to use the recycled plastic material.
WHO CAN DO THIS?
Manufacturers of plastic or polyester products
Processors using plastic containers to pack their products
DEVELOP BETTER RECYCLING METHODS
The best way to improve the system is by developing better and more efficient methods to collect, sort, and reprocess plastic waste.
HOW? YOU MAY ASK
As we improve the collection system, we can capture more materials that can be recyclable. Once captured, improving the sorting will sort out more less recyclable materials and allowed for reprocessing to have fewer contaminants. Reprocessing improvements will allow for higher yield and stronger material, all while using less resources.
WHO CAN DO THIS?
Plastic recyclers and manufacturers
Engineers, scientists, experts, industry leaders, students, etc.
MAKE RECYCLING MORE ACCESSIBLE
Creating more accessible recycling areas will allow more people the chance to contribute to the recycling system. In addition to working with government agencies to create incentives for contributing to the recycling system.
HOW? YOU MAY ASK
One of the biggest impediments on the recycling system is accessibility. Not enough people have access to a proper recycling system. By creating more recycling facilities, or improving collection, we can make it more accessible. This can be even easier if we work with government agencies to create incentives (like the CRV for bottles) so that when you recycle your plastic you can get something in return (in addition to helping stop plastic pollution and save the environment)
WHO CAN DO THIS?
Elected Officials, Recyclers, Investors, Politicians, City Planners
Engineers, Architects, Designers, Contractors
MORE PLASTIC & RECYCLING EDUCATION
As everyone's plastic and recycling education increases, we can make more informed and important decisions together, without outside influence, improving the recycling system.
HOW? YOU MAY ASK
One of the biggest challenges to the improvement of the recycling system is the amount of misinformation being spread and lack of correct information out there. If we are too truly improve the system we must educate everyone! This way everyone can know about what materials are recyclable and can be recycled, how to recycle them, and even where to do it. As more people are educated, then the chance for the misinformation to spread will decrease.
WHO CAN DO THIS?
Educators, Plastic Recyclers, Plastic Manufacturers, Scientists, Experts, Parents, Friends, Family
