A CBS News report uncovers a long-standing campaign by the plastics industry to mislead the public about the effectiveness of plastic recycling.
Ben Tracy reports for CBS News.
In short:
- Despite widespread belief in plastic recycling, only 5 to 6% of plastic waste in the U.S. is actually recycled.
- The plastics industry has been accused of misleading the public about the feasibility of plastic recycling.
- Documents reveal that industry insiders knew recycling was not a viable solution to plastic waste as early as the 1980s.
Key quote:
"The plastics industry understands that selling recycling sells plastic, and they'll say pretty much whatever they need to say to continue doing that."
— Davis Allen, investigative researcher with the Center for Climate Integrity
Why this matters:
With plastic production set to triple by 2050 and plastic waste accumulating on land and in oceans, understanding the truth about plastic recycling is important for informed decision-making and combating environmental pollution. Negotiations are underway for a global plastics treaty and parties differ on the role of recycling.
