DAY 23 – Confused about recycling?

It’s not your fault

1 What percentage of the 360 million tons of plastic created worldwide each year is actually
recycled?
2 Why are thermosetting polymers, which make up about 18% of plastics, challenging to
recycle?
3 What is the main issue with the code system introduced by the plastics industry in 1988?
4 Why might plastics with technically recyclable resins still end up in incinerators or trash bins?
5 How do plastic resins degrade over time, limiting their recyclability?
6 In the 1970s, what did the plastics industry do despite doubting the economic viability of
widespread recycling?
7 What has been the consequence of rising costs and fewer international buyers of recyclable
scraps for many cities?
8 What is suggested as one solution to the growing plastic waste problem?
9 What is proposed as a change to the current resin code system by many experts?
10 What action is suggested to reduce plastic consumption, and what role do manufacturers
play in this effort?