Recycling Is Not Working As Plastic Waste Spirals Out of Control
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For decades, we’ve been told that recycling plastic was the responsible thing to do. It gave consumers a sense of purpose, a way to “do their part.” But according to Sustainability Times journalist Hina Dinoo, that belief may have been built on a myth. A new report from the Center for Climate Integrity titled The Plastic Recycling Myth reveals that less than 9% of plastic actually gets recycled—despite decades of messaging from the petrochemical industry suggesting otherwise.
The report uncovers how oil and plastic producers leaned into recycling campaigns not to save the planet, but to save their product. Internal documents and public relations efforts from the 1980s onward reveal a deliberate strategy: tell the public to recycle instead of supporting bans or reductions. It worked. Plastic production surged while oceans, wildlife, and even our bodies became saturated with microplastics.
Despite industry claims of progress, nothing has changed where it matters. Plastic production is projected to triple by 2050. And while shiny new recycling technologies are being marketed again—just like they were 30 years ago—experts like Jan Dell say it’s more of the same smokescreen.
Recycling, in its current form, isn’t the solution. It’s a distraction. The real answer lies in slashing plastic production, rethinking packaging, and embracing reuse models. From bulk stores to deposit-return systems, we have the tools. What’s missing is pressure on the industries flooding our world with throwaway plastics.
It’s time to ditch the illusion. Recycling won’t save us—but reducing, reusing, and demanding change just might.
Let’s stop being passive participants in a broken system. Skip the plastic, Support bans on single-use packaging, and back policies that hold polluters accountable. Our planet—and the animals who call it home—deserve more than empty promises.
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