Introduction:
Even the most naïve person should know that almost all man-made product, in the world of plastics, metals, cardboard, and glass is by intent and definition, recyclable. Unfortunately, ninety percent of world plastics go un-recycled. In real life not everything will be recycled or is being recycled because of various causes, though the two main reasons:
- Local Municipalities lack the infrastructure to properly separate materials and recycle them accordingly with homogeneous materials to make new safe products,
- Some do not get recycled because of its nefarious consequences when leaching in the recycling process harmful chemicals into the new products when trying to achieve the so-called “new recyclable materials”. This process also contaminates the water being used to recycle, which then needs to go through a cleaning process in any wastewater facility. In fact, many recycling depots, do not even take certain plastics categorized as “recyclables” because they do not have the machinery and personnel to recycle them and if they do, their recycling costs would skyrocket making them unprofitable.
Having said the above, according to the Canadian Plastic Industry Association (CPIA), not all plastics are recyclable, but most plastics are. The blunt truth is that unfortunately, not every recyclable depot or facility (regardless if it is privately or government-owned) takes them or uses them in their recycling process. CPIA insists that they are “continuously expanding the range of possibilities to include those that aren’t recyclable today.”
Plastic Classification And Codes
Many other sites/sources have this exact same table. For a clearer image please visit: https://depositphotos.com/vector-images/resin-identification-code.html?qview=60922897
Recycling codes #1 (hard) and #2 are the most widely accepted.
They are becoming more commonly accepted as technology improves and as the market for these plastics grows. But not all places accept these plastics because they both leak strong chemicals during the recycling process.
It is difficult to recycle these plastics into other products. Or, in some cases, it is just not economically feasible to do so. These tend to contaminate the recycling stream so they need to be discarded with caution.
What Are Plastics?
Plastics are simply “chains of like molecules linked together. These chains are called polymers.” This is why many plastics begin with “poly,” such as polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene.
What are Non–Biodegradable Fossil-Based Polymers?
The term non-biodegradable describes polymers that do not break down to a natural, environmentally safe condition over time by biological processes.
Important Note:
Something to always keep in mind is that bacteria do not attack or eat plastic. Therefore plastics do not tend to be biodegradable unless they are made with new recent technology and materials that are not yet cost-effective, but they are starting to show around more and more. This biodegradability of plastics can only be achieved when microorganisms in the environment break and metabolize the structure of these new biodegradable plastics. This has a positive impact on our landfill and overall environment but we are still far away to make them standard in our various industries.
Is The Canadian Recycling Program In Crisis?
Our recycling program with foreign countries is so inefficient and inaccurate, that thousands of containers are being returned to Canada from Philippines and Malaysia against our tax dollars, along with the serious restrictions imposed by China to the rest of the world (Canada included). Now the questions remain: What are we going to do with those containers full of “recyclable materials”. Easy, we will incinerate them (and push more CO2 into the atmosphere) or we will bury them in our constantly growing landfills. But I guess to some that is only an illusion because our pride does not allow us to see and accept our deficiencies, eh?! Yes, I am being a bit sarcastic, but let us face it, if we do not see and accept our weaknesses and mistakes, we will never implement a positive search for a viable and efficient solution. That by itself is the danger we have to avoid so we can still be an example to other countries that make an effort to emulate us.
Source: CBC News and Globe and Mail (i.e.: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/we-are-going-to-send-this-back-malaysia-returning-unwanted-canadian-plastic-1.5152274 )
Not too long ago, China decided to close its doors to various types of plastics from all around the world. Since then Canada has been in a difficult position, not knowing what to do with all its plastic, which is currently being accumulated in various landfills across the country.
There was an article published by the Globe and Mail last May 15, 2019, in which one of the main messages are:
“A recent study by Deloitte for Environment and Climate Change Canada shows there is much room for improvement: Only 9 percent of the 3.2 million tonnes of plastic waste generated each year in Canada are recycled. As much as 2.8-million tonnes – the weight of 24 CN Towers – ends up in Canadian landfills.
After 30 years of recycling programs that force residents to collect, wash and fill blue boxes with plastic bottles, bags, and containers, it turns out that in 2016 more than 3.2 million metric tonnes ended up as garbage, according to the summary of a report produced by Deloitte for Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Of that amount, 86 percent went to landfill, 4 percent to incinerators and 1 percent — 29,000 metric tonnes — ended up as litter which can contaminate lakes and oceans. Most of the wasted plastic comes from offices, institutions or industries.”
This is a “come-to-Jesus moment,” says Jo-Anne St. Godard, executive director of the Recycling Council of Ontario. “We’re going to have to shine a light on those materials that we’ve been sort of hoping would get recycled but, really, at the end of the day, aren’t.”
Plastics discarded in Canada – 2016, published by The Globe & Mail (May 15, 2019):
For a clearer image, please visit the main source at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-wish-cycling-canadas-recycling-industry-in-crisis-mode/
It is so bad out there in the world of “recycling”, that recently, there was a strong and alarming statement published in an article written last June 12, 2019, for the Globe & Mail by Ms. Usman Valiante (a well regarded environmental policy analyst with Cardwell Grove Inc.), which says “Our existing recycling policies have failed and Canada needs a new industrial policy on plastic.”
STARBUCKS – Recycling Program:
During a friendly presentation held for the Word Guild in Kelowna, I was motivated by a non-believer to include this company as an example of our recycling crisis in more detail within this blog. Starbucks has always been an exemplary pioneering company. It has a 30-year legacy to try and reduce the environmental impact around our globe. In “theory”, the typical coffee cup Starbucks uses could be recycled. The only biodegradable item is the cardboard sleeve, while the green stopper, the cup itself and the #5(PP) polypropylene lid are quite difficult to recycle. Why? Because according to Starbucks itself “Starbucks recycling is dependent on the availability of commercial recycling services where our stores are located. Unfortunately, some local communities that offer comprehensive residential recycling may provide minimal or no commercial recycling.” For more information refer to https://www.starbucks.ca/responsibility/environment/recycling
It was not until 2016 that Starbucks came up with a slightly friendlier lid (#5 PP), which is friendlier during the recycling process, but it is not accepted everywhere. Only a few locations providing commercial recycling do. The great majority goes un-recycled and to the landfill.
According to Starbucks: “While our cups can be recycled in many communities today, we are working with local governments and stakeholders to increase their acceptance in recycling systems.” Recycling facilities tend to be capital intensive concerning the selection, separation, and recycling process of the lids and cups, which makes it difficult in the great majority of communities. Regardless, there is always a labour intensive factor all along as well. The truth is that it is so little being recycled, that Starbucks is always trying hard to find friendlier environmental solutions to their cups, lids, and stoppers. In Great Britain, they are testing a new approach where they charge extra for a reusable cup at Gatwick airport (London). Gatwick’s waste management team will collect cups. They will be washed and sterilized according to the airport’s safety standards. They will then be returned to Starbucks ready for customer consumption. Starbucks prefers to implement this option, rather than seeing their lids and cups go un-recycled and into landfills. For more information please refer to https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2019/starbucks-launch-reusable-cup-trial-at-gatwick-airport/
According to an article written by Jeff Lewis and Molly Hayes, environment reporters for the Globe & Mail, “Some Alberta municipalities have nixed select plastic packaging from the blue-bag collection, opting to send it to landfills. In Fort Saskatchewan, just outside Edmonton, fees paid for dropping recyclables at a sorting centre have tripled in the last year. Now, the company that sorts the city’s recyclables wants only those plastics that it can easily sell, such as clear pop bottles and laundry-detergent jugs. In North Glengarry, Ont., meanwhile, residents have been given a new rule: If it crinkles, it’s not recyclable. In other words, no chip bags, multilayer pouches or candy wrappers. “Stretchy” items such as grocery or sandwich bags are out, too.”
Some Plastic Facts:
1. Half of the plastics currently produced are used only once before being discarding (Source: Ateneo De Davao University and National Geographic’s article published December of 2018):
There are two main types of plastic impact, which are:
a. Ocean Plastic Pollution
b. Landfill Plastic Pollution
Our oceans are being polluted so much by plastics, that after many years some types of plastics have broken down into what is known as Micro Plastics (between 1 & 6 mm in size). These microplastics are being eaten by the lowest species of the ocean food chain known as Phytoplankton (fish larvae). These are then eaten by the next level of the food chain known as Zooplankton (like shrimps and jellyfish). The consumption process goes on through the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary consumers (baitfish, small tuna, sharks, and whales respectively) until reaching human consumption.
2.- According to oceanatlas.org and backed by National Geographic and the Internationalist publications “one-tenth of one percent of the ocean floor has all the coral reefs, which has twenty-five percent of the total ocean species.”
The above is very frightening if we keep in mind that over 50% of coral reefs have disappeared in the past 15 years due to bleaching, oil spills, tourism, overfishing, and plastic pollution. It is feared that by the year 2030, over 90% of coral reefs are expected to disappear if we humans do not take drastic actions to protect them. This could have a devastating effect on our oceans and overall human consumption and would seriously hamper the seafood industry worldwide.
3.- From all plastics ever produced, 90% are still out there in the landfill and the environment. Only about ten percent has been incinerated, producing more greenhouse gases (CO2) as a result.
4.- 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flows into oceans every year.