{"id":598462,"date":"2023-11-21T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/recycling-wont-solve-the-plastic-problem-heres-what-will\/"},"modified":"2023-11-21T20:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-21T17:00:00","slug":"recycling-wont-solve-the-plastic-problem-heres-what-will","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/recycling-wont-solve-the-plastic-problem-heres-what-will\/","title":{"rendered":"#Recycling won\u2019t solve the plastic problem. Here\u2019s what will."},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/06\/647afa53570fa6.41030841.jpeg?w=900\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>            <iframe title=\"Audio Article\" id=\"instaread_iframe\" name=\"instaread_playlist\" scrolling=\"no\" allow=\"autoplay\" style=\"display:block\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" frameborder=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>There is no shortage of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a> about plastic\u2019s ubiquity or its harms. Microplastics <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/climate-environment\/2023\/11\/02\/microplastics-clouds-climate-pollution\/\">are in clouds<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0194970\">drinking water<\/a>, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0048969722059654?via%3Dihub\">playgrounds<\/a> and our <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acs.est.2c07179\">blood<\/a>. Marine mammals are <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/science-environment-55987350\">entangled in and ingest<\/a> plastic at alarming rates. Plastic exacerbates <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.technologyreview.com\/2023\/10\/19\/1081856\/plastic-climate\/\">climate change<\/a> and biodiversity loss, and high-income countries increasingly consume and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6010324\/\">export<\/a> used plastic to lower-income countries for disposal. The amount of plastic entering the marine environment is on track <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aba9475\">to double by 2024<\/a>, and solutions, like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/czechias-plastic-recycling-push-falling-short-of-eu-goals\/a-63908119\">plastic recycling<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nicholas.duke.edu\/news\/do-voluntary-corporate-pledges-help-reduce-plastic-pollution\">voluntary reduction efforts<\/a> by businesses, have fallen short. These realities necessitate coordinated global action. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, historic efforts are underway as countries gathered last week to discuss the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/wedocs.unep.org\/bitstream\/handle\/20.500.11822\/43239\/ZERODRAFT.pdf\">Zero Draft<\/a> \u2014\u00a0the starting point for a binding global plastics treaty. This meeting, held in Nairobi, Kenya, was the third of five sessions led by The International Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution, a United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) committee established to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution by 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr1_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>Harm arises at <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ciel.org\/the-toxic-impacts-of-plastic-across-its-lifecycle\/\">all stages of plastic\u2019s life<\/a>, including design, production and consumption.\u00a0 The INC was, therefore, charged with developing a treaty that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, signaling a shift away from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.imo.org\/en\/ourwork\/environment\/pages\/garbage-default.aspx\">earlier international agreements<\/a> that treated plastic pollution as simply a waste problem. In identifying 13 \u201celements\u201d \u201cbroadly structured around the life cycle of plastic and plastic products,\u201d the Zero Draft reflects this change.<\/p>\n<p>While negotiators have yet to finalize the requirements for these 13 elements, the regulation of chemicals used in plastics \u2013 many of which are released throughout the lifecycle of plastic \u2013 will be critical to the ultimate success of the final treaty.<\/p>\n<p>Most plastics are synthetic, made from one of seven <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/engineering\/petroleum-based-polymer\">petroleum-based polymers<\/a>. \u00a0Colorants, plasticizers, flame retardants and other additives give plastic its different properties. The variety of plastics on the market today directly reflects the numerous chemicals (more than <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/resources\/report\/chemicals-plastics-technical-report\">13,000<\/a>) added to these polymers. Of these 13,000 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acs.est.1c00976\">chemicals,<\/a> regulators have information for about half, many of which are considered \u201cchemicals of potential concern.\u201d These chemicals include <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2352340923008090\">persistent organic pollutants<\/a>, PCBs, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acs.estlett.3c00083\">PFAS<\/a> and other chemicals linked to cancers, genetic mutations, endocrine disruption and other harms.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Not only do these chemicals harm human health and the environment, but they also impact plastic\u2019s recyclability. While in theory recycling seems like a promising solution to our plastic problem, in reality only <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/why-its-so-hard-to-recycle-plastic\/\">10 percent of plastic is recycled<\/a>. This low number reflects the unique chemical composition of each plastic. Unlike glass or aluminum, which have the same chemical composition, plastics have thousands of polymers and chemicals, making recycling nearly impossible. There is also <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2772416623000803\">evidence<\/a> that mechanical recycling \u2013 a plastic-to-plastic process \u2013 releases microplastics into the environment.\u00a0 Chemical or advanced recycling is equally problematic.\u00a0 Primarily used to convert plastic to fuel, chemical recycling has grabbed the attention of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/chemicals-under-tsca\/epa-proposes-new-protections-communities-fuels-made-using-plastic-waste-based\">proposed a new rule<\/a> to account for unsafe contaminants generated from plastic-based fuels.<\/p>\n<p>As a final treaty takes shape, negotiators should take a cue from previous environmental treaties. The 2015 Paris accord, for example, ultimately allowed countries to reduce greenhouse emissions through voluntary pledges. Today, many countries are failing to meet the targets of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2022\/11\/08\/climate\/cop27-emissions-country-compare.html#:~:text=New%20data%20published%20by%20Climate,meet%20the%20Paris%20Agreement%20goals.\">that agreement<\/a>. In contrast, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/key-topics-office-of-environmental-quality-and-transboundary-issues\/the-montreal-protocol-on-substances-that-deplete-the-ozone-layer\/\">the 1987 Montreal Protocol<\/a> took a more aggressive <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roach and countries banned ozone-depleting chemicals. Years later, this treaty has succeeded in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2023\/01\/10\/1147977166\/ozone-layer-recovery-united-nations-report#:~:text=Correction%20Jan.-,10%2C%202023,1980%20levels%20by%20around%202066.\">repairing the ozone layer<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Armed with this history and the growing research surrounding plastic chemicals and plastic recycling, negotiators should work towards mandatory commitments. An agreement that relies on voluntary commitments opens the door for the continued release of plastics and associated chemicals into the environment as countries pursue unworkable alternatives. Increases in plastic production \u2013 and the use of hazardous chemicals \u2013 will outpace any potential end-of-life solutions. <a>The status quo is unsustainable and reliance on downstream possibilities will fall short; the \u201c<\/a><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/news-and-stories\/video\/once-planet-opportunity-unep-chief-inger-andersen-inc-2\">once-in-a-lifetime opportunity<\/a>\u201d for a global plastic treaty requires mandates grounded in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr2_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p>The pervasive and transboundary nature of plastic pollution necessitates a global plastic treaty in which countries act across the life cycle of plastic, as the Zero Draft suggests.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the INC-3 demonstrates that this will be easier said than done, as oil producing countries seemed to \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pressenza.com\/2023\/11\/plastics-treaty-negotiations-held-hostage-by-small-handful-of-oil-producing-countries\/\">hold the process hostage<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When negotiations resume at INC-4 in April 2024, negotiators should avoid succumbing to the desires of the chemical and fossil fuel industry, whose presence at INC-3 increased by 36 percent from INC-2, according to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ciel.org\/news\/fossil-fuel-and-chemical-industries-at-inc-3\/\">one analysis<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Because the world needs a plastic treaty that works to eliminate upstream harms brought about by the petrochemicals found in plastic, protecting future negotiations from corporate lobbying influence is critical.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"ad-unit ad-unit--mr3_ab\"><\/aside>\n<p><em>Sarah J. Morath is a professor of law and associate dean for international programs at Wake Forest University.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Copyright 2023 Nexstar <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Media<\/a> Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/opinion\/energy-environment\/4320077-recycling-wont-solve-the-plastic-problem-heres-what-will\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is no shortage of news about plastic\u2019s ubiquity or its harms. Microplastics are in clouds, drinking water, playgrounds and our blood. Marine mammals are entangled in and ingest plastic at alarming rates. Plastic exacerbates climate change and biodiversity loss, and high-income countries increasingly consume and export used plastic to lower-income countries for disposal. The&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":598463,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thehill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/06\/647afa53570fa6.41030841.jpeg?w=1280","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[134344,70375,134447,81839,138837,134420,70610,124783,119223,46420,73766,147158,134345,73295],"class_list":["post-598462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-administration","tag-cybersecurity","tag-energy-and-environment","tag-environmental-protection-agency","tag-epa","tag-equilibrium-sustainability","tag-finance","tag-international","tag-plastic-pollution","tag-plastics","tag-recycling","tag-single-use-plastics","tag-state-watch","tag-transportation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=598462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598462\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/598463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=598462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=598462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=598462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}