Plastic packaging is hardly recycled in the United States, even though it carries the universal symbol of recycling, a triangle of chasing arrows. The numbers inside the symbol are material identification codes and do not indicate that the type of plastic is actually recycled. In fact, returned packaging is burned or dumped massively. Greenpeace USA concludes in a thorough investigation that consumers are, therefore, misled.

On plastic packaging, you can often find claims that they are recyclable. In the triangle of chasing arrows you may see a number. There are seven numbers, each for a different type of plastic. Greenpeace USA spoke to many of the 367 MRFs (Material Recovery Facilities) in the United States and asked which plastics they do and do not accept. Only a fraction appears to be recycled.

DISAPPOINTING RESULTS

For the most common plastic products, Greenpeace checked whether they are accepted for recycling in the United States. The results are appalling:

• 0% for plastic coffee cups and multi-layer packaging (pouches);
• 1% for plastic cutlery, straws, and stirrers;
• 4% for plastic bags;
• 7% for plastic cups.

All packaging falling under material identification codes 3 to 7 appears to have little or no treatment. Only PET and HDPE bottles and containers (codes 1 and 2) are always (100%) accepted for recycling.

 Published by plasticsoupfoundation.org