‘Recyclability’ And The 1.5% Pass Mark!

A blog post, ‘RECYCLABILITY’ AND THE FARCICAL 1.5% THRESHOLD, by the reuse company LESS highlights another reason to doubt the merits of commitments to make 100% of plastic packaging compostable, reusable or recyclable by 2025.

While the first two options (making packaging compostable or reusable) can be effective at reducing plastic waste, they are difficult to implement, so brands and companies focus on making their packaging ‘recyclable’.

LESS looked at the definition of ‘recyclable’ and discovered the hurdle to consider a plastic ‘recyclable’ is so lax that a plastic with an average global recycling rate of 1.5% could qualify! Shocking. Read more here.

Brands and corporations working to make their packaging recyclable is little more than a marketing ploy. It doesn't limit the amount of plastic used, nor reduce the amount that goes to landfill, incineration or leaks to the environment.

We need to accept that making plastic ‘recyclable’ is not helpful and move to solutions that work.

At REUSE FOUNDATION, we support genuine circular solutions that reduce the amount of plastic produced and the amount of plastic waste generated. Beyond using non plastic alternatives and reducing the amount of plastic in packaging, the best option is reuse.