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71-497: PPC asserts that plastic recycling is unhelpful. Instead, they endorse taxes on plastic bags, propose the elimination of single-use plastics , and emphasize producer responsibility for the end-life of their products. PPC has advocated for the discontinuation of single-use plastic drinking straws , describing this as a " gateway issue to help people start thinking about the global plastic pollution problem". PPC prioritizes changing legal structures and producer responsibility against

142-518: A Netflix documentary Seaspiracy criticised PPC for not speaking up about the plastic pollution from the commercial fishing industry. It implied that PPC was dependent on revenues from fishing, being the subsidiary of Earth Island Institute . Other similar organizations working to reduce plastic pollution include 5 Gyres , Break Free From Plastic, Changing Tides Foundation, Friends of Ocean Action, Greenpeace , Lonely Whale, Marine Litter Solutions, OceanCare, Ocean Conservancy , Oceana , Parley for

213-468: A Netflix documentary Seaspiracy criticized Oceana for appearing to be unable to provide a definition for "sustainable fishing". Oceana responded by saying it was misrepresented in the film, and argued that abstaining from eating fish as the film recommends is not a realistic choice for people who depend on coastal fisheries . Various environmental news outlets have published op-eds criticizing Oceana's reports on seafood fraud , and similar criticism

284-521: A "Design Guide for Recyclability". The most commonly produced plastic consumer products include packaging made from LDPE (e.g. bags, containers, food packaging film), containers made from HDPE (e.g. milk bottles, shampoo bottles, ice cream tubs), and PET (e.g. bottles for water and other drinks). Together these products account for around 36% of plastic production. The use of plastics in building and construction, textiles, transportation and electrical equipment accounts for another substantial share of

355-553: A business aimed at supplying customers with some of the products that are hardest to obtain without also buying new plastic bottles — shampoo, hair conditioner, liquid soap, laundry detergent and household cleaners. In 2015, PPC and the environmental law firm Greenfire sued 3,000 plastic manufacturers in California for allegedly violating stormwater permitting requirements of the Clean Water Act. In April 2020, PPC and

426-488: A closed loop. Although closed-loop recycling has been investigated for many polymers, to-date the only industrial success is with PET bottle recycling . This is because polymer degradation in PET is often repairable. PET's polymer chains tend to cleave at their ester groups and the alcohol and carboxyl groups left by this can be joined back together by the use of chemical agents called chain extenders. Pyromellitic dianhydride

497-996: A country, legislation affecting recycling is often made at the EU level Many plastic items bear symbols identifying the type of polymer from which they are made. These resin identification codes (RIC), are used internationally. They were developed in 1988 by the Society of the Plastics Industry (now the Plastics Industry Association ) in the United States, but since 2008 have been administered by standards organisation ASTM International . RICs are not mandatory in all countries, but many producers voluntarily mark their products. More than half of U.S. states have enacted laws that require plastic products be identifiable. The seven codes include six for

568-736: A market where products are poorly standardised. This inconsistency is another barrier to recycling. Sorting by hand is the oldest and simplest method. In developing countries this may be done by waste pickers , while in a recycling center, workers pick items off a conveyor-belt. It requires low levels of technology and investment, but has high labor costs. Although many plastic items have identification codes workers rarely have time to look for them, so leaving problems of inefficiency and inconsistency. Even advanced facilities retain manual pickers to troubleshoot and correct sorting errors. Working conditions can be unsanitary. Plastics can be separated by exploiting differences in their densities. In this approach

639-547: A news website called The Plastic Free Times . In 2017, an advocacy video for the Plastic Pollution Coalition was made featuring the top 11 finalists from the 10th season of American Idol . PPC alleges that American Idol producer 19 Entertainment contributed to the video and then demanded that it be removed from the internet under pressure from corporate sponsors. A couple of the organization’s markets have become home to Sustain L.A. Refill Station ,

710-548: A perceived over-emphasis on individual responsibility for recycling. PPC was founded by Manuel Maqueda, Daniella Russo, Lisa Boyle, Dianna Cohen and Julia Cohen in October 2009. The organization is primarily involved in internet activism . In 2010, PPC was the host of TEDx event "Great Pacific Garbage Patch: The Global Plastic Pollution Crisis" discussing the Pacific trash vortex . From April 2011 until June 2014, PPC operated

781-505: A range of devolatilisation techniques. Flame retardants can be removed by chemical treatment, while damaging metallic additives can be rendered inert with deactivators . Finally, the properties of mixed plastics can be improved by using compatibilisers. These are compounds that improve miscibility between polymer types to give a more homogeneous product, with better internal cohesion and improved mechanical properties. They are small-molecules possessing two chemical regions, each of which

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852-416: A staff of about 200 and 6,000 volunteers, and it has almost 50 million dollars of revenue (as of 2017). Oceana takes a multi-faceted approach to ocean conservation; It conducts its own scientific research in addition to making policy recommendations, lobbying for specific legislation, and filing and litigating lawsuits. Oceana was established in 2001 by an international group of leading foundations including

923-459: A strategic document in January 2018 which set out an "ambitious vision" and an opportunity for global action on plastic recycling. The total amount of plastic ever produced worldwide, until 2015, is estimated to be 8.3 billion tonnes (Bt). Approximately 6.3 Bt of this was discarded as waste, of which around 79% accumulated in landfills or the natural environment, 12% was incinerated, and 9%

994-407: Is clean, and of a known type and grade, and is valuable. As scrap is mostly privately traded, it is often not included in official statistics. The majority of plastic waste is made of thermosoftening polymers, which can be re-melted and reformed into new items via mechanical recycling. Globally, this is by far the most common form of recycling and in many countries it is the only type practised. It

1065-525: Is compatible with a certain polymer. This allows them to act like molecular-nails or screws, anchoring the polymers to one another. As a result, compatibilisers are normally limited to systems dominated by two particular types of plastic and are not cost-effective for heterogeneous mixtures. No compatibiliser solves all plastic combinations. Even with these technologies, it is particularly challenging to recycle plastic so that it can meet food contact standards. In closed-loop , or primary recycling, used plastic

1136-407: Is endlessly recycled back into new items of the same quality and type. For instance, turning drinks bottles back into drinks bottles. It can be considered an example of a circular economy . The continual mechanical recycling of plastic without reduction in quality is challenging due to cumulative polymer degradation and risk of contaminant build-up. In 2013 only 2% of plastic packaging was recycled in

1207-465: Is filled with asides, charts, and photographs. The California Wetfish Producers Association (CWPA), a small nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving California's wetfish industry, has repeatedly criticized Oceana's attempts to temporarily halt the Pacific sardine fishery. CWPA criticized Oceana's citation of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) study that reported 95% of

1278-408: Is limited. When these are mixed during reprocessing the result is usually an unappealing dark-brown. These blends find use as outdoor furniture or plastic lumber . As the material is weak, but of low cost it is produced in thick planks to provide material strength. Although thermoset polymers do not melt, technologies have been developed for their mechanical recycling. This usually involves breaking

1349-405: Is made of thermosoftening polymers, which can be remelted Recycling begins with the collection and sorting of waste. Curbside collection operates in many countries. Waste is sent to a materials recovery facility or MBT plant where the plastic is separated, cleaned and sorted for sale. Unsuitable materials are sent to a landfill or incinerator. These operations account for a large proportion of

1420-402: Is more expensive to install but has the best recovery rates and produces more high-quality products. Plastic waste is either industrial scrap (sometimes referred to as post industrial resin) or consumer waste . Scrap is generated during production and is usually handled differently. It can include flashings , trimmings, sprues and rejects. As it is collected at the point of manufacture it

1491-674: Is often complicated and expensive. Errors can lead to material with inconsistent properties, rendering it unappealing to industry. Though filtration in mechanical recycling reduces microplastic release, even the most efficient filtration systems cannot prevent the release of microplastics into wastewater. In feedstock recycling, waste plastic is converted into its starting chemicals, which can then become fresh plastic. This involves higher energy and capital costs . Alternatively, plastic can be burned in place of fossil fuels in energy recovery facilities , or biochemically converted into other useful chemicals for industry. In some countries, burning

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1562-500: Is one such compound. In open-loop recycling, also known as secondary recycling, or downcycling , the quality of the plastic is reduced each time it is recycled, so that the material eventually becomes unrecyclable. It is the most common type. Recycling PET bottles into fleece or other fibres is a common example, and accounts for the majority of PET recycling. Life-cycle assessment shows it to be of ecological benefit. Recycling can displace demand for fresh plastic. However, if it

1633-440: Is the dominant form of plastic waste disposal, particularly where landfill diversion policies are in place. Plastic recycling is low in the waste hierarchy , meaning that reduction and reuse are more favourable and long-term solutions for sustainability . It has been advocated since the early 1970s, but due to economic and technical challenges, did not impact the management of plastic waste to any significant extent until

1704-617: Is the simplest and most economical technique. It has a lower carbon footprint than other processes. However, several factors can reduce output quality, which limits its applicability. Plastics are melted at anywhere between 150–320 °C (300–610 °F), depending on polymer type. This is sufficient to cause unwanted chemical reactions that degrade the output. This can produce volatile, low- molecular weight compounds, which may impart undesirable taste or odour, as well as discolouration. Additives can accelerate this degradation. For instance, oxo-biodegradable additives, intended to improve

1775-1121: Is used extensively in manufacturing in China, and imported plastic waste was predominantly processed using low-technology processing. High-income countries such as Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States were the top exporters. In 2017, China began restricting waste plastics imports via Operation National Sword . Exporters eventually exported to other countries mostly in Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam and Malaysia, but also Turkey and India. Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand reacted to illegal plastic waste imports by reinforcing border controls. Illegally imported containers were repatriated or refused entry. Consequently, plastic waste containers accumulated in ports. Given limited export options, attention turned to local solutions. Proposed extended producer responsibility would tax plastic producers to subsidise recyclers. In 2019, international trade in plastic waste became regulated under

1846-502: Is used to produce items that would not otherwise have been made, then it is not displacing production and is of little or no benefit to the environment. The reduction in polymer quality can be offset by mixing recycled and new materials. Compatibilised plastics can be used as a replacement for virgin material, as it is possible to produce them with the right melt flow index needed for good results. Low quality mixed plastics can be recycled in an open-loop, although demand for such products

1917-587: The Basel Convention . Under the convention, any Party can decide to prohibit imports of hazardous plastic waste and, since 1 January 2021, of some mixed plastic wastes. Parties to the convention are required to ensure environmentally sound management of their refuse either through alternative importers or by increasing capacity. The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily reduced trade in plastic waste, due in part to reduced activity at waste management facilities, shipping disruptions, and low oil prices that reduced

1988-674: The Rockefeller Brothers Fund , Sandler Foundation , and The Pew Charitable Trusts . This followed a 1999 study they commissioned, which found that less than 0.5% of all resources spent by U.S. environmental nonprofit groups were used for ocean conservation. In 2001, Oceana absorbed The Ocean Law Project, which was also created by The Pew Charitable Trusts, for Oceana's legal branch. In 2002, American Oceans Campaign, founded by actor and environmentalist Ted Danson , merged with Oceana to further their common goals of ocean conservation. On April 19, 2024, Oceana, Inc. announced

2059-642: The acidification of the ocean , which threatens marine life, especially shellfish and coral that are necessary to many marine ecosystems, and, consequently, sources of seafood. They also focus on promoting offshore wind farms and combating the use of offshore drilling and seismic airgun blasting. Oceana launches expeditions to gather scientific data, which is used by Oceana, other nonprofit groups, local communities, and governmental agencies to create or influence policy. Recent examples of these expeditions' success can be seen in Malta , where an expedition led to

2130-519: The biodegradability of plastic, also increase the degree of thermal degradation. Flame retardants can similarly have unwanted effects. Product quality also depends strongly on how well the plastic was sorted. Many polymers are immiscible with each other when molten and phase separate (like oil and water) during reprocessing. Products made from such blends contain boundaries between the different polymers with weak cohesion across these boundaries, compromising mechanical properties. In more extreme cases

2201-477: The global waste trade . Many governments count items as recycled if they have been exported for that purpose, regardless of the actual outcome. The practice has been labeled environmental dumping , as environmental laws and enforcement are generally weaker in less developed economies. By 2016 about 14 Mt of plastic waste was exported, with China taking 7.35 Mt. Much of this was low quality mixed plastic that ended up in landfills. However, recycled plastic

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2272-599: The CEO of Oceana, and author Suzannah Evans wrote The Perfect Protein in 2013. While it mentions some of Oceana's achievements, it focuses on its main goal: to make fishing a sustainable and abundant food supply. The main recommendations and goals of the book are science based catch limits , eating fish lower on the food chain (like sardines), focusing less on more glamorous sea creatures (like whales and dolphins), protecting habitats, and reducing bycatch . Actor and Oceana Vice Chair Ted Danson , along with Michael D'Orso , wrote

2343-693: The Earth Island Institute filed a law suit against Clorox , Coca-Cola , Mars , Nestlé , PepsiCo , Procter and Gamble in California superior courts alleging that these companies of polluting waterways, coasts, and oceans with millions of tons of plastic packaging. The suit claims they violations of the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act , public nuisance, breach of express warranty, defective product liability, negligence, and failure to warn of

2414-847: The Maltese government expanding marine protected areas , or in the Philippines , where an expedition led to the government creating a new marine protected area in the Benham Bank . Oceana focuses on influencing specific legislation, lawsuits, or other policies, which fit under its broader goals. It calls these "victories" when successful. Recent victories have included protecting dusky sharks , banning industrial activity in Canada's marine protected areas, increasing transparency through digital tracking in Chile's fishing industry, and creating

2485-668: The Oceans , Sea Shepherd Conservation Society , Surfrider Foundation , The Last Straw, the Plastic Soup Foundation and Plastic soup surfer Merijn Tinga . Plastic recycling Plastic recycling is the processing of plastic waste into other products. Recycling can reduce dependence on landfill , conserve resources and protect the environment from plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling rates lag behind those of other recoverable materials, such as aluminium , glass and paper . From

2556-424: The ability to issue tax exempt receipts to Canadian offices of non-Canadian nonprofits, making it beneficial to create an independent, Canadian charity. Concerned about declining fish catches since 1980, Oceana is committed to combating overfishing and restoring the world's fisheries. It mainly focuses on legislation for scientific based catch limits , which have led to dramatic recoveries of depleted fisheries in

2627-531: The appointment of James Simon as the new chief executive officer. Simon, previously the President of Oceana, succeeded Andrew Sharpless following an eight-month international search. In 2015, Oceana Canada was established as a legally distinct non-profit organization. It works in collaboration with Oceana, inc. and is considered part of the larger charity. Except under very specific circumstances, Canadian charity law does not grant either legal charity status or

2698-467: The book Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them in 2011. It describes Danson's early involvement with the environmental movement while also explaining the problems that face our oceans today, such as offshore drilling , pollution , ocean acidification , and overfishing . The book is scientifically grounded and was called engaging by the Los Angeles Times because it

2769-533: The cost of virgin plastic and made recycling less profitable. The European Commission 's "Action Plan" for a circular economy, adopted in December 2015, saw plastics as a strategic priority for developing circular economy actions. In 2017, the Commission further adopted a focus on plastic production and use, targeting the achievement of all plastic packaging being recyclable by 2030. The Commission then issued

2840-476: The environment where it causes plastic pollution . For example, as of 2015, approximately 8 million tonnes of waste plastic enters the oceans annually, damaging oceanic ecosystems and forming ocean garbage patches . Almost all recycling is mechanical and involves the melting and reforming of plastic into other items. This can cause polymer degradation at the molecular level, and requires that waste be sorted by colour and polymer type before processing, which

2911-490: The financial and energy costs associated with recycling. Sorting plastic is more complicated than other recyclable materials because it comes in a greater range of forms. For example, glass is separated into three streams (clear, green and amber), metals are usually either steel or aluminum and can be separated using magnets or eddy current separators , and paper is usually sorted into a single stream. Six types of commodity polymer account for about 75% of plastics waste, with

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2982-439: The harms caused by their plastic packaging. The American Beverage Association responded to the suit with a statement by saying some of their members' are actively addressing the problem of plastic pollution. The suit claims that the defendant companies collectively produce about 15% of all single-use plastic packaging. PPC has used celebrity endorsements to attract support. One video produced by PPC featuring actor Jeff Bridges

3053-449: The highest value as they may be dyed after recycling, while black or strongly coloured plastic is much less valuable, because they affect the color of the downstream product. Thus, plastic is typically sorted by both polymer type and colour. Various sorting approaches and technologies have been developed. They can be combined in various ways. In practice no approach is 100% effective. Sorting accuracy varies between recyclers, producing

3124-479: The initial fabrication, through aging, and in any reclamation process." The report concluded that sorting the plastic is "infeasible". Contemporary scientific reports highlighted numerous technical barriers. Globally, plastic waste was almost entirely disposed of via landfill until the 1980s when rates of incineration increased. Although better technology was known, these early incinerators often lacked advanced combustors or emission-control systems, leading to

3195-526: The labelling of plastic containers and products with recycling symbols. The industry introduced resin identification codes in 1988, which provided a standard system for the identification of various polymer types at materials recovery facilities . Globalisation during the 1990s included the export of plastic waste from advanced economies to developing and middle-income ones, where it could be sorted and recycled less expensively. The annual trade in plastic waste increased rapidly from 1993 onwards as part of

3266-423: The largest producers of plastic waste have the greatest effect on global averages. These are a mix of advanced economies and large developing nations. Some publish official statistics on their plastic recycling rates. Others may release partial data, usually limited to population centres. This makes it difficult to draw accurate comparisons, especially as the published recycling rates vary. * Although not formally

3337-423: The late 1980s. The plastics industry has been criticised for lobbying for expansion of recycling programmes, even while research showed that most plastic could not be economically recycled. This has resulted in occasions where plastic waste dropped into recycling bins has not been recycled, and been treated as general waste. Although plastics were discovered before the 20th century, large-scale production

3408-406: The material down to small particles (crumbs), which can then be mixed with a binding agent to form a composite material. For instance, polyurethanes can be recycled as reconstituted crumb foam. Oceana (non-profit group) Oceana, inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ocean conservation organization focused on influencing specific policy decisions on the national level to preserve and restore

3479-805: The most common commodity plastics and one as a catch-all. The EU maintains a similar nine-code list that also includes ABS and polyamides . RICs are based on the recycling symbol , but have drawn criticism, as they imply that marked items are always recyclable when this may not be true. RICs are not particularly important for single-stream recycling , as these operations are increasingly automated. However, in some countries citizens are required to separate their plastic waste according to polymer type before collection. For instance, in Japan PET bottles are collected separately for recycling. Plastic waste consists of various polymer types. Polyolefins make up nearly 50% of all plastic waste and more than 90% of waste

3550-454: The ocean. Oceana has led the way on exposing and advocating against seafood fraud . Its opposition comes from the widespread nature of this problem, the negative health impact mislabeled fish can have (especially to people with certain seafood allergies) and their impact on overfishing by obscuring its impact. Oceana is dedicated to combating the numerous threats to the world's oceans that climate change imposes. Its main focus has been

3621-714: The particles need to be dry, be uniform in size and shape. Electrostatic separation can be complementary to density separation, allowing full separation of polymers, albeit of mixed colours. This approach is largely automated and involves various sensors linked to a computer, which analyses items and directs them into appropriate chutes or belts. Near-infrared spectroscopy can be used to distinguish polymer types, although black/strongly-coloured plastics, as well as composite materials like plastic-coated paper and multilayered packaging , which can give misleading readings. Optical sorting such as colour sorters or hyperspectral imaging can then split by colour. Sensor based separation

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3692-481: The percentage of recycled or incinerated material is increasing each year, the tonnage of waste left-over also continues to rise. Production could reach ~800 Mt per year by 2040, although implementing all feasible interventions could reduce plastic pollution by 40% from 2016 rates. Recycling rates vary among types of plastic. Several types are in common use, each with distinct chemical and physical properties. This affects sorting and reprocessing costs; which affects

3763-557: The plastic contains fillers , this may affect its density. The lighter PP and PE fraction is known as mixed polyolefin (MPO) and can be sold as a low-value product, the heavier mixed plastics fraction is usually unrecyclable. In electrostatic separators, the triboelectric effect is used to charge plastic particles electrically; with different polymers charged to different extents. They are then blown through an electric field, which deflects them depending on their charge, directing them into appropriate collectors. As with density separation,

3834-432: The plastic is first ground into flakes of a similar size, washed and subjected to gravity separation . This can be achieved using either an air classifier or hydrocyclone , or via wet float-sink method. These approaches provide partial sorting, as some polymers have similar density. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) are similar as are polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), and PVC . In addition, if

3905-482: The plastics market. Plastic consumption differs among countries and communities, although it is found almost everywhere. As of 2022 North American countries ( NAFTA ) accounted for 21% of global plastic consumption, closely followed by China (20%) and Western Europe (18%). In North America and Europe per capita plastic consumption was 94 kg and 85 kg/capita/year, respectively. China reached 58 kg/capita/year. In 2012, 25.2 Mt of post-consumer plastic waste

3976-405: The polymers may degrade each other, particularly with PVC, as it can generate hydrogen chloride which strongly affects condensation polymers such as PET. Many of these problems have technological solutions, though they bear a financial cost. Advanced polymer stabilisers and can be used to protect plastics from the stress of thermal reprocessing. Volatile degradation products can be removed by

4047-475: The recent past. It also opposes fishing subsidies, which it argues are (in their current form) contributing to overfishing. Oceana also focuses on reducing bycatch , especially of protected or endangered species. Oceana's main focus with sustainable fishing is providing clean, plentiful food. They often cite the lack of emissions or resources, like land or fresh water, that wild fish require, and that this lack of pollution or resources would be necessary to feed

4118-482: The release of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds . In the late 1980s plastic recycling began in earnest. In 1988 the U.S. Society of the Plastics Industry created the Council for Solid Waste Solutions as a trade association to promote the idea of plastic recycling to the public. The association lobbied American municipalities to launch or expand plastic waste collection programmes and lobbied U.S. states to require

4189-410: The rest comprising a myriad of polymer types, including polyurethanes and synthetic fibers with a range of chemical structures. Items made from the same type of polymer may be incompatible with each other depending on the additives they contain. Additives are compounds blended into plastics to enhance performance and include stabilisers , fillers and, most significantly, dyes . Clear plastics hold

4260-610: The sardine stock had been depleted since 2006 (and the study itself). CWPA claims that these numbers are inflated and that the actual (smaller) decline in fish stock has not been caused by overfishing, but rather by environmental factors. The CWPA has specifically called Oceana's claims about overfishing "fake news." Although the NOAA has not fully responded to the CWPA's calls for a new study, it has not declared sardines overfished, but it has also banned commercial fishing of sardines. In 2021,

4331-482: The second-largest marine national park in Spain's Mediterranean coast. Over the course of its existence, Oceana has protected 4.5 million square miles of the ocean by influencing legislation and policy related to banning bottom trawling, restricting fishing, and establishing Marine Protected Areas . Oceana considers an area "protected" once it has achieved a policy victory related to protecting it. Andy Sharpless,

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4402-399: The start of plastic production through to 2015, the world produced around 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste, only 9% of which has been recycled and only ~1% has been recycled more than once. Of the remaining waste, 12% was incinerated and 79% was either sent to landfills or lost to the environment as pollution. Almost all plastic is non- biodegradable and without recycling, spreads across

4473-537: The value and market size for recovered materials. PET and HDPE have the highest recycling rates, whereas polystyrene and polyurethane are rarely recycled. One of the reasons for low levels of plastic recycling is weak demand, given the materials' poor/inconsistent properties. The percentage of plastic that can be fully recycled, rather than downcycled or go to waste, can be increased when manufacturers minimise mixing of packaging materials and eliminate contaminants. The Association of Plastics Recyclers has issued

4544-468: The world's growing population. This campaign is called "Save the Oceans, Feed the World". Oceana focuses on curbing or eliminating the use of plastics, especially single use plastics due to their harmful impact on marine ecosystem and on human consumers. The organization generally opposes focusing on recycling or cleanup, and it says this is due to inefficiencies of recycling the large amounts of plastics in

4615-514: The world's oceans. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. , with offices in Juneau , Monterey , Fort Lauderdale , New York , Portland , Toronto , Mexico City , Madrid , Brussels , Copenhagen , Geneva , London , Manila , Belmopan , Brasilia , Santiago , and Lima , and it is the largest international advocacy group dedicated entirely to ocean conservation. Currently, Oceana has

4686-543: Was arguably the 1973 and 1978 MARPOL agreements , whose Annex V banned dumping plastics in the oceans. As regulations expanded, the plastics industry responded with lobbying to preserve their business interests. In the U.S., the 1970 Resource Recovery Act directed the nation towards recycling and energy recovery. More than a thousand attempts to pass legislation to ban or tax packaging, including plastics, came by 1976. The plastics industry responded by lobbying for plastic to be recycled. A $ 50 million per year campaign

4757-552: Was collected in the European Union. Of this, more than 60% (15.6 Mt) was recovered and 40% (9.6 Mt) was disposed of as municipal solid waste (MSW). Of the 15.6 Mt of recovered plastic waste, about 6.6 Mt was recycled, while the remainder was likely used as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) or incinerated in MSW incinerators with energy recovery (about 9 Mt). Europe leads in plastics recycling, reusing about 26%. The recycling activities of

4828-567: Was not realised until World War II . Nylon replaced silk in parachutes, while Perspex was a light-weight alternative to glass in aeroplanes. After the war these materials were commercialized. The plastic age began around 1950, part of the post-war economic boom . Global environmental movements in the 1960s and 1970s led to the formation of environmental agencies. ( EPA , 1970), EU ( DG ENV , 1973) Australia ( EPA , 1971) and Japan ( JEA 1971). Environmental awareness put plastic waste under scrutiny. The earliest effort to abate plastic pollution

4899-463: Was recycled - only ~1% of all plastic has been recycled more than once. More recently, as of 2017, still only 9% of the 9 Bt of plastic produced was recycled. By 2015 global production had reached some 381 million tonnes (Mt) per year. The recycling rate that year was 19.5%, while 25.5% was incinerated and the remaining 55% disposed of, largely to landfill. These rates lag behind those of other recyclables, such as paper, metal and glass. Although

4970-473: Was run by organisations such as Keep America Beautiful with the message that plastic could and would be recycled, as well as lobbying for the establishment of curbside recycling . However, plastic could not be economically recycled using the technology of the time. For example, an April 1973 report written by industry scientists stated that, "There is no recovery from obsolete products" and that, "A degradation of resin properties and performance occurs during

5041-424: Was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. Celebrity supporters include Jeff Franklin , Jeff Bridges , Alexandra Paul , Amy Smart , and Ben Harper PPC has campaigned to pressure companies to discontinue plastic packaging. Albe Zakes, spokesman for TerraCycle , while expressing support for PPC's goals, has questioned whether switching to glass bottles instead of plastic is better for the environment. In 2021,

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