The plastic industry has recently pivoted towards what has been called “chemical” or “advanced” recycling, proposing this as a response to the ever-growing worldwide plastic recycling crisis. In fact, as this white paper from Safer States demonstrates, such methods are producing, rather than solving, environmental and social justice problems. Indeed, rather than producing any recycled plastic, most of the facilities involved with “chemical” recycling actually produce toxic byproducts that are usually burned. For instance, in 2019, the most prevalent component in the nearly 500,000 pounds of hazardous waste that one U.S. facility alone burned was benzene, a known carcinogen.

Communities of color, where many of these plants are located and where much of the hazardous waste they produce is burned, are most impacted by the harms of these technologies. The plastic industry’s goal in advancing these technologies is not the genuine reuse of plastic materials, but the greenwashing of the industry’s failures.

Use this informational flyer put together by Safer States to educate yourself on the plastic industry’s myths around “chemical” and “advanced” recycling, as well as to learn proven solutions to the plastic crisis.

Read more here.