Why recycling plastic is a waste

By Percy Chan

Picture this. You have just finished a soft drink and rinsed out all of the remaining sugary contents under tap water. You then throw the empty plastic bottle into the recycling bin, assuming that it is saving the environment. However, is it actually being recycled?

In the Monitoring of Solid Waste in Hong Kong Statistics for 2019 report published by the Environmental Protection Department, approximately 2,320 tonnes of plastic waste is produced daily (Statistics Unit, Environmental Protection Department, 2020). It is no surprise that plastic waste is detrimental to the environment, taking decades if not centuries to decompose fully and emitting many toxic pollutants. Plastic is like dust, continuing to pile up if nothing is done to it. We need to do something about this plastic waste crisis immediately but recycling is not the right solution. Reducing consumption is.

Only a small percentage of the plastic waste collected is recycled. Hong Kong heavily relies on shipping recyclable waste to China due to the limited number of recycling centers available in the city. Nevertheless, in the beginning of 2018, China introduced the National Sword Policy which banned 24 categories of solid waste from coming into the country (Recycling in Hong, n.d.). Such types of waste include certain metals, paper, textiles, and plastics. As a result, in HK only 7% of the plastic collected was actually recycled (Recycling in Hong, n.d.). The rest is either thrown into landfills, incinerated, or ends up in the ocean.

Plastic recycling can cause health issues. Floriana Cimmarusti, director-general of a non-profit organisation, Safe Food Advocacy Europe stated “Many types of plastics absorb chemicals during waste management, and it is very difficult during recycling to eliminate them (Simon, 2018). When plastic is melted, volatile organic compounds (VOC) are released. VOCs are harmful chemical compounds that evaporate at room temperature. Furthermore, plastic resin, made from crude oil plays a big role in the recycling process. Chemicals may contaminate the food kept in recycled plastic containers, posing a risk to those who use recycled plastic (Hartman, 2017).

Recycling does not solve the issue of plastic over-usage. "Our landfills, landscapes, and waterways are choking with plastic. Despite recent "plastic-free" campaigns, global demand for plastic is on the rise” said Lisa Heinze from the Department of Gender and Cultural Studies and the Sydney Environment Institute (The Future of recycling, 2020). From what I saw at RCHK prior to the Coronavirus, although plant-based (PLA) straws were provided instead of plastic ones near the cafe, the cafe still continued to serve cold beverages in plastic cups. One RCHK student suggested, “Wouldn’t it be better if we just reduce the amount of single-use plastic we use because even if we recycle, plastic products are still being manufactured and we are still using it.” We must dramatically reduce our consumption of plastic if we don’t want the earth to be covered in the pungent smell of decaying garbage. I believe that our school should not provide disposable items to encourage students to use more alternatives to plastic which will help reduce the amount of waste produced.

Some may argue that recycling reduces the amount of greenhouse gases released and minimises energy consumption. However, to transport the waste into recycling centres, trucks use diesel fuels to run. In addition, the sorting, cleaning, and processing of plastic waste also require a lot of energy, utilising fossil fuels for the machines to function. Fossil fuels are a type of energy generation that releases many toxic gases into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution and climate change. It has been reported that for every tonne of plastic processed, 3 tonnes of CO2 are produced (Enck, 2021).

Jacques Yves Cousteau once said, “Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.” Time is running out, we must start using plastic alternatives. Spread the word and together we will make a difference. Stop plastic waste before it stops you.

References:

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Figueiras, S. (2019, March 26). Five Hong Kong Recycling Myths That Will Shock

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Future of Working. (n.d.). http://13 Advantages and Disadvantages of Recycling

Hartman, D. (2017, April 24). Sciencing. The Disadvantages of Recycled Plastics.

https://sciencing.com/disadvantages-recycled-plastics-7254476.html

Recycling in Hong Kong. (n.d.). Plastic Free Seas.

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