Only 9 percent of plastic waste is recycled. What has been created so far is rarely recycled, and experts say current recycling efforts do not guarantee the proper disposal of these wastes.
This view is explained by Matt Littlejohn, senior vice president at Oceana, in an article aligned with the recent United Nations gathering in Nairobi. Delegates from more than a hundred countries sought to craft a binding global agreement to curb plastic pollution.
In the article Reuse the true circular solution, Littlejohn from the International Ocean Conservation Organization argues that the push for circularity needs a stronger emphasis on robust reuse.
The core concern is that existing circular approaches are not delivering large scale reductions in the use of single use plastics.
He notes that meeting PET bottle recycling targets by major firms would cut water pollution by about seven percent.
If a bottle is designed to be discarded, simply adding more recycled content will not stop that outcome, he stresses.
Time is running short and the rising flow of single use plastics is taking a toll on marine life. Littlejohn warns that more than 11 billion plastic objects may be trapped in coral reefs in the Asia Pacific region.
Thanks to reuse systems, each container can be refilled up to 50 times
He argues for a global system that can dramatically reduce plastic waste through expanded reuse.
Packaging drinks in reusable containers helps prevent contamination because a container can be used up to 50 times. It also tends to have the lowest carbon footprint among bottling options.
Oceana has cited industry data and scientific studies in a report showing that modest gains in reusable packaging could eliminate more than one billion bottles and single use packages by 2030, with significant reductions in plastic cups and related packaging entering the environment.
Reuse the best option
The organization urges a truly circular solution centered on reuse for the health of oceans and the planet.
Several groups have highlighted practical steps for implementing this system, including Return Deposit and Refund systems. In such a model, consumers pay a small deposit when purchasing a container and receive it back upon returning the vessel to the store.
The case for more reuse is clear: reusable beverage packaging prevents plastic pollution because bottles can be used up to 50 times and cups up to 100 times. Each reuse reduces the need for single use plastics to end up discarded, potentially harming oceans. Reuse initiatives are praised for high return rates and, according to Coca Cola and partners, can achieve low carbon footprints compared with other packaging options, a point emphasized by industry leaders in various public statements.
Full article: marked citation shows the original EFeverde piece on the topic from Matt Littlejohn, vice president at Oceana.
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