From shopping bags to straws to balloons to takeaway food containers, single-use plastics have a prominent role in modern society. They are found everywhere with everything in every aspect of one’s life. With modern economies structured around consumerism, single-use plastics production has boomed, making life much more efficient. Yet, this increased efficiency means more disposing of items into the trash and forgetting about them, even when recyclable or compostable. Though single-use plastics have made significant improvements in people’s average quality of life, the strewn-about dirty plastic takeout containers are not just indicators of missed imaginary basketball shots but also dangerous pollutants that damage and remain in the environment for a long period of time.
To most people, plastic is seen as a practical material that is cleaner for the environment because it is recyclable. Thus, the use of these plastics are justified and items being labeled as “recyclable” are favored for their greenness. And while it is true that recycling reduces one’s carbon footprint and saves money by reusing materials, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development cited by the Natural Resources Defense Council, “A whopping 91 percent of plastic isn’t recycled at all. Some of it (about 19 percent) is incinerated but the vast majority ends up in landfills or in the environment. Single-use plastics in particular—especially small items like straws, bags, and cutlery—aren’t easy to recycle because they fall into the crevices of recycling machinery. Many recycling centers won’t even accept them.” It is shown that the process of recycling is incredibly inefficient, and even the dutiful recycler who has attempted to benefit the environment to the best of their abilities ends up contributing to a worsening issue: single-use plastics do not get recycled despite being labeled recyclable. Even more surprisingly, a Greenpeace report “revealed that most types of single-use plastic — cannot be recycled in the United States. Despite the widespread use of ‘recycling’ symbols and marketing aimed at convincing us that it is okay to use throwaway plastic, only plastic #1 and #2 bottles and jugs meet the minimum legal standard to be labeled recyclable.” Plastics #1 and #2 are classified as polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE), respectively, and they are the only readily recyclable plastics. Simply put, single-use plastics, no matter its labeling, are not recyclable, resulting in more environmental damage.
Proponents for single-use plastics often point towards the economic benefits of the material and its necessity in modern economies similar to oil. According to the Plastics Industry Association in their annual “Size & Impact” report, “ In the year 2022, the sector made a significant contribution, generating over a million jobs and boasting impressive shipments worth $548 billion. Notably, Texas led with the highest employment in the plastics industry, while Indiana had the highest concentration of plastics industry workers. The industry’s growth in real value-added exceeded that of the entire manufacturing sector.” Huge numbers of Americans rely on the plastics industry to make a living and simply cutting out plastics from the US economy would be both unreasonable and unethical. Proponents also argue that single-use plastics also are crucial in many sectors of society. According to This Is Plastics, “Instruments such as syringes, applicators, drug tests, bandages and wraps are often made to be disposable. Furthermore, single-use plastic products have been enlisted in the fight against food waste, keeping food and water fresher for longer and reducing the potential for contamination.” The benefits for single-use products are undoubtedly important, hence its wide popularity. Yet, the question arises regarding the relative significance of the benefits for single-use plastics versus its negatives.
While the plastics industry has been largely successful and crucial to the global economy, the money that is created from the manufacturing of plastics is just as quickly lost to efforts required to clean them up. According to the World Wildlife Fund, “The lifetime cost to society, the environment and the economy of plastic produced in 2019 alone was US$3.7 trillion – more than the GDP of India – and unless action is taken, this cost is set to double for the plastic produced in 2040.” The economic benefits of plastic are simply being erased due to required efforts to clean up the ever increasing piles of litter. Additionally, according to the United Nations Environment Programme, “In 1988, poor drainage resulting from plastic bag litter clogging drains contributed to devastating floods in Bangladesh, causing several deaths as two-thirds of the country was submerged.”
Single-use plastics are a danger to not just human health but the Earth’s overall health. To prioritize the economic prosperity and convenience of plastics over the health of the world is irrational, and efforts must be taken to reduce society’s reliance on plastic. Just like fossil fuels, the production of plastics will not be able to be completely discontinued, yet improving recycling centers, finding better alternatives, and educating the public on sustainability can help to remediate its effects on the environment. After all, we all call this Blue Planet of ours home.
