Grains of Salty Truth

The state of California took an unprecedented step in shattering the plastic recycling illusion recently when Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation into petrochemical companies to determine the extent to which they have known about the futility of plastic recycling and the extent to which they have misled the public.

In mid-July, Maine became the first state to pass a law holding producers of plastic packaging financially responsible for recycling the materials they generate, paving the way for other states to follow.

"These companies are pursuing false solutions that range from potentially damaging at worst, and simple wishful thinking, at best" – Emma Priestland, Break Free From Plastic Corporate Campaigns Coordinator.

A particularly egregious example of greenwashing in the form of a report by Finland-based Huhtamaki, a global food packaging supplier, compares their disposable coffee cups to reusable alternatives. “Key findings” from the report are misleading at best and entirely false at worst, relying on bad assumptions that lead to a skewed analysis and cherry-picked conclusions.

Plastics recycling is largely a fantasy perpetuated by the fossil fuels industry to provide a salve to the environmental consciences of consumers in the United States and abroad.

Plastics manufacturers have been lying to the American public for decades about the viability of plastics recycling to provide cover for the environmental scourge that rampant plastic use presents.

It’s really that simple.