New statistics from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show a dismal trend in plastics recycling. The EPA reports that the amount of plastics recycled fell by nearly 6% in tonnage from 2015 to 2017, according to an article from Plastics News. Plastic recycling reportedly decreased from 9.1% of the total plastic generated in 2015 to 8.4% in 2017, even as the focus on the material’s impact grows.
Market conditions affect these statistics, according to the article. China’s National Sword initiative, which “essentially closed the borders to all types of scrap imports,” largely eliminated a key outlet for recycled plastics. The article notes that the statistics, which represent 2015 to 2017, lag current market conditions and that domestic markets for recycled plastics are increasing, according to Steve Russell, vice president of the plastics division of the American Chemistry Council.
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