The Plastics Problem: Why Companies Still Choose Single-Use Plastics Despite the Environmental Cost

With plastic pollution harming both the planet and human health, alternatives are thankfully emerging

Beyond plastic

Most of us are now aware we have a plastics problem. Not only does plastic require fossil fuels to produce, but it can also be extremely difficult to recycle and, therefore, usually ends up in a landfill or littering our environment. This pollution harms wildlife and ocean life, and emissions from fossil fuel production harm human health. 

Since we know that single-use plastic causes environmental and health problems, why are companies still using it? We can replace single-use plastic bags with reusable bags when grocery shopping. In fact, many states and cities have passed single-use plastic bags bans. Metal or compostable straws (the latest offerings don’t melt in your mouth!) can replace plastic ones.

If you’re well-versed in recycling, you’ll know that not all plastics are recyclable. The number in the “chasing arrows” symbol gives you a clue to what you can throw in your recycling bin; lower numbers such as 1 and 2 are most likely to be accepted, while higher ones are less likely. Finding out what your city accepts leads you to realize that you cannot recycle much plastic — for example, plastic film, straws and candy wrappers. 

While it would be great if it was easy to recycle all plastics, recyclable plastic has limited usage while thinner plastics’ stretchiness and flexibility make them especially helpful for uses such as preserving foods and increasing shelf life. Think of Ziploc bags or Cling Wrap, which many solid waste departments won’t accept because they can get caught in recycling machines. These products, however, cannot be made with recyclable #1 or #2 plastics which are typically denser and bulkier in nature — their function requires stretchier, thinner and less dense types of plastic.. 

Plastic holds up well in transit and its durability makes it less likely to break throughout its life. Other types of nonrecyclable plastic, such as snack wrappers or toothpaste tubes, are actually laminated with aluminum on the inside to preserve the product from the outside environment. These laminate plastics cannot be recycled because it is too difficult to separate the two materials into their pure forms. From a business’ perspective, the financial and longevity benefits of flexible and nonrecyclable plastic packaging are far too great to switch them out for recyclable plastics or other materials. 

So if companies want to use plastic, can’t they use already-recycled plastic to produce their products? Various factors, starting with China, make this solution a difficult one. The United States used to send most of its plastic waste to China, which would take it off our hands for a good price and process it. However, in 2018, China stopped accepting American plastic, forcing us to face our waste issue. Prior to this, we never had to process all our plastic waste, so the U.S. didn’t have the domestic infrastructure to recycle all the plastic produced.

Therefore, technical barriers such as lack of infrastructure coupled with the low cost of oil can make virgin plastic much cheaper than recycled plastic, especially when looking to produce high-value or clear plastics. For example, virgin high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is priced at $943 per metric ton, while recycled HDPE is priced at $1,631 per metric ton as of 2023. This gives many businesses little incentive to use some recycled plastics.

However, according to Emily Friedman, the recycled plastics senior editor for Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS), this is not true for all plastics. For example, discolored or black recycled plastic may be cheaper than their virgin counterparts, unlike clear plastics. According to Friedman, increased demand for recycled plastics will also continue to make the industry more viable.

As consumer demand for sustainability increases, public demand for recycled goods has slightly increased the amount of recycled plastic bought by businesses. Additionally, as more people recycle their plastic goods correctly, the feedstock for plastics recycling will increase the supply and make the process more feasible. The Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institutue has proposed creating a State Recycling Fund to advance consumer education, curbside recycling, and away-from-home recycling efforts. Over time, such efforts should decrease the price of recycling and make recycled plastic more affordable. 

We can also see alternatives to the use of plastics appearing. Refill stores allow customers can bring their own containers and pay for the items by quantity. Dehydrated products can be stored more easily and weigh less due to the lack of water. Amazon is replacing plastic air pillows – those plastic film bags filled with air that show up with your online orders – with recyclable alternatives like paper.

While the path to reducing plastic waste is fraught with challenges, solutions are emerging. From increased consumer demand for sustainable options to local and state-level recycling initiatives, progress is being made. However, businesses must play a larger role in transitioning to more sustainable practices, including the adoption of recycled plastics and eco-friendly alternatives. As infrastructure improves and public awareness grows, we can hope for a future where single-use plastics are a thing of the past, and the burden on our environment is significantly reduced.

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Authors

Sean Daniel Johnson

Clean Air Associate, Environment Texas Research & Policy Center

Sean Daniel helps to organize and direct efforts to curb air pollution, especially due to plastics, in the Houston area and along the gulf coast. Sean Daniel lives in the Greater Houston Area, and spends their time hiking, gardening and engaging with nature.

Monica Orozco

Summer 2024 Intern

Monica is a student at the University of Southern California and interned with Environment Texas during the summer of 2024.