The War on Plastics

By Ray Cantor, Chief Government Affairs Officer On Jun 28, 2024

Nearly 60 years ago, the movie The Graduate gave us one word of advice: “Plastics.” We were told there was a great future in plastics, and indeed there still is.

Plastics have revolutionized society. The tubing, devices, and instruments in hospitals are predominantly made from plastic. Plastics have made our cars more fuel efficient. Our high-tech world depends on plastics, from our cell phones, to laptops, to the keyboard I type this column on. Many of the toys we remember from childhood are still made today, but now most are plastic not metal.

Our modern homes are replete with plastic plumbing, as well as carpets, flooring, and wall and roofing materials. Plastic packaging keeps our food products sterile, safe, and fresh. Plastics have largely replaced glass in most containers, making delivery easier, safer, and less energy consumptive. It is hard to imagine our world without plastics.

Global plastic production was only about 20,000 tons in 1925 and rose to 2 million tons by 1950. Plastics production continued to grow exponentially to 150 million tons in 2000 and up to 370 million tons by 2019. The growth of plastics is not merely one of marketing or convenience. Plastics have significant advantages over other materials. They are lightweight and highly durable. Most importantly, plastics are malleable. They can be made into any shape, from thin films to massive and sturdy containers.

However, the proliferation of plastics has brought problems too because they are not easily recycled and end up in landfills. Even worse, many countries, including ours until recently, send plastic waste overseas to countries lacking adequate disposal facilities. Ten rivers in Asia and Africa transport 93% of plastics found in the world’s oceans, where they form large pollution masses that eventually break up into microplastics that threaten sea life. This is a real problem requiring a comprehensive solution.

Our Legislature has declared a war on plastics. We have laws banning single-use plastic bags in stores and limiting plastic straws. A recent law requires minimum recycled content in plastic containers. Pending bills would limit plastic utensils and require that all plastic packaging be reduced. 

These are mostly feel-good bills that won’t solve the problem. Instead of demonizing plastic, the Legislature should pursue a comprehensive solution, such as endorsing new advanced recycling technologies that turn plastic waste back into its molecules, allowing it to be turned back into new plastics without additional feedstock. 

But these solutions don’t fit the narrative that plastic is bad. It does, however, sound good in headlines.

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