The Plastics Paradox: Facts for a Brighter Future
I already followed the author Chris DeArmitt in LinkedIn before reading the book, he tirelessly comments on news or articles published on the platform redirecting people to check the facts. Moreover, I have seen some of my connections in social media recommending the book, so I include it in the books list I curate for Net Zero Chemistry content. Having worked in the plastics industry for years I was curious to read through the Plastics Paradox and share my take away here with you.
It is a light read that introduces the general public to the plastics in a series of chapters using catchy images, big letters and carefully selected quotes from scientific references and publications. It is easy to read, written in a simple language, it uses examples that are recognisable worldwide. One of them is the controversy around the plastic bag, which serves as thread through the book.
I agree with the author, independent life cycle analysis should be the baseline to make informed choices, although data is hard to collect. Companies must manage the task of collecting lifecycle assessment (LCA) data across many hundreds and thousands of chemical products in their portfolios. Life cycle thinking can be used to understand the contributions of the chemical industry to a more sustainable economy through the application of its products. A full life cycle analysis will help identify both the negative and positive aspects of a product or service. If you want to learn more about independent certification and LCA´s check the blog Certify it!.
Surprised to find out that plastics are the fourth waste contributor in the US and that only 9% is recycled? No. Paper and cardboard is the number one waste problem, nevertheless, its recycle rates is way higher, above 60%, which means the public acceptance towards paper and cardboard recycling is already there while for plastics there is still work to be done. I was expecting to read more about the different types of recycling possibilities, which unfortunately is not the case, perhaps I am just biased towards the topic. But if you want to learn more about it you can check the blog material efficiency.
Material efficiency in the chemical industry is all about recycling plastics… Not really, there are a lot more dimensions in the waste hierarchy that are often-overlooked emissions mitigation lever.
REDUCE > REUSE > RECYCLE > RECOVER > DISPOSAL
We must transform the linear mindset to maximise the use of waste and become circular. Nevertheless, from an economical point of view, recycling capacity is a key element to pursue in order to boost the market for recycled plastics.
I was less aware about the different microplastics sources, being the first one the washing of synthetic textiles and secondly the erosion of car tires while driving. I would definitely continue reading more about this topic.
On the other hand, I found the degradation argumentation too generic, focused only on standard plastics. Although I must quote the Degradation Rates of Plastics in the Environment study saying that despite the massive scale of waste, the literature on plastics degradation under environmental conditions is disproportionally thin.
Lastly, referring to the corruption section I would only make the comment: check the facts and inform yourself first!
Disclaimer: If you are interested in the book yourself, the image redirects you to my affiliate link
