Don’t trust the label
By: Cieara West
The green triangle recyclable label does not guarantee a plastic will in fact be recycled. According to a Comprehensive U.S. Survey of Plastics: PET #1 and HDPE #2 labeled plastics are legitimate but plastics #3-7 should be considered litter as they cannot be recycled at U.S. facilities nor at compatible facilities since China’s 2018 Sword Policy.
Greenwashing by plastics producers continues to deceive consumers that plastic is “recyclable” as defined by Federal Legislation regardless of the R.I.C. (see below). Solutions presented to congress request: shifting responsibility to the plastic producers, a new EPA defined recycle label, and an overall improved recycling system.
Consumers can easily engage in positive solutions to clean the ocean by reducing single use plastics and incorporating more plastic alternatives that are safer for the environment.
About the Writer: Cieara West writes from sunny Los Angeles, California where she spends her free time hiking and running while listening to a true crime podcast and dreaming of a clean environment.
