EU will no longer allow exports of hazardous plastics to countries like Malaysia, pictured, as of Jan. 1, 2021. Mohd Rasfan / AFP / Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
The European Union's executive branch on Tuesday announced new rules for plastic waste shipments—including a ban on some exports to poorer countries—that will take effect on January 1 as part of the bloc's Circular Economy Action Plan and European Green Deal.
<p>The changes to the bloc's 2006 Waste Shipment Regulation will apply to exports, imports, and intra-E.U. shipments of plastic waste, <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/environment/news/plastic-waste-shipments-new-eu-rules-importing-and-exporting-plastic-waste-2020-12-22_en" target="_blank">according to</a> a statement from the European Commission. Various shipments to and from the E.U.'s 27 member states will be subjected to a "prior notification and consent procedure."</p><p>Starting next year, bloc members may no longer export plastic waste that is hazardous or hard to recycle to nations that are not a part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the export of clean, non-hazardous waste to non-OECD countries will only be allowed under certain conditions laid out by the importer.</p>
<div id="f1a80" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="57b9f26a98e967fc856d98690e7880b9"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1341355128943742976" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">🆕 Milestone in the fight against #PlasticPollution
NEW 🇪🇺 rules on importing & exporting plastic waste, to
boost… https://t.co/uAabNZXTVM</div> — EU Environment (@EU Environment)<a href="https://twitter.com/EU_ENV/statuses/1341355128943742976">1608638958.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The rules come in response to a 2019 conference at which 187 countries <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/05/10/187-countries-just-took-crucial-step-stop-rich-nations-treating-global-south-dumping" target="_blank">agreed</a> to add restrictions on plastics to a 1989 United Nations treaty—a deal that was praised by public health and environmental advocates. According to the commission, "By banning the export outside the OECD of plastic waste that is difficult to recycle, the E.U. is actually going further than the requirements of the Basel Convention."</p><p>As Virginijus Sinkevičius, commissioner for environment, oceans, and fisheries, put it: "These new rules send a clear message that in the E.U. we are taking responsibility for the waste we generate."</p><p>"This is an important milestone in fighting plastic pollution, transitioning shifting to a circular economy, and achieving the aims of the European Green Deal," he said.</p><p>The German broadcaster <em>Deutsche Welle </em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/eu-bans-plastic-waste-exports-to-poor-nations/a-56033900" target="_blank">noted</a> that "the moves follow China's 2018 ban on plastic imports and statements from environmentalists that waste was ending up in other Asian nations, such as Malaysia, and then being dumped into ocean waters."</p><p>Citing Sinkevičius, <em>DW</em> added that last year, "the E.U. exported 1.5 million tons of plastic waste, mostly to Turkey and Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia."</p>
<div id="a8875" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bd8ae72b8f552f4b8f7148d2ac8bfb28"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1341816020575641601" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">This is huge. New rules will require trash importers and exporters to *agree* on how to handle hazardous shipments. https://t.co/BNZGIgb92O</div> — Rachel Cernansky (@Rachel Cernansky)<a href="https://twitter.com/rachelcernansky/statuses/1341816020575641601">1608748843.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Greenpeace Malaysia <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/43469/waste-trade-woes-plastic-waste-from-developed-countries-add-to-malaysias-environmental-crisis/" target="_blank">detailed</a> in a May report how plastic waste from developed nations is adding to the country's environmental crisis.</p><p>"When plastics are exported from one country to another they can bring with them a wide range of hazardous chemicals," explained Kevin Brigden, senior scientist of Greenpeace Research Laboratories. "Improper storage and treatment can later release these chemicals into the local environment, and burning can even generate new hazardous chemicals."</p><p>Heng Kiah Chun, a Greenpeace Malaysia campaigner, said at the time that "the illegal dumping of plastic waste from over 19 countries worldwide has left an indelible mark on Malaysia and other countries in Southeast Asia."</p><p>"Aside from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, communities in Selangor and Kedah have another invisible enemy to face—chemical contaminants that remain in our environment with the possibility of entering our food chain," the campaigner added.</p>
<div id="a5f12" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e278de1d1b8eb654dde4a24795b71fcb"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1339641918779617281" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">We must beware of false solutions and work to change the single-use culture of modern society. It's time for the… https://t.co/ULtXld98gI</div> — Greenpeace NZ (@Greenpeace NZ)<a href="https://twitter.com/GreenpeaceNZ/statuses/1339641918779617281">1608230497.0</a></blockquote></div>
<div id="b6045" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9491474b61d6b8a286b66dd964f9eae8"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1341821315930533889" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">In order to STOP polluting our earth with single-use plastic, we need robust reuse systems to be put in place.
Sig… https://t.co/H3RA23QlqS</div> — breakfreefromplastic (@breakfreefromplastic)<a href="https://twitter.com/brkfreeplastic/statuses/1341821315930533889">1608750106.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Greenpeace Germany campaigner Manfred Santen emphasized in May that exporting countries like his "must take responsibility for its wastes" and "stronger regulations are needed to drastically reduce the production of unnecessary single-use plastic packaging by multinationals like Nestle, so waste does not need to be exported in the first place."</p><p>While the new E.U. rules are designed to help stop richer countries from exploiting poorer ones, demands are still mounting worldwide for more ambitious efforts to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BreakFreeFromPlastic?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">#BreakFreeFromPlastic</a>. Warning against "<a href="https://twitter.com/GreenpeaceNZ/status/1339641918779617281" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">false solutions</a>" like biodegradable plastic production, anti-pollution campaigners continue to push for banning single-use plastic products, creating "robust reuse systems," and pursuing a <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/04/partner-content-circular-economy-event-recap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">circular economy</a>.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/23/eu-ramps-fight-against-pollution-ban-plastic-waste-exports-poorer-countries?cd-origin=rss" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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\Anastasiia Krivenok / Moment / Getty Images
Around the holidays, it's estimated that Americans throw out an extra 1 million tons of trash per week – and one of the biggest offenders of seasonal waste is single-use gift wrap.
Use the tips in this eco-friendly gift wrapping guide to cut down your environmental impact this year.
1. Wrap Boxes With Brown Paper Bags
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODEwNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTk3MjQ1OH0.lkGK1xl0bRqKuI4NcbjNtQxk1a45dFH_kYK-0hL_pT8/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C1520%2C0%2C1520&height=800" id="c2de7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d8195023cd1ceaa122ad09763ee876fb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="800" /><p>Newspaper is the old standard, but for those of us who don't receive a physical paper – or who just want to make our gifts a little more personal – recyclable paper bags work great. If you've got a stash of, say, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trader-joes-plastic-waste-2630818452.html" target="_self">Trader Joe's bags</a> taking over your cabinet, cut them flat and use the non-printed side as a canvas. Decorate with a hand-written message, drawing, or stamped design.</p>2. Reuse Cardboard Shipping Boxes
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQxOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjU1Mjg2MH0.5ZjP3o-ODvXH0fKbwEKD9inQza-qisGF5sox9AkpMLA/img.jpg?width=980" id="9c03f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a928dd386cfa9785c06a8b3118f9fe6b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="6000" data-height="4000" /><p>Using your delivery parcels instead of store-bought gift boxes is one of the easiest eco-friendly gift wrapping swaps you can make. Likely, this year you'll be doing more <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/online-shopping-brick-mortar-eco-friendly-2247525362.html" target="_self">online shopping</a> than risking crowded stores, which means many items will come in a perfect-sized box that's ready for wrapping. Just don't forget to recycle or compost all of that cardboard after Christmas morning.</p>3. Upcycle Other Shipping Supplies
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ4My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMjkxNDA0Mn0.z7aKpl6Vz7y7-oaFUG1zYzFbffG10-pcIB-mU_pOp2E/img.jpg?width=980" id="6094e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3835fe812cc589bc0fe1ec1af3a21128" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="3024" data-height="2016" /><p>Boxes aren't the only thing you can reuse from your online purchases. Throughout the year, save the tissue paper sheets and brown or white packing paper companies often use to ship their products. Then, when the holidays come around, you'll have your eco-friendly gift wrap ready to go. The reflective bubble wrap you may receive in your <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/best-meal-delivery-service-2648715336.html" target="_self">meal delivery service</a> makes for great festive wrapping, too. </p>4. Make Your Own Stamps
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ0MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDMzOTIzMH0.KmPzag9aTA7Rcjat1VYG3KS_Mf4ohwHQXwK1lrdIMOw/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0&height=800" id="84efc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="174c01a0adf5877b937353a0e4b0386d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="800" /><p>Of course, not all packages come in a box. Padded envelopes are another popular way to ship small items. Before recycling, repurpose bubble-lined mailers into stamps. You can cut out holiday shapes like stars and gingerbread men, or paint individual bubbles different colors to create fun polka-dot patterns. You can even make it extra sustainable by using crushed up berries for ink.</p>5. Add Natural Festive Touches
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ1MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyODQ4NTE0N30.QPH7jTcTlKfQZc_2aZO08F3ptQUbf1Lor_szK0gKq9Q/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C1440%2C0%2C1440&height=800" id="22df4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="811c947ee0010c432f2a1798d7845155" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="800" /><p>Rather than use a shiny plastic bow, go au naturale with tree branches, cotton buds, cinnamon sticks, small pinecones, rosemary, fallen leaves, or whatever else you can sustainably source in your area. The easiest way to gather eco-friendly gift garnishes is to clip sprigs off your own <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/real-or-fake-christmas-tree-2641614012.html" target="_self">Christmas tree</a>, but you can also pick some off the ground at your neighborhood tree lot or get scraps from local farms.</p>6. Swap Paper for Fabric Gift Wrap
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="490c93b9dc835241815ffb3c0afc1b1a"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rxl0X2F2Jiw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Make your eco-friendly gift wrapping part of your present by opting for a scarf, shawl, pocket square, or handkerchief over traditional paper. As the above video shows, it takes just seconds to package items using the Furoshiki method of fabric wrapping – and you don't even need to box the item beforehand, which cuts out another piece of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/waste-free-holiday-2641562236.html" target="_self">holiday waste</a>.</p>7. Use Biodegradable Paper Tape
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ3MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1OTkwMDQ5Nn0.wkjMReu4YTscu60WiK6Dwb4N7tusVZz4JxFqPX8WySY/img.jpg?width=980" id="f2b88" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9bc225e154f806bb190d83e6acd6fa9d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="3000" data-height="2007" /><p>A not-so-obvious source of holiday waste is what holds your packaging together: single-use plastic tape. For eco-friendly gift wrapping, consider using compostable paper tape or washi tape. These biodegradable alternatives are made with wood fibers, pulp, or bark and natural adhesives. They come in a multitude of patterns and colors – including plain brown – and you can even find festive rolls coated with <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/uk-retailers-glitter-ban-christmas-2648228675.html" target="_self">sustainable glitter</a>.</p>8. Ditch the Tape Altogether
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ae8e240fc389d37f7f0facf88dd1082e"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7TA4Whui_xA?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>You don't have to be an origami pro to learn the art of tape-free gift wrapping. As you can see in the video above, it's pretty simple to fold your wrapping paper into itself and secure your gift with no tape required. If you <em>do </em>happen to be an origami pro (or if all the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/social-distancing-celebrations-2645538300.html" target="_self">holiday cheer</a> has left you optimistically ambitious), there are ways to incorporate <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccL-e0zJG8w" target="_blank">fun folds</a> into your wrapping, too.</p>9. Turn Old Clothes Into Ribbons and Bows
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ3Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NTc0MTQ3Mn0.IWybrXLdL_z-6QXh4auuvyv0sbUCa0BjILbm_G1ZvPk/img.jpg?width=980" id="a17e4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ac16e3a0c4b5de2717b22e8872b3e799" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="6000" data-height="4000" /><p>Button-down shirts, flannels, or even T-shirts you no longer need can be upcycled into reusable fabric ribbons and bows. Cut strips as thin or as thin as you'd like, then tie them around your boxes to add some color and texture to your gifts. You can sew around the outside for a more durable ribbon, or leave the frayed edges for a rustic feel.</p>10. Tie Gifts Up With Compostable Twine
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ1OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MjgzNjcwOX0.zdFSHdFZd1u5zJFMurETn7UZWxROQQBu_UixG4L56bY/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C1376%2C0%2C1376&height=800" id="d6faa" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3b213b586ab133aadd3960b4b3cbca9e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="800" /><p>Don't have any clothing you're willing to part with? You're not totally out of luck. Many thin ropes and twines are made from organic cotton, hemp, and other natural fibers that can be reused as eco-friendly gift wrapping year after year or composted after use.</p>11. Look Through Old Household Items
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODQ3My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MTg1NDkyN30.rerLN_d5X_D0AhYpooxPe5oewX3lUBB87kV3A4vBxfc/img.jpg?width=980" id="50ab1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="48d8b9e5b27b8877cf7905159f1eb6bf" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="3000" data-height="2000" /><p>You probably have many items lying around that can be used as unconventional yet beautiful eco-friendly gift wrapping materials for smaller gifts. The outdated road maps cluttering your glove compartment, books on the shelf you'll never read again, and sheet music collecting dust after your child quit the middle-school band can all be given a second life around the holidays.</p>FAQ: Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping
<p><strong>Is wrapping paper recyclable?</strong></p><p>Some wrapping paper is recyclable, and some is not. If it's metallic, has glitter on it, is textured, or has a waxy coating, it can't be recycled. However, plain, unlaminated wrapping papers are usually able to be recycled. Check with your local waste management agency to see specific guidelines for your area.</p> <p><strong>Is tissue paper recyclable?</strong></p><p>Because most tissue paper is made with low-grade paper, it is not typically recyclable. However, some recycling facilities may accept it, so be sure to check with your local waste management agency. Thankfully, tissue paper tends to hold up well year after year, so it can be reused for many holiday seasons.</p> <p><strong>How do you wrap a gift?</strong></p><p>Wrapping gifts is like riding a bike: once you learn, you'll never forget it – but there may be some ugly moments along the way. Check out the video below to learn the basics of wrapping presents (but make sure you implement our eco-friendly gift wrapping ideas, too).</p>Watch this video on how to gift wrap a box:
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ffdda9fd0538c28037dd807fdc02791f"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l_pp-1qu9Ig?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>From Your Site Articles
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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Artist's impression of an Othalo community, imagined by architect Julien De Smedt. Othalo
By Victoria Masterson
Using one of the world's problems to solve another is the philosophy behind a Norwegian start-up's mission to develop affordable housing from 100% recycled plastic.
<p>Since 1950, more than nine billion tonnes of plastic have been produced globally, of which only 9% is recycled, according to <a href="https://www.othalo.com/october-5-press-release-norwegian-c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">building tech company Othalo</a>, while almost a billion people live in slums.</p><p>It has partnered with <a href="https://unhabitat.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UN-Habitat</a> – the United Nations program for human settlements and sustainable urban development – to create components to build three demonstration homes to help tackle Africa's housing shortage.</p>
<p>"In sub-Saharan Africa alone, the immediate need for low-cost housing is 160 million units," the company says.</p><p>This is expected to increase to 360 million by 2050 as a result of rapid urbanization. But with today's plastic waste, Othalo believes more than one billion houses can be built.</p><p>In 2021, the first factory producing elements such as partitions for walls, ceilings and floors from recycled plastic will be built in Kenya.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="915a481fc53353483c30c0c161b10097"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uu0inpxmCzw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
Sustainable Homes
<p>UN-Habitat says an <a href="https://unhabitat.org/un-habitat-aims-to-use-plastic-waste-to-support-housing-for-all" target="_blank">estimated 60% of people living in urban areas of Africa are in informal settlements</a>. At the same time, between 1990 and 2017, African countries imported around 230 metric tonnes of plastic, "which mostly ended up in dump sites creating a massive environmental challenge," the agency adds.</p><p>UN-Habitat deputy executive director, Victor Kisob, said the aim of the partnership with Othalo was to "promote adequate, sustainable and affordable housing for all."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0NDc5NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTYzNjYzNH0.2CbfdMTXXQP4Vmie56i-OgiW69VgLHRXL8ky4qI48Ng/img.png?width=980" id="78bba" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d53bddf04ac55d4eda2bc1690954fe4d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1640" data-height="916" />
Artist's impression of an Othalo community, imagined by architect Julien De Smedt. Othalo
<p>Othalo's process involves shredding plastic waste and mixing it with other elements, including non-flammable materials. Components are used to build up to four floors, with a home of 60 square metres using eight tons of recycled plastic. A factory with one production line can produce 2,800 housing units annually.</p><p>Following successful laboratory tests, Othalo's factory in Estonia has started producing components to build three demonstration homes for Kenya's capital, Nairobi; Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon and Dakar, the capital of Senegal.</p><p>Othalo founder Frank Cato Lahti has been developing and testing the technology since 2016 in partnership with <a href="https://www.sintef.no/en/" target="_blank">SINTEF</a>, a 70-year-old independent research organization in Trondheim, Norway, and experts at Norway's <a href="https://en.uit.no/startsida" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of Tromsø</a>.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0NDgwNS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjQwNjc4OH0.Gt1tcWTTglKeGrsxBC9C1YxZfBMYbr5gSw7J-JB07ew/img.png?width=980" id="d0165" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ebfc38fb8b318b7709ff1fa213b4efa7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1232" data-height="914" />
Othalo founder Frank Cato Lahti. Othalo
<p>Almost <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html" target="_blank">seven out of every 10 people in the world are expected to live in urban areas by 2050</a>. More than 90% of this growth will take place in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.</p><p>"In the absence of effective urban planning, the consequences of this rapid urbanization will be dramatic," UN-Habitat warns.</p><p>Lack of proper housing and growth of slums, inadequate and outdated infrastructure, escalating poverty and unemployment, and pollution and health issues, are just some of the effects.</p><p>Mindsets, policies, and approaches towards urbanization need to change for the growth of cities and urban areas to be turned into opportunities that will leave nobody behind, UN-Habitat says.</p>Pioneers of Change
<p>Reimagining cities and communities for greater resilience and sustainability was a key topic at the<a href="https://www.weforum.org/events/pioneers-of-change-summit-2020" target="_blank"> World Economic Forum's Pioneers of Change Summit 2020</a>.</p><p>The digital event brought together innovators and stakeholders from around the world to explore solutions to the challenges facing enterprises, governments and society.</p><p>Opening the summit, <a href="https://www.weforum.org/events/pioneers-of-change-summit-2020/sessions/opening-plenary-8f731cbc65" target="_blank">Stephan Mergenthaler, the Forum's Head of Strategic Intelligence and a member of the Executive Committee</a>, said: "We need to change the way we produce, the way we live and interact in our cities to make this transition to net-zero emissions a reality…</p><p>"And as this year has illustrated so dramatically, we need to make every effort that we keep populations healthy, if we want to avoid jeopardizing all this progress."</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/11/un-africa-recycled-plastic-housing/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649069252#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
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A new study finds that glass bottles, particularly ones for carbonated drinks, are worse than plastic for the environment.
bhofack2 / Getty Images
bhofack2 / Getty Images
Glass bottles could have an even bigger impact on the environment than plastic ones, a new study has found.
<p>Researchers at the University of Southampton in England set out to determine which common beverage containers cause the most and least harm to the environment. They found that glass is actually more detrimental than plastic because it is mined from rare materials and requires more <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_self">fossil fuels</a> to produce and ship.</p><p>"It might come as a surprise, but glass bottles actually ranked last in our analysis," study coauthors Alice Brock and Ian Williams wrote in <a href="https://theconversation.com/ranked-the-environmental-impact-of-five-different-soft-drink-containers-149642" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. "You might instinctively reach for a glass bottle to avoid buying a plastic alternative, but glass takes more resources and energy to produce."</p><p>In a study published in <a href="https://digital.detritusjournal.com/articles/in-press/life-cycle-assessment-of-beverage-packaging/368" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Detritus</a>, Brock and Williams investigated the most and least impactful container options for three beverage types: milk, fruit juice and pressurized fizzy drinks. In order to determine each container's impact, Brock and Williams conducted life cycle assessments and compared the containers based on several indicators of environmental harm, including their contribution to global warming, depletion of resources and impact on human health and terrestrial and marine environments.</p>
<p>For each type of beverage, Brock and Williams were then able to rank the containers from most to least harmful.</p><ol><li>Fizzy Drinks: Glass bottles were the most harmful and 100 percent recycled aluminum cans were the least. In between, from most to least impactful, came recycled glass bottles, plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and non-recycled aluminum cans.</li><li>Fruit Juice: Glass bottles were again the most harmful and <a href="https://www.tetrapak.com/solutions/packaging" target="_blank">Tetra Paks</a> were the least. In between came recycled glass bottles and PET bottles.</li><li>Milk: Glass was the most impactful and cartons were the least. In between were recycled glass bottles and high-density polythene (HDPE) plastic bottles.</li></ol><p>While each beverage category had a least impactful option, the researchers noted that even the minimally impactful choices still caused harm. Non-recycled aluminum cans, for example, ranked high for having toxic impacts on marine environments despite being the second-least impactful fizzy drink container type overall.</p>
<p><br>"All beverage packaging that we assessed showed some form of environmental impacts and both the milk carton and Tetra Pak, despite being less impactful than the plastic bottles, still contain plastic elements," Brock said in a University of Southampton press release emailed to EcoWatch. "Based on the evidence, society needs to move away from single-use beverage packaging in order to reduce environmental harm and embrace the regular everyday use of reusable containers as standard practice."</p><p>That said, there is a difference between the most and least impactful options. Glass bottles contributed about 95 percent more to the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a> than aluminum cans, the study authors noted in The Conversation. Still, Brock and Williams said the message of their research went beyond individual consumer choice.</p><p>"We hope our study will help inform public and commercial debate over the suitability of some types of packaging that we all use in our daily lives and lead to swift and decisive changes in the drinks industry to find more environmentally friendly alternatives as a matter of some urgency," Williams said in the press release.</p>
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A new study finds plastic pollution increases ocean acidification. Placebo365 / Getty Images
A new study finds that plastic water bottles submerged three weeks at sea contained more detrimental bacteria than seawater, creating conditions that lead to ocean acidification.
<p>In the <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201106093018.htm" target="_blank">study</a>, published last week in the journal <em>Marine Pollution Bulletin</em>, international scientists concluded that <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastics" target="_blank">plastic pollution,</a> particularly single-use plastic water bottles, collected harmful bacteria and microorganisms, which flourish in carbon dioxide-rich environments. </p><p>Increased levels of CO2 in the world's oceans are one of the causes of<a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/blog/6119/what-is-coral-what-are-the-causes-impacts-and-solutions-of-coral-bleaching/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> coral bleaching</a>, and rising carbon levels have accelerated the climate crisis. The Great Barrier Reef, the largest system of corals in the world, is now <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2020/10/14/great-barrier-reef-coral-died-travel-orig-ch.cnn/video/playlists/travel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">50 percent bleached</a>. </p><p>The study also found that beneficial bacteria, an important part of the <a href="https://airs.jpl.nasa.gov/resources/156/fast-carbon-cycle/" target="_blank">carbon cycle</a>, were adversely affected.</p>
<p>"Discarded plastic drinking bottles have become a common sight in our oceans and we were expecting to see them being colonized by different types of bacteria," said Dr. Ben Harvey, assistant professor at the University of Tsukuba's Shimoda Marine Research Center, and an author of the study.</p><p>As part of the experiment, the plastic bottles were immersed near Shikine, a Japanese island close to carbon dioxide seeps, where CO2 evaporates into the seawater. This condition is expected to materialize more in subsequent years. </p><p>"It was surprising to see the extent of that change and how the raised levels affected species differently. To see beneficial species dwindling while harmful species thrive is an obvious present and future cause for concern," said Harvey. </p>
<p>In addition to coral bleaching, ocean acidification is often a driver in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/biodiversity" target="_blank">biodiversity</a> loss, with <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ocean-acidification/effects-ocean-and-coastal-acidification-ecosystems" target="_blank">disrupted food webs</a> threatening species.</p><p>"Up to 13 million tons of plastics from land end up in the oceans each year and they have been shown to affect all types and sizes of marine species," said senior author of the study Jason Hall-Spencer, a professor of marine biology at the University of Plymouth.</p><p>Without coral reefs, starfish, sea urchin and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sea-turtles" target="_self">sea turtle</a> populations shrink, for example. Plus, acidification can cause sharks' scales and teeth to <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ocean-acidification-could-eat-away-at-sharks-teeth-and-scales/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">erode</a>. And deep-sea life such as whales and rays face less prey to find.</p><p>Hall-Spencer, however, remains hopeful.<br></p><p>"It is... within our power to change cultures so that litter created on land does not become an environmental hazard in our oceans, both now and for future generations."</p>
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A new study considers the amount plastic the U.S. ships abroad, to places such as Hong Kong. Nick Mallos / Ocean Conservancy
The U.S. is the No. 1 generator of plastic waste in the world and as high as the No. 3 generator of ocean plastic waste.
<p>That's the finding of a new study published in <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/44/eabd0288" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Science Advances last Friday</a> that sought to paint a more accurate picture of the U.S. contribution to the plastic crisis. While previous studies had suggested that Asian countries were responsible for the bulk of ocean plastics, the new study upends this assumption by taking into account the plastic that the U.S. ships abroad.</p>
<p>"For years, so much of the plastic we have put into the blue bin has been exported for recycling to countries that struggle to manage their own waste, let alone the vast amounts delivered from the United States," lead author and Sea Education Association professor of oceanography Dr. Kara Lavender Law said in a press release emailed to EcoWatch. "And when you consider how much of our plastic waste isn't actually <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/recycling" target="_self">recyclable</a> because it is low-value, contaminated or difficult to process, it's not surprising that a lot of it ends up polluting the environment."</p><p>It has long been known that the U.S. produces lots and lots of plastic, but the assumption was that this plastic was being effectively managed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA), for example, reports that 75.4 percent of plastic waste is landfilled, 15.3 percent is incinerated and 9.3 percent is recycled, which suggests that all U.S. plastic is accounted for. But this does not take into account illegal littering or what happens once plastic is collected for recycling, the study authors pointed out. A 2010 study ranked the U.S. 20th in terms of its overall contribution to ocean plastic pollution. But that study also did not consider the plastic that the U.S. exported to developing countries.</p>
<p>The new analysis concluded that the U.S. generated around 42 million metric tons of plastic in 2016. Of the U.S. plastic collected for recycling, more than half of it was shipped abroad, and 88 percent of that was to countries that struggle to adequately recycle. Further, 15 to 25 percent of it was contaminated or poor quality plastic that would be extremely difficult to recycle anyway. These figures mean that the U.S. is polluting coasts in foreign countries with as much as one million tons of plastic.<br></p><p>Further, the paper estimated that between 0.98 and 1.26 million metric tons of plastic were either littered or illegally dumped within the U.S. In total, the authors estimated that the U.S. added as many as 2.25 million metric tons of plastic to the environment in 2016 and up to 1.5 million metric tons of plastic to coastal ecosystems. Using the upper estimates for plastic waste, this would put the U.S. at No. 3 in terms of overall contribution to marine plastic pollution.</p>
<p>"Previous research has provided global values for plastic input into the environment and coastal areas, but detailed analyses like this one are important for individual countries to further assess their contributions," study coauthor and Distinguished Professor at the University of Georgia's College of Engineering Dr. Jenna Jambeck said in the press release. "In the case of the United States, it is critically important that we examine our own backyard and take responsibility for our global plastic footprint."</p><p>The study was based on 2016 plastic waste data from both the World Bank and additional U.S. data and was collected and analyzed by the Sea Education Association, DSM Environmental Services, the University of Georgia and the <a href="https://oceanconservancy.org/" target="_blank">Ocean Conservancy</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://secure.greenpeaceusa.org/protect-2020/?&utm_source=website&utm_medium=takeover&utm_campaign=protect_2020" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Greenpeace</a>, which was not involved in the study, noted in a press release emailed to EcoWatch that many of the same authors had contributed to a <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/347/6223/768" target="_blank">2015 study</a> that also looked at the sources of ocean plastic pollution. That study, Greenpeace argued, had been misinterpreted by corporations and governments to put the blame for the ocean plastic crisis on Asian countries.</p><p>"For years, corporations and governments in the Global North have scapegoated countries in Asia for the plastic pollution crisis," Greenpeace USA Global Plastics project leader Graham Forbes said in the press release. "This comprehensive study now reveals that the United States has generated more plastic waste than any other country, and an enormous amount of that is ending up in our environment. This proves that the recycling infrastructure argument we see from industry is a ruse. Plastic producers and major consumer goods companies have argued that if we just build up recycling infrastructure in Africa and Asia, then we can continue churning out single-use plastic. The U.S. has a relatively robust waste infrastructure, yet an estimated five times as much plastic pollution entered the oceans in 2016 than in 2010. The U.S. needs to stop blaming other countries for its problem and give up its addiction to single-use plastic."</p><p><em>Correction: </em><em>An earlier version of this article mistakenly said that the U.S. was the leading generator of plastic pollution. In fact, the U.S. was the leading generator of plastic waste, defined as the total amount of plastic that needs to be disposed of, but does not necessarily enter the environment. Plastic pollution refers only to mismanaged plastic waste that does enter the environment.</em></p>
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Researchers have discovered a link between air pollution, food delivery and plastic waste. Sorapop / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered a link between air pollution, food delivery and plastic waste.
<p>In a study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-020-00961-1" target="_blank">Nature Human Behavior</a>, the researchers found that the more polluted air outside is, the more likely office employees are to use food delivery services. This, in turn, increases the waste produced from single-use food packaging and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-bags" target="_self">bags</a>.</p><p>"While we see more research on the impact plastic pollution is having on the natural environment, there has been less work trying to understand the human behaviour that drives plastic pollution," Alberto Salvo, one of the study's authors, said in an <a href="https://news.nus.edu.sg/research/air-pollution-drives-food-delivery-consumption-and-plastic-waste" target="_blank">NUS news release</a>. "This is where our study seeks to contribute – finding a strong causal link between air pollution and plastic waste through the demand for food delivery."</p>
<p>The study surveyed the lunch choices of 251 office workers for 11 workdays each in three Chinese cities known for having levels of smog – Beijing, Shenyang and Shijiazhuang, the release explained. They also looked at data from an online food delivery platform with over 350,000 users. By comparing both datasets with air pollution data during the lunch hour, NUS researchers found that employees were 43% more likely to order food delivery when there was a 100 μg m–3 increase in particulate matter pollution (PM2.5), <a href="https://www.ibtimes.com/how-air-pollution-can-increase-food-deliveries-plastic-waste-3065010" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">International Business Times (IBT)</a> reported. By contrast, the general public was 7.2% more likely to use food delivery services with the same increase in air pollution.</p>
<p>PM is the most common indicator for air pollution, and includes nitrates, ammonia, sulfate, mineral dust and black carbon, the news report explained. According to the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World Health Organization (WHO)</a>, PM affects more people than any other pollutant, and PM2.5, or fine particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the blood system. Chronic exposure to particles contributes to the development of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/air-pollution-deaths-study-2648424420.html" target="_self">cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and lung cancer</a>, the WHO said.</p><p>During the lunchtime periods surveyed by NUS researchers, PM2.5 levels were often well above the 24-hour U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 35 μg/m³, making pollution highly visible, the NUS release said.</p><p>"Faced with smog or haze outside, a typical office worker at lunchtime can avoid exposure only by ordering food to be delivered to his or her doorstep," said NUS researcher Chu Junhong in the NUS release.</p>
<p>Chu also explained in the release why air pollution seemed to have a smaller impact on food delivery in the general public than in workers, because people try to avoid the outdoors on a polluted day by using a home kitchen or eating at a cafeteria within their office building.</p><p>In a second part of the study, office workers submitted photos of their lunches, which researchers used to quantify the amount of disposable plastic in different dining choices, explained an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7M8AFvBEoE" target="_blank">NUS Business School video</a>.</p><p>Not surprisingly, researchers found that delivered meals used more plastic than meals eaten in restaurants. The average delivered meal used an average of 2.8 single-use plastic items or an estimated 54 grams of plastic, the video explained. By comparison, the average restaurant meal used an average of 6.6 grams of plastic, usually in the form of chopstick sleeves or bottles.</p>
<p>COVID-19 has <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/coronavirus-plastic-use-2645882816.html" target="_self">exacerbated the problem</a> by increasing the demand for delivered meals, which are usually packaged in plastic, the video explained.</p><p>According to the research, if all of China were exposed to a 100 μg/m³ PM2.5 increase in air pollution, the same as Beijing regularly experiences, 2.5 million more meals would be delivered daily, creating a total of five million more plastic food containers and plastic bags, reported <a href="https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/27790/20201020/air-pollution-causes-people-choose-food-delivery-services-resulting-plastic.htm" target="_blank">Science Times</a>.</p><p>NUS Researcher Liu Haoming said, "Individuals protect themselves from – and show their distaste for – air pollution by ordering food delivery which often comes in plastic packaging," in the NUS release.</p><p>IBT concluded that the study shows how people inadvertently contribute to the increasing plastic waste issues because they are trying to avoid air pollution. Liu added in the NUS release that the study makes it evident that "air pollution control can reduce plastic waste."</p><p>The findings could apply to other polluted developing nation-cities, such as Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Vietnam, he said in the release.</p>
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What happened to all that plastic you've put in the recycling bin over the years? Halfpoint / Getty Images
By Dr. Kate Raynes-Goldie
Of all the plastic we've ever produced, only 9% has been recycled. So what happened to all that plastic you've put in the recycling bin over the years?
<p>Hands up if you grew up thinking that recycling plastic waste is key to saving the environment.</p><p>It turns out that for decades <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled" target="_blank">the recyclability of plastics was grossly oversold</a> by the plastics industry.</p><p>The creation of this recycling "myth" is why, despite 30 years of being diligent recyclers, we have things like the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/" target="_blank">Great Pacific Garbage Patch</a>.</p><blockquote>In fact, we've only recycled 9% of <em>all</em> the plastics we've ever produced. And, our use of plastics is still increasing every year.</blockquote><p>The reality of the situation is that recycling plastics is actually really hard and expensive.</p>
Triangle of Mistruths
<p>The myth created around plastic recycling has been one of simplicity. We look for the familiar triangle arrows, then pop the waste in the recycling bin so it can be reused.</p><p>But the true purpose of those triangles has been misunderstood by the general public ever since their invention in the 1980s.</p><p>These triangles were actually created by the plastics industry and, according to a report provided to them in July 1993, <a href="https://www.npr.org/transcripts/912150085" target="_blank">were creating "unrealistic expectations"</a> about what could be recycled. But they decided to keep using the codes.</p><p>Which is why many people still believe that these triangular symbols (also known as a <a href="https://sustainablepackaging.org/101-resin-identification-codes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">resin identifier code</a> or RIC) means something is recyclable.</p><p>But according to the American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM) – which controls the RIC system – the numbered triangles "<a href="https://www.astm.org/Standards/D7611.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">are not recycle codes</a>." In fact, they weren't created for the general public at all. They were made for the post-consumer plastic industry.</p><p>In other words, the symbols make it easier to sort the different types of plastics, some of which cannot be recycled – <a href="https://www.ecobin.com.au/understand-recycling-codes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">depending on the recycling facility</a>.</p><p>"Unfortunately, just placing your plastic into the recycling bin doesn't mean it will get recycled," says Lara Camilla Pinho. She is an architect and lecturer at the UWA School of Design who is researching novel uses of plastic waste.</p><p>"The recycling system is complicated and often dictated by market demand. Not all plastic is recyclable. We cannot recycle plastic bags or straws for example."</p>Behind the Scenes
<p>So, what makes recycling plastics so difficult?</p><p>"Essentially, there are two types of plastics – thermoplastics and thermosets. While thermoplastics can be re-melted and re-molded, thermosets contain cross-linked polymers that cannot be separated meaning they cannot be recycled," says Lara.</p><p>"Even thermoplastics have a limit to the amount of times we can recycle them, as each time they are recycled they downgrade in quality."</p><p>Even when plastics are recyclable, it is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/13/war-on-plastic-waste-faces-setback-as-cost-of-recycled-material-soars" target="_blank">often more costly</a> than simply making new plastics.</p>Sugar, Seaweed and Mushrooms
<p>If the conventional recycling system isn't working, what else can we do with all the plastic we've created?</p><p>Lara is looking for ways to add value to recycled plastics such as using it in the design and development of architectural products. She hopes to use these architectural products to help underserved communities that are disproportionately affected by plastic waste.</p><p>In addition to recycling, we also need to find ways to reduce our use of virgin petroleum-based plastics.</p><p>Bioplastic is one such product that has been getting a lot of hype over the last few years. And although they're better than petroleum-based plastics, bioplastics also come with their own <a href="https://phys.org/news/2017-12-truth-bioplastics.html" target="_blank">set of challenges</a>.</p><p>"There are already a lot of bio-based alternatives to plastic, such as bagasse – a byproduct of sugar cane processing," says Lara.</p><p><a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-mycelium-revolution-is-upon-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mycelium</a>, a type of fungi we most often associate with mushrooms, are also providing an interesting plastic alternative.</p><p>"In the field of architecture, mycelium is starting to be used as an alternative to plastic insulation, but also as compostable packaging and bricks," says Lara.</p><p>"The bricks take around five days to make and are strong, durable, water resistant and compostable at the end of their use."</p><p><a href="https://www.arup.com/news-and-events/hyfi-reinvents-the-brick" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hy-Fi Tower</a>, created by <a href="http://www.thelivingnewyork.com/living_about.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Living</a>, is an example of a building made from these bricks.</p><p>And finally, there's seaweed.</p><p>"[Seaweed is] cheap and can reproduce itself quickly without fertilizers. In architecture, there is use for seaweed as an alternative to plastic insulation but also as cladding," says Lara.</p>More Money, More Problems
<p>While all these alternatives are great, the main cause of our plastic dilemma is not scientific or technological, but economic.</p><p>As long as it remains <a href="https://engineering.mit.edu/engage/ask-an-engineer/why-is-it-cheaper-to-make-new-plastic-bottles-than-to-recycle-old-ones/" target="_blank">cheaper to create new plastics</a> from fossil fuels rather than from bioplastics or from recycling, we're going to be stuck with plastic garbage islands floating in our oceans.</p><p>The true cost to our health and our environment has yet to be included in the equation. But once it is, maybe that is when the real shift will happen.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Study Finds Synthetic Clothes Contributed 4,000 Metric Tons of Plastic Microfibers in California
19 October 2020
Climate
These microfibers, smaller than five millimeters, are shed when synthetic clothes are washed. Cris Cantón / Getty Images
A new study from the University of California at Santa Barbara has found that synthetic clothes released about 4,000 metric tons of plastic microfibers into California's environment in 2019.
<p><br/></p>
<p>For context, that's about 80 million plastic rubber ducks in California, or 130,000 times as many stars as there are in the Milky Way galaxy, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/16/plastic-waste-microfibers-california-study" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported. The Guardian received exclusive access to this study, although it has not been peer-reviewed or published.</p><p>These microfibers, smaller than five millimeters, are shed when synthetic clothes are washed, including "yoga pants, stretchy jeans and fleece jackets" the Guardian reported.</p><p>To determine how many microfibers are shed in a given year, researchers calculated how many synthetic materials consumers bought with how many loads of laundry people did. The data also calculated how many microfibers were released in each wash. Researchers combined those numbers with public data on sludge and wastewater management in California to reach 4,000 metric tons. These microfibers then make their way into the state's water and land, The Guardian reported.</p>
<p>Those numbers might alarm consumers. According to <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/10/17/study-finds-huge-pollution-from-microfibers-in-californias-oceans/amp/" target="_blank">The New York Post</a>, a recent study in <em><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0194970" target="_blank">PLoS One</a></em> found that the average person inadvertently consumes more than 5,800 microfiber particles — every year.</p><p>While wastewater plants have the ability to prevent microfibers from entering waterways, they are ultimately delaying the process. Wastewater treatment facilities tend to combine what they capture with treated sewage, which is eventually spread on agricultural fields. The microfibers then run off back into the waterways, The Guardian reported.</p><p>"So we're changing it from an ocean problem to a land problem," Roland Geyer, an industrial ecologist at UC Santa Barbara who collaborated on the report, told The Guardian. "Rather than removing the fibers, we've just moved their location."</p>
<p>Studies that quantify microplastics in the environment help play a vital role in regulating them. For example, <a href="https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/06/16/california-becomes-first-state-to-define-microplastics-in-water-1293744" target="_blank">Politico</a> reported that California's State Water Resources Control Board recently approved a decision to make it the first state to define microplastics. The board will propose testing methods by July 2021; it will require water suppliers to report their microplastic levels for four years once a testing protocol is agreed upon.</p><p>Global production of synthetic fibers around the world is predicted to triple by 2050, The New York Post reported.</p>
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A new study has found that the ocean floor contains nearly 15.5 tons of microplastics. Tunatura / Getty Images
Microplastics can be found everywhere from Antarctica to the Pyrenees. A significant amount of plastic waste ends up in the ocean, but very little has been known about how much ends up on the ocean floor — until now.
<p>A new study has found that the ocean floor contains nearly 15.5 tons of microplastics, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/06/world/microplastics-oceans-14-million-metric-tons-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>Researchers from Australia's government science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), examined microplastics on the ocean floor near the Great Australian Bight, a large expanse that comprises the bulk of the country's southwest coastline.</p><p>The researchers used a robotic submarine to gather and analyze samples taken from six locations up to 236 miles off the coast, and up to almost 10,000 feet deep, reported CNN.</p>
<p>The results, which were published Monday in <em><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.576170/full#B54" target="_blank">Frontiers in Marine Science</a></em>, revealed about 35 times more plastic at the bottom of the ocean than floating at the surface. In 51 samples taken between March and April 2017, researchers found an average of 1.26 microplastic pieces per gram of sediment, a concentration that's up to 25 times greater than any previous deep-sea study, CNN reported.</p><p>"Plastic pollution that ends up in the ocean deteriorates and breaks down, ending up as microplastics," Justine Barrett from CSIRO's Oceans and Atmosphere, who led the study, said in a statement in CNN. "The results show microplastics are indeed sinking to the ocean floor."</p><p>Dr. Denise Hardesty, a principal research scientist at CSIRO and a co-author of the research, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/06/more-than-14m-tonnes-of-plastic-believed-to-be-at-the-bottom-of-the-ocean" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> that finding microplastics in such remote locations and depths reveals the extent of global plastic pollution.</p>
<p>"This means it's throughout the water column. This gives us pause for thought about the world we live in and the impact of our consumer habits on what's considered a most pristine place," Dr. Hardesty told The Guardian. "We need to make sure the big blue is not a big trash pit. This is more evidence that we need to stop this at the source."</p><p>The World Economic Forum has estimated that an<a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_New_Plastics_Economy.pdf" target="_blank"> entire garbage truck full of plastic</a> is dumped into the ocean every minute, every day, <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/10/05/micro-plastics-ocean-floor/" target="_blank">The New Daily</a> reported.</p>
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A new super enzyme feeds on the type of plastic that water and soda bottles are made of, polyethylene terephthalate (PET). zoff-photo / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Scientists are on the brink of scaling up an enzyme that devours plastic. In the latest breakthrough, the enzyme degraded plastic bottles six times faster than previous research achieved, as The Guardian reported.
<p>This new super-enzyme is able to break down plastic at room temperature, setting it apart from the enzyme that the French company Carbios discovered in April. As <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/mutant-enzyme-recycles-plastic-2645686207.html" target="_self">EcoWatch</a> reported at the time, the Carbios enzyme started to work when the plastic was heated to 65 to 72 degrees Celsius, or 149 to 161 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the range when plastic bottles start to soften and melt.</p><p>The researchers worked doggedly to reengineer the enzymes of an enzyme first discovered in Japan in 2016. The scientists published their results Monday in the <em><a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/09/23/2006753117" target="_blank">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a></em>. In the paper, they describe how the bacterium Idoenella sakaiensis produces two enzymes that thrive by consuming plastic bottles, according to <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/scientists-created-an-enzyme-cocktail-that-eats-plastic-1845206488" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gizmodo</a>.</p>
<p>The research holds tremendous promise for tackling the plastic waste crisis since the enzyme feeds on the type of plastic that water and soda bottles are made of, polyethylene terephthalate (PET). That type of plastic can take hundreds of years to degrade. The enzyme that the researchers enhanced can break the plastic down in just a few days, according to John McGeehan, the director of the Center for Enzyme Innovation at the University of Portsmouth in the UK, as <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/28/plastic-eating-super-enzyme-may-key-beating-pollution/" target="_blank">The Telegraph</a> reported.</p><p>"When we linked the enzymes, rather unexpectedly, we got a dramatic increase in activity," said McGeehan, as The Guardian reported. "This is a trajectory towards trying to make faster enzymes that are more industrially relevant. But it's also one of those stories about learning from nature, and then bringing it into the lab."</p>
<p>He was referring to the process that bacteria in nature use to devour polyesters, which occur in nature to protect plant leaves. "Bacteria have been evolving for millions of years to eat that," he said, as the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43783631" target="_blank">BBC</a> reported in April.</p><p>McGeehan added that the enzyme could help accelerate a sustainable model since it enables the plastics to be "made and reused endlessly, reducing our reliance on fossil resources," as <a href="https://www.independent.ie/world-news/super-enzyme-that-eats-plastic-significant-leap-forward-in-pollution-crisis-39570785.html" target="_blank">The Independent</a> in Ireland reported.</p><p>McGeehan believes that cooperation between researchers and corporations could help scale up the enzyme in the near future.</p><p>"If we can make better, faster enzymes by linking them together and provide them to companies like Carbios, and work in partnership, we could start doing this within the next year or two," he said, as The Guardian reported.</p>
<p>McGeehan and his team also believe their enhancements can be improved so the enzymes are able to consume plastic faster. By adjusting a bit of the residue on the enzyme's surface, it was able to work a bit faster, suggesting that further optimization is still down the road. A testing facility is under construction for McGeehan and his team in Portsmouth, while Carbios is building a plant in France to put the enzymes to use, according to The Guardian.</p><p>"The faster we can make the enzymes, the quicker we can break down the plastic, and the more commercially viable it will be," said McGeehan, as The Telegraph reported.</p>
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Plastic waste is bulldozed at a landfill. Needpix
The plastic recycling model was never economically viable, but oil and gas companies still touted it as a magic solution to waste, selling the American public a lie so the companies could keep pushing new plastic.
<p>"The bottle may look empty, yet it's anything but trash," claims a 1990 ad showing a plastic bottle bouncing out of a garbage truck, <a href="https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2020/09/13/381750/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled/" target="_blank">Houston Public Media</a> reported. It's full of potential.… We've pioneered the country's largest, most comprehensive plastic recycling program to help plastic fill valuable uses and roles."</p><p>While the ad and countless others like it extolling the value of recycling sound environmentalist in nature, they were paid for by the plastics industry and their lobbying and trade organizations, the news report added.</p><p>Americans believed these ads and have been recycling plastic for decades, trusting the discards would be kept out of burgeoning landfills and oceans and reborn as new goods. The reality, however, is that most plastic can't and won't be recycled, reported NPR. According to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plastics-material-specific-data" target="_blank">EPA</a>, in the last 40 years, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/recycling-plastic-reality-2615116844.html" target="_self">less than 10% of plastic has been recycled</a>.</p><p>Up until 2018, most recyclable plastic was shipped to China to deal with, reported Forbes. When the latter banned imports of 24 kinds of waste, including plastic from the U.S., more plastic ended up in U.S. landfills, the news report said. In 2017, 35,370 tons of plastic were produced and 26,820 tons of that was landfilled, the EPA estimated, reported Forbes.</p>
<p>A series of investigative reports done by <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/03/31/822597631/plastic-wars-three-takeaways-from-the-fight-over-the-future-of-plastics" target="_blank">NPR</a> and the PBS series <em>Frontline</em> this year found that the oil and gas industries — the makers of plastic — knew all along that plastic recycling would never be realistically feasible on a large scale, yet they spent tens of millions of advertising dollars each year telling the public that plastic can and should be recycled.</p><p>Internal documents from the 1970s and former executives confirmed that the industry knew all along that recycling at a large scale would never be economically viable because the process costs more than making new plastic, NPR reported.</p><p>Larry Thomas, who led the industry's lobbying group for more than a decade, broke his silence about what happened decades ago. The plastic industry never wanted recycling to work, because recycling was in direct competition with their business of selling as much oil as they possibly could, <a href="https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2020/09/13/381750/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled/" target="_blank">Houston Public Media</a> reported.</p><p>"You know, they were not interested in putting any real money or effort into recycling because they wanted to sell virgin material," Thomas told the news report.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, starting in the late 1980s, the industry misled consumers into believing that recycling could be a magic panacea. Spending $50 million a year, big oil and plastic ran ads, installed collection centers and funded recycling projects and public regulation campaigns to convince the public that recycling works, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled" target="_blank">NPR</a> reported.</p><p>"Selling recycling sold plastic, even if it wasn't true," another former plastic executive told NPR.</p><p>Most of these projects never came to fruition before funding was cut, or have long since ended, reported Houston Public Media.</p><p>The industry also lobbied 40 states to put recycling symbols with numbers on all plastic, even if they weren't recyclable, to bolster the public image that plastic can be a renewable resource, the news report found.</p>
<p>"It's pure manipulation of the consumer," Coy Smith, a frustrated recycler out of San Diego, told Houston Public Media. He witnessed firsthand how the symbols caused consumers to think any plastic with the symbol was recyclable.</p><p>Again, lobbying groups and the plastics industry knew all this. A 1993 industry report said that the codes created "unrealistic expectations" about how much plastic can actually be recycled and were being misused by companies as a "green marketing tool," Houston Public Media reported.</p><p>When plastic bans started to pop up in the '80s and '90s, the industry similarly promoted recycling as an alternative to the bans, NPR reported. The industry again decided to "advertise [its] way out" of cultural and policy shifts that could potentially lead to falling sales of new plastic, NPR reported.</p><p>"The feeling was the plastics industry was under fire, we got to do what it takes to take the heat off, because we want to continue to make plastic products," Thomas told NPR. "If the public thinks the recycling is working, then they're not going to be as concerned about the environment."</p>
<p>The strategy worked, and the companies promoted recycling while selling billions of dollars worth of new plastic. Meanwhile, old plastic continued to get trashed.</p><p>In response to the investigation, industry representative Steve Russell said the industry has never intentionally misled the public about recycling and is committed to ensuring all plastic is recycled, Forbes reported. Still, according to the news report, the oil industry makes $400 billion a year producing plastic and is discussing how to increase investment in plastic production given that demand for oil for cars is down.</p><p>As the truth about recycling comes out, states and environmentalists struggle to see <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2020/03/13/fix-recycling-america/" target="_blank">if the broken system can be fixed at all</a>. While they do that, plastic production is predicted to triple by 2050, NPR reported, and, "once again, the industry is spending money on ads and public relations to promote plastics and recycling."</p>
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