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The United States is currently facing a significant plastic waste crisis, generating 40 million tons of plastic waste each year, with no cost-effective method to recycle 91% of it.
What Happened: The U.S. has been dealing with a plastic waste crisis for several years, Business Insider reported on Thursday. Previously, the U.S. exported 7 million tons of plastic waste annually to China. However, China’s decision to stop importing plastic in 2018 has left the U.S. searching for alternatives.
Oil giants like Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) and Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) have suggested converting plastic into crude oil as a potential solution. These companies are advocating for the creation of 150 plants dedicated to pyrolysis, a type of chemical recycling that transforms plastic into crude oil. Critics, however, contend that these facilities emit harmful particles and are heavily dependent on government subsidies.
Despite plastic production doubling every 15 to 20 years, the recycling rate remains low. A 2022 report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development found that only 9% of all plastic ever produced had been recycled, with 72% ending up in landfills or the environment.
In response to the escalating plastic waste problem, the UN adopted a resolution in early 2022 to eliminate all plastic pollution through a legally binding international plastics treaty. The resolution seeks to address plastic production and recycling at every level to reduce global plastic pollution.
Why It Matters: The plastic waste crisis is not just a U.S. problem, but a global one. Innovative solutions are being explored to address this issue. For instance, Australian researchers have discovered that two types of fungi — Aspergillus terreus and Engyodontium album — can break down polypropylene plastic, commonly used in food containers and rarely recycled. After 140 days of incubation, these fungi completely degraded the plastic, offering a promising solution to the plastic waste problem.
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