6. Is it Possible to Make Plastics Sustainable?

Plastics solutions that have been developed have some advantages. As plastic is part of our lives, we need to manage our waste properly. It is obviously desirable to recycle as much of our waste as possible, with better collections and processes. It is also important to develop bioplastics that are more sustainable in contexts where plastic is necessary. 

However, plastic solutions may mislead the public into believing that plastics are fully sustainable. The unintended consequences of solutions are often overlooked or misunderstood. When considering these complexities, plastic solutions may not be sustainable solutions at all. 

Most people don’t know what the terms ‘bioplastic’, ‘bio-based’, ‘biodegradable’ or ‘recyclable’ really mean. The terminology is complicated and can be exploited by corporations who wish to make their products sound sustainable. Labelling products with these terms means environmentally conscious consumers are more likely to buy them. This greenwashing allows corporations to increase their profits whilst obscuring any sustainability issues around their products.

Plastic solutions may offer an improvement on our current systems and be useful in certain contexts. However, with fossil fuel and petrochemical giants ramping up plastic production, these solutions are not enough. In fact, they may distract from the real problem. Rather than dealing with managing plastics, we need to cut off the problem at its source. To create a sustainable plastics system, we need to drastically reduce our plastic production and consumption.