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https://theconversation.com/redcycles-collapse-is-more-proof-that-plastic-recycling-is-a-broken-system-194528>
"This week the federal government joined an international agreement to recycle
or reuse 100% of plastic waste by 2040, putting an end to plastic pollution.
But major obstacles stand in the way.
The most recent is the collapse of Australia’s largest soft plastic recycling
program, REDcycle. The program was suspended after it was revealed soft plastic
items collected at Woolworths and Coles had been stockpiled for months in
warehouses and not recycled.
The abrupt halt to the soft plastics recycling scheme has left many consumers
deeply disappointed, and the sense of betrayal is understandable. Recycling,
with its familiar “chasing arrows” symbol, has been portrayed by the plastics
industry as the answer to the single-use plastics problem for years.
But recycling is not a silver bullet. Most single-use plastics produced
worldwide since the 1970s have ended up in landfills and the natural
environment. Plastics can also be found in the food we eat, and at the bottom
of the deepest oceans.
The recent collapse of the soft plastics recycling scheme is further proof that
plastic recycling is a broken system. Australia cannot achieve its new target
if the focus is on the collection, recycling and disposal alone. Systemic
change is urgently needed."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
