Myths & Facts

Myth:
Most plastic packaging is now recycled.

Fact:
In 2003, of the total 11.9 million tons of plastic packaging in the US municipal solid waste (MSW) stream, only 8.9 percent was actually recycled.

Source: Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2003, US Environmental Protection
Agency.www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/pubs/03data.pdf

Myth:
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling rates are on the increase.

Fact:
The percentage of PET recycled is declining.


Source: National Association for PET Container Resources, American Plastics Council
Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.

Myth:
Recycling rates are keeping up to the rate at which plastic is produced.

Fact:
The rate of plastics generation continues to accelerate while recovery is static, and, for plastic packaging, is actually declining.

Source: Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2003, US Environmental Protection
Agency: www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/pubs/03data.pdf

Myth:
Polystyrene recycling is a success.

Fact:
“The recycling rate for polystyrene packaging and food service items has hovered around 1.5 percent for the last several years, a rate far below the polystyrene industry's much-touted goal set in 1990—and abandoned last year—of achieving a 25 percent recycling rate by 1995.”
Source: Environmental Defense
www.environmentaldefense.org/pressrelease.cfm?ContentID=1888

Myth:
Curbside recycling is a success.

Fact:
“While access to curbside recycling programs is increasing, the amount being recycled is decreasing.”

Source: Container Recycling Institute
http://www.container-recycling.org/images/allrates/curbrate-90-02.gif