Plastic Isn’t Going Away – How Can We Manage It Better?

It is easy to read news stories about tons of plastic waste being carelessly discarded and get all worked up to the point of sincerely wanting the government to ban plastic altogether. I have read plenty of blog posts and newspaper opinion pieces stating that very thing. But the reality is that plastic isn’t going away. Therefore, we should focus on how we can better manage it.

Plastic is arguably the best manufacturing material humanity has ever created. We can do things with plastic that cannot be done with any other manufacturing material. Plastic is so versatile that it has permeated every aspect of modern life. If you don’t believe that’s true, walk around your house and write down every item you see with even an ounce of plastic. I guarantee you’ll be surprised by the results.

Why We Love Plastic So Much

No doubt some people despise plastic. They consider it one of the worst evils perpetrated by humanity. But I suspect most of us don’t feel that way. We demonstrate by our consumer choices that we appreciate plastic a lot. You might even say we love it as a culture. But why? I have a few suggestions:

• It’s Cheap—If nothing else, modern culture appreciates access to cheap consumer goods. But we enjoy such cheap goods only because plastic is so cheap to make. Plastic keeps retail prices in check.
• It’s Versatile – Because plastic is so versatile, it is equally useful in building everything from cell phones to car parts to food containers.
• It’s Durable – Plastic’s durability is unrivaled by other manufacturing materials in similar form. Plastic is built to last, which is why it works so well for manufacturing all sorts of things.
• It’s Sanitary – Plastic is not a good home for bacteria because it’s nonporous. Is it any wonder that food manufacturers are all for plastic packaging? Indeed, if it were not for plastic, there would be no such thing as a supermarket.

Plastic waste can be problematic—any type of waste can. But the problem with plastic waste is not the plastic itself. It is how we use and dispose of it.

There Are Workable Solutions

Much of the current call to abandon plastic is rooted in the failure of municipal recycling programs. But truth be told, there are workable solutions to plastic waste. One look at how postindustrial plastic waste is recycled tells the storpostindustrialis, TN, a company known as Seraphim Plastics purchases and recycles industrial scrap plastic in seven states. They can make money with postindustrial plastics through municipal recycling programs. However, the type of plastic used is irrelevant to their success. It is the process that matters.

Seraphim and other industrial plastic recyclers utilize a simple and cost-effective process that turns plastic trash into a marketable product. Making it work requires that the companies Seraphim buys plastic trash from do their part to keep costs in check. Sellers gladly do so in exchange for the ability to cash in their trash rather than throwing it away.

Imagination and Innovation

The point being made here is that our plastic trash problem only exists because we have not yet found a solution. Solutions are out there and waiting to be discovered. We need to employ a bit more imagination and innovation.

Plastic isn’t going away. So we either keep generating and tossing plastic waste or figure out how to better manage it. I know which option I prefer.