July 2022
Unpicking plastic’s questionable sustainability credentials Seemingly a convenient solution to consumers, many simply do not question the fact its recyclability credentials are nothing more than theoretical, and further removed from a circular economy the manufacturers claim. Pipes made from commonly used plastic compounds such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), or crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) all deteriorate over time, making them less and less suitable for recycling or re-manufacturing into other usable items. Despite being produced from many different types of polymers, they all face the same problem of not being recyclable due to the process being too energy and cost intensive.
Now more than ever we hear increasing numbers of firms making bold promises to promote sustainability in the built environment and its supporting manufacturing sector.
W
National Geographic reported that, of the more than 8.3 billion metric tonnes ever created, only 9% has likely ever been recycled.
But how can companies do better when the promises made around products’ sustainability are fundamentally flawed? Can plastics really be recycled or achieve a circular economy?
Not just consumer goods are landfilled or incinerated, but so too are most of the ‘hidden plastics’ found in our homes, transport, and places of work. What’s worse is that consumers get blamed, despite thinking they’re acting sustainably.
ith the construction sector responsible for half of the total global energy use, and half of all greenhouse gas emissions, it is critical everyone gets involved and strives to limit their impact.
The recycled lie
06
Something that has become increasingly evident in recent years is the fact that plastic recycling is a ‘greenwash’.
Plastic tube used for plumbing and underfloor heating is a great example. Marketed, sold, and installed as a sustainable and recyclable option, it is clearly another hidden plastic.
Many manufacturers pledge their commitments to developing a catalogue of 100% recyclable products where the raw materials can be used and re-used without the loss of quality or reliance on finite fossil fuels. However, this ambition remains firmly out of reach and is fast becoming an environmental crisis as producers continue creating new plastic, rather than reusing old. Although the intentions are good and come from a genuine desire of wanting to do better, the reality is that these promises often fall short of the bigger picture, leaving promises of change as nothing more than empty words. It’s time we put an end to the plastic greenwash and challenge the myth that plastic has a circular, end of life economy.
Re-inventing the wheel Instead of plastics producers looking at alternative materials for their products, many are in fact reinventing the wheel trying to recycle a largely unrecyclable product,
