The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a US-based environmental advocacy group, published a report in February 2022 investigating chemical recycling facilities in the United States. The NRDC identified eight operational facilities, five of which convert plastic to fuel, two convert plastic to chemical components, and one is a carpet-to-nylon facility. According to the report, “since most facilities are creating fuel rather than new plastic, the outputs of all their intensive processing will ultimately be burned.”
According to comments from the American Chemistry Council (ACC) in 2021, “advanced recycling processes that produce feedstock for new plastic, chemical products, waxes, and lubricants should count as ‘recycling,’ but feedstocks used for fuels should be classified ‘advanced recovery’” (FPF reported). In line with the ACC’s statement, few would consider burning a form of recycling. Yet, NRDC reports a polystyrene decomposition facility in Oregon “is held up by industry as a prime example of commercial-scale ‘chemical recycling’” despite the fact that a significant portion of the styrene it produces “is shipped off site to be burned instead of being converted into new plastic.” Since 2018, the Oregon plant has sent over 150 tons of styrene to at least six other states to be burned.
State-level permit data for six of the facilities indicate that they release or are permitted to release hazardous air pollutants such as benzene, styrene, and arsenic. These released pollutants negatively impact the health and well-being of the primarily low-income communities living near the sites. But according to the NRDC, “the industry continues to strongly support [plastic-to fuel processes] … likely because plastic-to-fuel creates a mirage of recycling to assuage public concerns about increased plastic use and waste but does not disrupt new plastic production.”
The reporters argue that plastic-to-fuel should not be classified as recycling on any level and that both plastic-to-fuel and plastic-to-chemical facilities should be subject to “comprehensive regulatory safeguards.” In December 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) identified a lack of information on the ability of chemical recycling facilities to manage and remove chemicals of concern from recycled products. ECHA further recommended each technology be reviewed individually for potential conflicts with current chemicals and product safety regulations (FPF reported). The NRDC report calls chemical recycling a “toxic distraction” and argues that society should instead be investing in reducing plastic production and use (FPF reported).
As reported by Waste Dive, West Virginia is poised to “[reclassify] chemical recycling as a manufacturing process rather than a form of solid waste management,” which civil society organizations argue will “allow companies to avoid key solid waste and environmental regulations.” West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is expected to sign HB 4084 into law this week. South Carolina passed a similar law in January 2021. When the latter was originally passed by the state’s legislature, The Charlotte Observer reported that there was no requirement that facilities set aside money for pollution clean-up. After some protest, the bill was changed so there is some money set aside in the form of cleanup bonds, but the law stipulates that they “would expire five years from passage of the bill, meaning the industry could escape a bond requirement altogether, depending on when a company opens.”
References
NRDC (February 2022). “Recycling lies: “Chemical recycling” of plastic is just greenwashing incineration.”
Sammy Fretwell (January 23, 2022). “SC lawmakers pass bill to ease rules for plastics industry, despite pollution concerns.” The Charlotte Observer
Megan Quinn (March 11, 2022). “Notable chemical recycling, EPR and bottle bill updates pass in state legislatures.” Waste Dive
Read more
Emma Love (March 11, 2022). “US analysis urges regulation for chemical recycling.” Resource
E.A. Crunden (February 28, 2022). “‘Failure’ or solution? EPA weighs plastics recycling plan.” Greenwire
