While recycling may help a little bit – it is not the answer. The recycling scheme was designed by the Plastic industry to take the responsibility off them and put it on the consumer. No longer would they be pressured to have refundable deposit. Just put it in the recycle bin at the curb and it will magically it turn into something else.
The truth is less than 5% of plastics actually get recycled into something else. When it does actually get recycled, it is really just downcycled into products of lesser value and lesser quality.
Studies have also shown plastic use goes up where recycling programs are available because people think the plastic goes to some magical place where they will be turned into a new product, but that is not true.
One solution: Ditch the single-use plastic items (utensils, straws, water bottles, bags).
Check out these articles for more about the recycling myth:
Plastic And The Great Recycling Swindle
Plastic Recycling: The Triangle Is a Lie
