Introduction
The reality of plastic recycling is far more sobering than most people realize.
Globally, less than 10% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled. In the U.S., only 5–6% of plastic waste is recycled into new products.
Most plastic ends up landfilled, incinerated, or littered, not repurposed. Only types, #1 and #2 plastics (like PET and HDPE) are commonly recycled; types #3–#7 are rarely processed. Why?
Plastics are made from complex chemical mixtures, making them hard to separate and reuse. Contamination and sorting issues further reduce the viability of recycling.
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