Even a majority of Republicans support efforts to hold manufacturers accountable for allegedly deceptive claims

Concern about the fossil fuel and plastics industries’ alleged deception about recycling is growing, with new polling showing a majority of American voters, including 54% of Republicans, support legal efforts to hold the sectors accountable.

The industries have faced increasing scrutiny for their role in the global plastics pollution crisis, including an ongoing California investigation and dozens of suits filed over the last decade against consumer brands that sell plastics.

Research published earlier this year found that plastic producers have known for decades that plastic recycling is too cumbersome and expensive to ever become a feasible waste management solution, but promoted it to the public anyway.

  • WhatYouNeed@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Use to make machines for the plastic industry. None of them wanted tp use recycled plastic, because raw plastic pellets were cheaper and recycled plastic was harsher on the machines.

    • spyd3r@sh.itjust.works
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      3 months ago

      Recycled plastic is also terrible if you have any type of quality standards you have to meet. You generally end up creating even more scrap because the regrind always has some amount of contamination in it, and never performs the same as virgin.

    • zik@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Recycled plastic is also inferior quality with worse structural properties so it’s not really suitable for many applications.

      • WhatYouNeed@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Yep, regrind was bad.

        Not saying anyone shouldn’t recycle. Just saying in our world of cheap is God, why fight?