The mandatory deposit system does not solve all problems

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 01. 22. 12:11

Every year, humanity creates more and more plastic, but only 9 percent of it is recycled. This low rate is a serious problem, and many people do not realize that even recycling is not the ultimate solution to environmental challenges. The production and use of plastics directly contributes to climate change, and a recent report details its environmental and climate impacts.

The greenhouse gases emitted during the production, distribution and destruction of plastics are extremely harmful to wildlife and the environment. Based on OECD data, plastics emit 1.8 billion tons of greenhouse gases annually, which is 3.4% of all emissions. This is higher than emissions from aviation or shipping, so urgent action is needed to reduce plastic.

The use of 629 million tons of oil per year for the production of plastics raises additional problems. Currently, 93% of plastics are made from fossil fuels, only 6% are recycled materials, and the rest are bio-based. Because of these rates, only 9% of plastics are recycled, and the rest end up in landfills, incinerated or mistreated.