curiosity
Myths & facts
Plastic is a material ubiquitous in our daily lives, utilised in a broad extent of products ranging from food containers, household appliances, cars to medical devices. However, plastic is also at the heart of many debates and concerns regarding the environment and human health. As a result, numerous myths and misunderstandings have emerged regarding this material. We have put together a series of questions to address and debunk some of the most common and pervasive beliefs about plastic, with the aim of providing a clearer, more science-based understanding of use, recycling and environmental impact.
Sources from the site:
The European Union is asking us to eliminate single-use plastic packaging and replace it with compostable packaging. Why don't we do so?
The European Directive on single-use plastics bans, as of June 2021, only some limited product categories (such as disposable plates and cutlery). However, the same Directive totally equates current bioplastics to traditional plastics.
Sources: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council, Art.3 paragraph 5 of the Regulation (CE) n. 1907/2006
There are many alternative materials to plastic – glass, aluminium, cardboard ... Why don't we stop using plastic that is so harmful to the environment?
Every product has at least some impact on the environment, in the phases of extraction, production, transport and (of course) in the final phase of disposal at the end of the life-cycle.
When we think of plastic, we focus only on the final phase, so when it becomes waste. But we must also analyse its sustainability by evaluating all phases of life. In doing so, you would discover interesting data that disavows many beliefs. One small example is that if we were to switch from plastic to cardboard, it would be necessary to have seven times more trucks available for transporting than we need today, with a relative increase in emissions of
CO2 into the environment.
Sources: British Plastic Federation
Why not replace plastic with bioplastic, which is an environmentally-friendly material?
The first obstacle to replacing plastic with bioplastics is the global production capacity of the latter, which covers less than 1% of plastic needs.
A second issue is that the characteristics are not always suitable for the required applications. It is also important to underline that the sustainability of a product should be assessed by analysing the environmental impact of the entire life-cycle by applying the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. LCA analyses sometimes give surprising results that disprove the common notion that plastic is the worst of all materials.
Sources: European Bioplastics Nova Institute
Aren't the plastic islands in the oceans that pollute the waters enough to put a brake on the production of plastic?
The abandonment of waste in the environment is unfortunately a widespread phenomenon around the world, especially in some countries that have great responsibilities in this regard. In fact, 90% of marine waste is transported by 10 great rivers – 8 Asian and 2 African. Although Italy and Europe are marginally responsible for the pollution of the seas, they are not exempt from seeking and finding solutions. Just as citizens are not exempt from behaving correctly and respecting the environment.
The solution is to act on the dispersion of waste and certainly not to give up a precious and fundamental material like plastic.
Sources: Environmental Science & Technology 2017
There is a lot of talk about recycling but not all plastic is recyclable. Wouldn't it be more honest to admit this?
There is no doubt that recycling is a virtuous process in environmental terms. Indeed, it saves virgin raw material, reduces CO₂ emissions and prevents waste accumulation in landfills. In Italy, 43% of the packaging released for consumption is recycled while 1.175 million tonnes of recycled plastic material are used to produce new objects (19% of all plastic used). The plastics industry is committed to upping the recycling quota, also to comply with the EU targets of 100% recycling by 2030, following two lines of action:
• The design of 100%-recyclable packaging with available mechanical technologies;
• The study of new recycling technologies.
Sources: Corepla Rapporto di Sostenibilità 2019, Unionplast, IPPR
Will the Plastic Tax reduce the consumption of plastic products?
The Italian plastics processing industry – ranked second in Europe – is set on a path of development and reconversion that requires innovation, research and investment. The Plastic Tax affects the sector and risks draining the sources of funding. Italy is the only one in Europe to have introduced this measure which, alongside the campaign to demonise plastic, harms the national industry rather than supporting it through investments. Plastic is irreplaceable in many applications so instead of penalising companies, recycling should be encouraged, strengthening plants and promoting the use of recycled plastic.
There is a lot of talk about the circular economy but in the meantime, millions of tonnes of plastic are produced and only the smallest fraction is recycled. Does plastic play a role in the circular economy?
In Italy, 43% of packaging released for consumption is recycled. Still, our companies are committed to achieving the 100% recycling targets set by the European Union by 2030. In addition, Italy is at the forefront in the use of recycled plastic, which accounts for 19% of all plastic materials used in production, compared to a European average of 6%.
Sources: Corepla Rapporto di Sostenibilità 2019, Unionplast, IPPR
In schools, plastic water bottles were replaced by metal ones. Why the about-face?
The National Consumer Union (UNC) has called for a halt to the distribution of steel and aluminium water bottles within schools. Massimiliano Dona, President of the UNC, writes in a Press Release: “Preserving the planet is sacrosanct but we cannot do so on the backs of our children. We all know that if plastic is not properly recycled, it can cause enormous damage to the environment. But we still do not know the consequences for our health of the prolonged use of water bottles made with materials of dubious origin. It is therefore not with demagogic choices that the planet is saved but by working to increase the recycling numbers and, at the same time, building a regulation on products such as water bottles to safeguard public health …”
Plastic lives for hundreds of years – isn't this enough to drastically reduce its use?
Plastic is a revolutionary, economical, versatile and lightweight material that has improved our lives by democratising consumption and replacing huge amounts of natural materials. Could we afford to go back to having very heavy cars that consume large amounts of fuel? Or to buying glasses with frames made with turtle shells? Or taking home the groceries without packaging, without any protection, hygiene or durability? Plastic must be recycled and reused, fuelling a virtuous process that saves natural resources. The industry is working to make plastic fully recyclable. Do your part by carefully separating your waste.
Why don't you eliminate all that useless plastic packaging in supermarkets?
Plastic packaging not only has the function of protecting food, ensuring its hygiene, facilitating logistics and displaying product information, but also and above all prolonging its shelf life. In Italy, food waste is worth EUR 15 billion, almost one point of GDP, of which EUR 11.8 billion is domestic waste. In countries that make little use of packaging, half the food is wasted from production to consumption, with an enormous environmental impact. The FAO estimates that 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted worldwide, worth USD 1 trillion per year.
Sources: University of Bologna Food Science, FAO