We’re here to set the recycling record straight before diving too deep in bag bills and other single-use plastic legislation. Goldilocks would affirm finding the metaphorical bed that is just right to take on plastic pollution takes much consideration. Here, we consider the three primary kinds of recycling exist– upcycling, recycling and downcycling.

Upcycling involves transforming a material into something of higher value (e.g. turning plastic bottles into a bottle filling station at your office), while downcycling involves making material into something of lower value (e.g taking crushed glass bottles to make a roadbed. Recycling refers to the well known process of taking a material into something of the same value (e.g. plastic bottles into more plastic bottles). What may be a surprise to you is traditional recycling is often really downcycling. A study from 2017 found of 14% of global plastic that was collected for recycling, 8% was downcycled, 4% was lost, and only 2% was actually recycled or upcycled. Downcycling is a less ideal option when it comes to waste solutions because it lowers the quality of material over time. Further, less than 1% of what’s recycled will live two lives.

Advanced recycling, or chemical conversion, uses fossil fuels to further process plastic into more environmentally persistent material and this technology has yet to prove itself as a viable climate mitigation alternative. The dream of a circular economy which seamlessly cycles plastics has jumped the gun in the hopes that more recycling will solve our plastic pollution problem. True circular economies 1) utilizes all options across the supply chain to use as few resources as possible in the first place, 2) keeps resources in circulation for as long as possible, 3) extracts the maximum value from them while in use, then 4) recovers and regenerates products at the end of service life. This article does a great job navigating the perceptions and realities of a circular economy and how it goes beyond traditional recycling. 

While new recycling technologies are necessary steps towards a sustainable future, a shift in culture with legislation (such as bottle bills, but similarly bag fees) is a reliable way to eliminate the use of plastic products in the first place. Moreover,  next time you hear about flashy recycling practices, ask if this is true recycling, or downcycling! You’ll be surprised how many environmentally situated arguments and technologies are hidden sources of greenhouse gas.