Building a circular economy: plastics recycling in the United States

According to the EPA in 2018, the US only recycles 8.7% of its plastic waste. Landfilling or incinerating our plastics creates public health crises that disproportionately harm low-income communities of color. Improving our plastic recycling rate and creating a circular economy will yield important benefits for mitigating climate change, reducing pollution, protecting vulnerable communities, and more. This paper examines the state of US recycling and investigates how to overhaul and improve the recycling system. The US can replicate innovative, effective, and successful recycling policies from other nations to improve our own recycling rates, including pay-as-you-throw, bottle deposit refunds, and extended producer responsibility. I examine case studies to understand the successes and challenges faced by these nations to improve our policy implementation. Finally, I propose that minimum recycled content standards are the missing piece to an integrated recycling policy proposal. Combining these four policies creates a comprehensive and strengthened recycling approach. With this integrated platform, the US can close the loop on the plastics value chain and move toward a circular economy.