Plastic is not recyclable.
(Even if it was, you wouldn’t want to use something made from it.)
Here’s why:
Recycling Myth Origin Story
The myth that plastic is recyclable was debunked many years ago. It is a lie that plastics manufacturers told us so they could continue producing infinite amounts of plastic and avoid the responsibility for catastrophic plastics pollution, all while raking in huge profits and leaving the rest of us to live within this man-made ecological disaster. In fact, many individuals, and even whole states, are suing plastics manufacturers for this decades-long deception.
The Reality
Plastic degrades as it ages, shedding micro- and nanoplastics into the environment. When we “recycle” plastic, much of it ends up in the landfill anyway. And what is reused continues to shed micro- and nanoplastic particles and toxic chemicals. PlastX includes silicone, non-stick cookware, plastic film coatings, and parchment paper in its list of offenders alongside the usual plastic items found in the home.
The Damage
The research on the effects of micro- and nanoplastics is robust and growing. It has been shown to kill 75% of cultured kidney cells. It can be passed from mother to a baby in the womb during pregnancy. It can even be taken up by vegetables as they grow in soil.
Environmental Saturation
We are exposed to plastic particles in every context within our daily lives. It is in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink and swim in, and absorbed through the skin from touching plastic materials. The magnitude of the problem of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment cannot be overstated, but the home is one of the key spaces where we have maximum control to reduce our exposure.