Incinerate Plastic Waste
In the UK, we burn a lot of our waste as an alternative to sending it to landfill or recycling. This prevents the plastic entering the environment, waterways or ocean.
In the UK, more than 60% of all the plastic we use is ending up in landfill, incinerated, or in our environment and oceans.
SourceBenefits
- Removes risk of leaching chemicals in landfills
- Requires less space than landfill
- Can be used to create electricity (waste to energy plants)
Challenges
- Can release harmful particles
- Produces carbon dioxide
- Does not encourage recycling, development of recycling facilities or better recycling education
- Destroys all good properties of the 'waste'
Making a difference
The American Chemistry Council estimates that the U.S. could sustain 600 pyrolysis units handling 30 tons of plastics a day, for a total of around 6.5 million tonnes a year