Outline What is Wishcycling and are you doing it? Why reusable - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Outline ● What is “Wishcycling” and are you doing it? ● Why reusable is always better ● What IS recyclable and why?

Misconception: If I hope it’s recyclable, it’s recyclable

What’s the biggest change you can make? DITCH SINGLE USE ITEMS What is single-use? It is an item that has been designed to be used one time before it is thrown away, recycled, or composted. Most of these items are plastic and often poor quality materials.

Single-use items eat resources at every stage of life

Go re-usable! •Carry a reusable container with you •Pack lunch in reusable containers •Challenge vendors •Reuse containers rather than recycle •Safe to use Lifestyle changes – cutting dependence on single-use items

What about items I can’t reduce? Some waste is difficult to reduce. That’s why it’s best to focus on the items we can replace more easily. There is still work to do in areas we have control over.

What’s recyclable in Santa Barbara? Glass Paper Clean Paper, and dry paperboard, newspaper, No cardboard drinking glasses Plastic Metal Only large Clean and clean Any No food condition containers Rusty metal ok

How clean do my recyclables need to be? Answer: Really clean YES NO If you are recycling correctly, you do not need a bag and you should not be using a bag

Clean recyclables have value at market – dirty ones will never be baled

Outline Life after the blue cart ● Why can’t we recycle all plastics? ● Future of plastic recycling ●

The Plastic Journey

Why can’t we recycle all plastics?

Not all plastics are created equal 320 ° F melting point Meal Tray Water Bottle PP (#5) PET (#1) ➔ ➔ 320°F 500°F ➔ ➔ melting melting point point Injection Blow ➔ ➔ molded molded Black dye Clear ➔ ➔ More rigid More flexible ➔ ➔ Holds food Holds liquid ➔ ➔

Lack of infrastructure and technology Difficulty processing different types ● of complex plastics (limited infrastructure) Food, liquid, sticky labels, etc. can be ● a problem to remove Film plastics can clog machines and ● carry food and liquid

How many different types of plastic containers can you spot? I found 21!

Lack of infrastructure and technology Difficulty processing different types ● of complex plastics (limited infrastructure) Food, liquid, sticky labels, etc. can be ● a problem to remove Film plastics can clog machines and ● carry food and liquid

Shifting markets

We lost our biggest customer World’s largest waste importer ● 70% of America’s plastics → China ● ○ Low contamination standards Competitive pricing ○ China had enough of receiving the ● rest of the world’s garbage

National Sword Policy (January 2018) Bans 24 types of imported waste ● (including plastics and mixed paper) 0.5% contamination levels ● Large scale enforcement ● inspections Surplus of recyclable material to ● many Southeast Asian nations → restrictions

Moving forward with plastic recycling

Moving forward Minimize contamination → more ● valuable! Clean and dry recycling ○ Increase volume and quality of ● recyclables Upgrade equipment (ReSource ○ Center) Industry redesign/focus on reusable ● products and closed-loop systems Legislative pressure ○ Practice the 3 R’s in order ● Reduce ○ Reuse ○ Recycle ○

Plastic’s Unique Footprints and Impacts Plastic pollution part of climate change Extraction all the way through production/use/disposal Photos: [1]"oilsunset_swisscan_flickrcc" by michaelarcand is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0; [2] Shutterstock; [3] "Bales of Recyclables" by Walter Parenteau is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0; [4] freestocks.org; [5] "L.A. River" by kqedquest is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Challenges with Plastic Disposal U.S. generates 35 million tons of plastic waste per year ● 41% - landfill ● 32% - ends up in oceans (3/10 pcs = unintentional litter) 14% - incinerated (releases toxic pollution - dioxins, acid gases, and heavy metals ) ● ● 8% - “recycled” ● 2% - EFFECTIVELY recycled into another plastic item (generally only done once more) Statistics from “Story of Plastic” film. Photo: "L.A. River" by kqedquest is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Federal and State Bills Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act 2020 Includes producer responsibility, phasing out certain single use plastics, moratorium on new/expanded production facilities, standardized labelling for recycling and composting, limits export of plastic waste, nationwide beverage container return & refund, and investment in recycling and composting infrastructure in U.S. California Circular Economy & Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (SB 54 & AB 1080) Will cut waste from packaging, plastic, and other single use products requiring most to be recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2030

7 regional plastic distribution reduction laws ● Plastic bags, starting in 2008 ● Styrofoam, starting in 2008 ● Straws and other items, starting in 2016 ● Holistic approach needed ○ Berkeley and Santa Monica models ● Not all can be regulated-consumer behavior ○ Top down, bottom up approach needed

Film Plastic Collection Program

Ablitt’s program - history/progress/updates ● Overview of Trex program ● Recycling vs repurposing/end of life

Ablitt’s Program Changes ● Appointment only drop off ● Need public’s help reducing contamination ● Put questions in a separate bag ● Sorting sessions at Ablitt’s ● Packaging reduction