The Challenges and Solutions in Plastic Recycling

Of all the plastic produced in Australia, only about 18% is recycled, with the rest turning into waste and landfills. Why is the recycling rate so low? Plastic recycling has various challenges that hinder proper waste management. 

As a company that offers paper and cardboard recycling in Melbourne, we’ve experienced some of these challenges firsthand. That’s why we made this guide. Today, we’ll share the seven main obstacles in plastic waste management and their possible solutions. 

1. Poor Design

Some manufacturers design plastic products in a way that makes separating and recycling the plastic content challenging. Combining different plastic types or using glue and other materials makes recycling complex and expensive. 

Solution:

Manufacturers should design plastic products with no foreign material to make recycling easy. They should use simple designs and keep recyclability in mind. 

2. Limited Public Awareness

Many Australians don’t know the adverse effects of plastic, why recycling plastic is essential for our planet, or how to recycle. The lack of knowledge means that most people contribute to more waste, even without knowing it. 

Solution:

Engaging and educating citizens can help change how they view, use, and manage plastic waste. Consumer campaigns, films, cleanup projects, and even school activities can effectively achieve this. With proper information, it will be easier to make informed choices. 

3. Plastic Recycling is Expensive

The recycling process involves several steps, including sorting, cleaning, shredding, and pelletising. These processes require energy, labour, and specialised machinery, which makes recycling expensive. Moreover, collecting and transporting the waste to the recycling plants increases costs. 

Solution:

Investing in energy-efficient technologies like renewable energy can reduce energy consumption and ultimately lower the overall costs of processing. Also, recycling businesses can consider working together during collection and separation to lower operating costs. Optimising logistics reduces expenses and improves the efficiency of plastic recycling.

The government should provide financial support and incentives like tax subsidies to recycling companies, encouraging them to recycle more plastic waste. 

4. Limited Access to Recycling Facilities

People in some regions, especially the rural areas, don’t have access to plastic recycling facilities. This lowers the recycling rate, with most waste ending up in landfills. 

The available plastic recycling facilities in the developed areas are usually overwhelmed by the large volume of plastic waste. The complexity and high operating costs limit the plastic these facilities can recycle. 

Solution:

Governments and other stakeholders should build more recycling facilities and upgrade the existing ones with better machinery. Collaborating with local companies like AB Recycling can also help in recycling waste at homes and workplaces. 

Placing collection points for plastics and encouraging local recycling rather than exporting could also be helpful.   

5. Plastic Contamination

Most people throw their waste into one bin, mixing plastic with liquids and food materials that contaminate the plastic. This contaminated plastic is difficult and expensive to separate and recycle. 

Solution: 

Families and businesses should have well-labelled recycling bins for plastic and non-plastic materials to prevent contamination. Conducting public awareness and educational campaigns on plastic waste segregation can also be beneficial. 

6. Lack of Proper Regulations and Policies 

There are no strict waste management policies and regulations. Therefore, some manufacturers might not feel responsible for properly managing their plastic waste since they won’t receive fines or legal repercussions.  

Solution: 

National and local governments should impose laws and policies requiring businesses to be responsible for managing their plastic waste. 

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies hold producers accountable for their products’ lifecycle. These policies require producers to find and fund strategies to reduce the environmental, safety, and health impacts of their products.   

7. Low Demand for Recycled Plastics

Recycling plastic can be more expensive than making it from cheap raw materials. Therefore, the cost of the recycled products is usually higher, lowering the demand, since people can purchase cheaper plastics. 

Solution: 

Providing incentives to businesses and the public for using recycled plastics can help increase the market demand. Governments and manufacturers should prioritise recycled plastic over new one. 

Educating the public about the benefits of choosing recycled products could also boost sales and demand. 

The Future of Plastic Recycling 

Regardless of the current challenges in recycling plastic, there is hope for a better future if we work together. Governments, businesses, and citizens should come together to explore and implement solutions to better plastic waste management. 

At AB Recycling, we’re at the forefront of reducing plastic pollution by offering collection and recycling services. If you’re a Victorian business or household, talk to us today to discuss how we can help with paper and cardboard recycling.