“There’s an Explosion of Plastic Waste. Big Companies Say ‘We’ve Got This.’” Article Reflection No. 94 (4/6/2024)

Article: “There’s an Explosion of Plastic Waste. Big Companies Say ‘We’ve Got This.’”

Reflection: 

In the article ““There’s an Explosion of Plastic Waste. Big Companies Say ‘We’ve Got This.,’”

journalist Hiroko Tabuchi reports on the company PureCycle Technologies, which utilizes an “advanced-recycling” method that transforms used plastic into molecular pellets that can then be used to create new plastic (Tabuchi). Currently, many large consumer retail services from L’Oréal to Nestlé seek recycled plastic for their products, and Tabuchi writes that this demand is not nearly met with the numerous delays the technology has faced, especially over the past several years. According to the article, some of these setbacks include a power failure and lawsuits from investors. Although the company had allegedly produced a successful collection of polypropylene pellets from “‘post-industrial’” plastic, the article suggests that there are still unanswered questions (Tabuchi). For example, the journalist further describes the conflict around this technology, noting how a drone from Bleecker Street Research discovered that the company was unlikely to be carrying out large-scale commercial activity. 

Both this article and the one in the previous post sheds light on how technology and engineering contribute to climate change, with potential downfalls and benefits. I think that’s what makes addressing climate change so much more complicated: it is difficult to find straightforward paths towards success because there’s no guarantee or reassurance that such well-intentioned projects will actually come through and make lasting impact. It has to be financially feasible too.