In a new report, Greenpeace USA shows how the American Chemistry Council is using the fantasy of chemical recycling to mislead investors, governments, and the public into believing that we can recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis.
An industrial flare burns off waste at refining plant more than a week after Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas area
Aaron M. Sprecher
Despite decades of deceptive industry marketing, we know we can’t recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis. But the companies making and selling plastic—and their trade association surrogate, the American Chemistry Council—aren’t giving up. Instead, they’re doubling down to mislead investors, governments, and the public into believing we can.
Here’s how they’re using the fantasy of chemical recycling to do it.
Ivy Schlegel is a senior research specialist with Greenpeace USA plastics team, focusing on strategic corporate research, the petrochemical and plastic value chains, and health and climate impacts of plastic production. Prior to joining the plastics team, Ivy worked on Greenpeace USA's forest work focusing on Indonesian palm oil and other forest-based commodities. Ivy has worked with Greenpeace USA since 2009.
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