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A number of exposes and news articles about plastics and recycling are garnering attention. @AmerChemSociety remains committed to responsible management of plastics waste, which ensures problematic waste isn’t merely exported to distant landfills. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/30/climate/oil-kenya-africa-plastics-trade.html
Furthermore a sustainable chemical enterprise requires accurate information about the fate of waste to ensure cradle to grave environmental accountability: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/plastic-wars/
ACS believes advanced recycling techniques currently being developed will be an important part of a sustainable future. But we also must state the obvious: The plastics waste crisis cannot be addressed with recycling alone. We must reduce our use of single use plastics.
ACS stands ready to work with all parties to address this global crisis. Our planet and society depend on it. Sustainability should be a focus for policymakers, the scientific community, and industry. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/policy/publicpolicies/sustainability/chemicalenterprise.html
We believe legislation such as the Sustainable Chemistry R&D Act (H.R. 2051/ S. 999) and the Plastics Waste Reduction and Recycling Act (H.R. 7228) are important components of developing a truly circular and sustainable economy.
Moreover, we urge federal science agencies to include sustainability as a component of research decision making and project focus.
@ACSPublications continue to publish cutting-edge research to improve and understand recyclability and biodegradability of plastics. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.8b06984
@cenmag sits as the juncture of research and business, their report “The Future of Plastic” discussing both the current status of plastics and the innovations just over the horizon. https://cen.acs.org/sections/discovery-reports/the-future-of-plastic.html
Our @ACSReactions video series has highlighted how one ubiquitous plastic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), can be recycled.
