The myth of plastic recycling.
The myth of plastic recycling.

The myth of plastic recycling.
You’re told that plastic is recyclable.
91% of plastics are not recycled worldwide (OECD).
You’re led to believe that it’s a problem for other countries, outside the West.
73% of plastics in France are not recycled (CITEO).
88% in the United Kingdom.
90% in the United States.
You’re made to believe that a plastic bottle can be endlessly recycled (if, by some miracle, it even reaches a recycling center).
With every recycling cycle, plastic loses its properties. It must be mixed with virgin plastic and can only go through a few cycles before becoming completely unusable (ADEME, French Senate).
You’re told that the solution is eco-refills in flexible plastic.
They are even less recyclable than traditional formats!
Here’s an example from the FAQ of a well-known brand:
“Our eco-refills are made using a combination of PET and PE. The caps are made of PE. At this time, there is no public recycling process for this combination.”
Single-use plastic ends up in the oceans, in the soil, in the air—and quickly, in our bodies.
Warnings about the health risks of plastics for humans are increasing (French Senate report on the impacts of plastics on human health).
We must accelerate the transition to zero single-use plastic.