Plastic Production: A Hard Habit to Break

Why the World Can't Kick Its Plastic Addiction

“There has definitely been marketing of the recyclability of plastics to those end users.”

The world is aware of the plastic problem, but stopping production is easier said than done. Discover the complex reasons behind the persistence of plastic production and its impact on the environment.

The sheer scale of virgin plastic production is staggering, with 400 million tons manufactured annually. To put this into perspective, this volume is equivalent to the weight of the entire global human population. Despite its already substantial environmental footprint, plastic production is poised to expand even further.

Current projections indicate that today's plastic output will triple by 2060, exacerbating the existing plastic pollution crisis. The consequences of this trend are already evident, with an estimated 20 million tons of plastic waste entering the environment each year. Meanwhile, global recycling rates remain woefully inadequate, standing at a mere 9% annually.

For years, experts and civil society groups have been warning that recycling alone cannot mitigate the escalating plastic waste problem. Instead, they advocate for a cap on plastic production to stem the tide of waste. However, despite these urgent calls to action, the plastic manufacturing industry continues to accelerate, with production levels showing no signs of slowing.

Despite the rapid growth of renewable energy sources, the production of virgin plastic continues to surge, largely driven by the oil and gas industries. The overwhelming majority of plastics are manufactured using fossil fuels, highlighting the intricate link between these industries.

So, what's the connection between fossil fuel companies and plastics? According to Delphine Levi Alvares, Global Petrochemicals Campaign Manager at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), “Fossil fuel companies today do not rely on selling gasoline or fuel for energy or transport as a way to stay alive.” Instead, Alvares explained in a briefing, “They are increasingly relying on producing petrochemicals.”

This shift in strategy means that traditional fuel suppliers are now investing heavily in plastic production. In fact, these companies are pouring in a staggering $10 billion into producing even more plastic, further entwining the fates of the oil, gas, and plastics industries.

The issue of reducing plastic production has been a contentious topic during the two-year negotiations for a global plastics treaty. Although the final round of talks did not yield an agreement on this point, there are other significant efforts underway to drive change. One notable example is a legal complaint filed by the US state of California against ExxonMobil, a major oil and gas company.

The lawsuit, filed by California's Attorney General Rob Bonta, alleges that ExxonMobil, the world's largest producer of single-use plastics, “aggressively promoted the development of fossil-fuel-based plastic products and campaigned to minimize the public's understanding of the harmful consequences of these products.” Furthermore, the complaint claims that ExxonMobil “deceived Californians for almost half a century by promising that recycling could and would solve the ever-growing plastic waste crisis.”

Mark James, interim director of the Institute for Energy and the Environment at Vermont Law and Graduate School, shed light on the role of oil and gas companies in promoting plastic products. Although ExxonMobil does not directly sell to consumers, James explained that these companies have been instrumental in creating markets for plastic products that ultimately end up in shopping baskets.

James emphasized that the oil and gas industry has been actively marketing the recyclability of plastics to end-users. “There has definitely been marketing of the recyclability of plastics to those end users,” he said. However, James noted that this emphasis on recyclability is, in fact, an industry creation. “But it is an industry creation and once we know that, we can understand all the things that they have been doing to maintain that false sense of recyclability of their product.”

In response to the allegations, ExxonMobil countered that California officials had long been aware of the ineffectiveness of their recycling system, yet failed to take action. As of publication, the company had not provided further comment to DW's request.

Delphine Levi Alvares views the California lawsuit as a pivotal moment in exposing the often-overlooked connection between plastic production and fossil fuel companies. According to Alvares, this lawsuit helps to “join the dots” and make the broader public more aware of the critical link between plastic production and the fossil fuel industry.

“This kind of lawsuit really cements in people's minds this trend that lots of people haven't been connecting the impact these companies have on the climate crisis to the impact they have in other sectors.”

As the world grapples with the challenges of plastic waste management, ExxonMobil is pinning its hopes on “advanced recycling” as a potential solution. Despite the dismal global recycling rate, with only 10% of all plastic ever produced being repurposed, and the limitations of traditional recycling methods, ExxonMobil believes that advanced recycling can make a significant impact.

According to ExxonMobil, advanced recycling “converts plastic waste back into molecular building blocks,” effectively transforming waste into raw materials for the production of new goods. This technology holds promise for addressing the plastic waste crisis, but its effectiveness and scalability remain to be seen.

The devastating impact of plastic pollution on humans, wildlife, and the environment is well-documented, with plastic waste found in even the most remote and extreme locations, from the highest mountain peak to the deepest underwater trench.

ExxonMobil claims to have made significant strides in addressing this issue through its advanced recycling technology. According to the company, it has successfully “process[ed] more than 60 million pounds [27.2 million kilograms] of plastic waste into usable raw materials, keeping it out of landfills.” Furthermore, ExxonMobil recently announced plans to expand its advanced recycling capacity, a move that comes just weeks after California filed its lawsuit against the company.

Adam Herriott, senior specialist at WRAP, a global environmental action NGO, highlights the critical role fossil fuel companies play in the plastic supply chain. From their position at the starting point of the chain, these companies have a significant impact on the volume of plastic entering the market. As Herriott emphasizes, “by actively participating in efforts to reduce virgin plastic production, they can help drive systemic change.”

Despite this, ExxonMobil, along with other leading fossil fuel, petrochemical, and fast-moving consumer goods companies, is a member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), an independent global non-profit organization. However, critics argue that the AEPW's focus on tackling plastic waste rather than addressing the root cause of the issue – excessive production – may not be enough to drive meaningful change.

In response to inquiries, a spokesperson for the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) clarified the organization's primary focus via email. According to the spokesperson, AEPW's mandate centers on developing “solutions that support the collection, sorting, and recycling of plastic waste to promote a circular economy for plastic.” The statement emphasized that AEPW believes a comprehensive approach, involving multiple stakeholders and addressing both upstream and downstream solutions, is essential to effectively tackling the plastic waste challenge.

The outcome of California's lawsuit against ExxonMobil has significant implications. The case's success will determine not only whether ExxonMobil will be required to meet California's demands, which include monetary damages and a cessation of misleading claims, but also whether it will set a precedent for similar lawsuits elsewhere. A favorable outcome could potentially pave the way for further legal actions aimed at holding fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in the plastic pollution crisis.

Patrick Boyle, a corporate accountability attorney with the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), anticipates a surge in similar lawsuits in the US and beyond. The evidence and testimony presented in the Exxon case, which is expected to unfold over several years, will become public record. Boyle notes that while future cases may not mirror the Exxon lawsuit exactly, the collected evidence could be leveraged to fight cases related to issues like microplastics, greenwashing, or permits for advanced recycling. “It may not look exactly like this, like litigation against Exxon with these specific claims,” he said, “but I think there's a lot of really interesting conversations and brainstorming to have and begin having with partners to see how do we leverage what we get here, in the international context.”

In the meantime, Delphine Levi Alvares emphasizes that the complaint against Exxon is strengthening the understanding that plastic waste is a problem “engineered by industry.” This growing recognition is crucial in the ongoing efforts to address the plastic pollution crisis.