Companies often rely on plastic to produce disposable items because it lowers packaging costs and boosts their profit margins. While they benefit economically from plastic use, they rarely take responsibility for the environmental consequences of its production and waste. Instead, the burden of managing plastic waste is shifted onto individual consumers, who are expected to recycle and “do their part” to help the environment. This framing reinforces the idea that using plastic, especially single-use items, is acceptable since recycling supposedly offers a solution. This belief is misleading. The recycling system is deeply flawed, and a significant amount of plastic is never actually recycled. In many cases, plastic waste is stored in landfills or shipped elsewhere. Before China stopped accepting most imported plastic waste, the U.S. and many European countries exported their plastic there, further fueling the idea that the issue was out of sight and therefore not our responsibility.
This hands-off mentality has led to serious consequences, with only a small percentage of plastic ever being repurposed. It’s time to rethink our relationship with plastic, not just as consumers but as a society. Companies must be more transparent about the true recyclability of their products and acknowledge the environmental harm caused by plastic production. Consumers should not be misled into believing that all plastic is recyclable when much of it is not. Change can begin with education, especially by teaching younger generations about the realities of the recycling system and encouraging them to question both corporate practices and everyday habits. Only then can we begin to reshape the narrative around plastic and demand real accountability.