I didn’t see anyone else bring this up here, but the real issue with plastic recycling is twofold: it is a dead end and recycled plastics shed microplastics like crazy. Other materials, like aluminum, can effectively be infinitely recycled, but plastic cannot; recycled plastic is worse than virgin plastic in every way. It also destroys the environment around us, because recycled plastics are effectively really shitty plastics that shed everywhere.

In short, plastic recycling is a fraud perpetuated by greenwashing initiatives. The only proper thing to do with old plastic is to incinerate it at high temperatures that achieve complete combustion. This is rare though; most plastic is burned at low enough temperatures that it causes pollution.

Great stuff, plastic, huh?