U.S. recycles only 5% of its plastic waste, report says

The Wall Street Journal quoted Paschalis Alexandridis, UB Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, in a story about how a new Department of Energy report says the U.S. recycles only 5% of its plastic waste. “The past couple of years included major disruptions due to China’s National Sword program and due to Covid,” Alexandridis said. Plastic use, overall, has grown exponentially and has become essential in many industries. “Plastic foams are thermal insulators, and lightweight engineering plastics contribute to significant energy savings and reduced CO2 emissions,” said Alexandridis.