University of Houston Researchers Call for Unified Approach to Recycling Plastics

The Energy Transition Institute was launched in 2022, with a mission to help communities, industries and governments meet rising global energy demands.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): A uniform, national plan may be the best approach for the United States to tackle plastic waste, a new white paper from the University of Houston’s Energy Transition Institute suggested.

The paper, titled “Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Plastics Packaging: Gaps, Challenges and Opportunities for Policies in the United States,” examines the challenges of the country’s current system and offers potential policy solutions that could improve recycling rates and ultimately create a circular plastics economy.

Ultimately, aligning state policies, improving data sharing and reinvesting recycling fees into infrastructure could transform how plastics are managed, said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president for energy and innovation at UH and one of three co-authors for the paper.

“My hope is this research will inform government agencies on what policies could be implemented that would improve how we approach repurposing plastics in the U.S.,” Krishnamoorti said. “Not only will this information identify policies that help reduce waste, but they could also prove to be a boon to the circular economy as they can identify economically beneficial pathways to recycle materials.”

The paper, also co-authored by Debalina Sengupta, assistance vice president and chief operating officer at the Energy Transition Institute, and UH Researcher Aparajita Datta, found the current system offers a mix of state laws and limited recycling infrastructure that holds back national progress.

As it is, the EPR policy puts responsibility on companies for the packaging waste their products create. The idea is to shift costs from taxpayers to producers to encourage better product design.

However, UH researchers found the system is inefficient and difficult to navigate. Only seven states have passed EPR laws for plastic packaging, while 10 others are considering similar measures; however, each state has taken a different approach.

“With each state developing its own reporting system, EPR in the U.S. could have incompatible datasets, which will prevent performance comparison across jurisdictions when collection begins in states,” according to the report. “Even for companies without an international footprint, domestic operations across multiple states will be challenged by compliance requirements with different formats, deadlines, fee structures and incentive criteria.”

In addition to the current system’s lack of consistency creating confusion, slowing compliance and setting up new recycling programs for failure, small businesses typically lack the resources to manage complex reporting systems.

The paper also highlights outdated recycling infrastructure adding to the problem, as many facilities rely on old technology that can’t handle modern packaging.

There’s where investment in sorting, processing facilities, workforce training and artificial intelligence could alleviate issues, according to the report.

“Small and midsized businesses must be supported in transitioning away from manual data collection processes,” according to the report. “This requires investing in digital infrastructure, providing technical assistance and building capacity.”

But to stick the landing, the report said it will be imperative to improve public awareness on recycling, as consumers generally do not know what can be recycled and who pays for it.

“Experts repeatedly underscored that public education and awareness about EPR, including among policymakers, are dismal,” according to the report. “Infrastructural limitations, barriers to access and the prevailing belief that curbside recycling is ineffective in the U.S. contribute to public dissatisfaction, misinformation and, in some cases, opposition toward the use of taxpayers’ and ratepayers’ contributions for EPR.”

The Energy Transition Institute was launched in 2022, with a mission to help communities, industries and governments meet rising global energy demands.

The team focuses on practical innovations that complement existing systems while pushing toward a more responsible and secure energy future.

Courtesy: www.uh.edu