“Recyclable” Plastic Laundry Detergent Jugs:
Where do they end up?
It comes as no surprise that when walking down the laundry detergent aisle at the grocery store, you suddenly find yourself in a colorful sea of plastic. What’s lesser known is the effects these so-called “recyclable” items have on the environment. These plastics heavily contribute to the seemingly immeasurable amount of plastic waste generated annually in the United States alone. Instead of being recycled, roughly 70% of these conventional bottles and jugs end up in landfills and oceans.
In a U.S. 2018 measurement, 14,530 (in thousands of tons) Total Plastic Containers and Packaging were generated. Out of this, only 1,980 (in thousands of tons) were recycled, while 10,090 (in thousands of tons) ended up in landfills.
To top it off – every year, 8 million metric tons end up in our oceans. Over time, these plastics reduce into micro-plastics that are consumed by marine life – both injuring these species as well as contaminating our food supply.
At CLEAN PEOPLE, our goal is to reduce single-use plastics from landfills and oceans one jug at a time.
