A study launched in 2013 by the Laboratory of Advanced Production Management Systems of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro shows that during the first decade of this century, the use of plastic components in the Brazilian automobile fleet prevented the issuance of 126.5 million tonnes of CO2eq; Environmental science report highlights other advantages of plastic over alternative materials.
The report Plastics and durability, October 2021, published by environmental scientist and director of the Canadian Fraser Institute, Kenneth P. Green, brings a different perspective to the discussion of sustainability and the world that will be left to future generations.
He suggests that assessing the sustainability of plastics requires a comprehensive, holistic and historical perspective, as well as consideration of the environmental, economic and social impacts of expanding the use of alternative materials to plastic.
Scientific assessments of the life cycle of plastic and alternative materials such as glass and aluminum, for example, indicate that plastic has a smaller carbon footprint, making it the most sustainable option in many applications. . According to Google, aluminum production is one of the most energy-intensive and polluting activities on the planet, generating 175 million tonnes of toxic waste and emitting around 861 million tonnes of CO2 every year.
Plastic, for its part, is light, resistant, requires little raw material for its manufacture, contributes to the reduction of food waste, one of the main causes of the intensification of the greenhouse effect, responsible for 8%. to 10% of total emissions, according to the UN report on climate change, in addition to being largely recyclable, either mechanically or chemically.
Challenges for the future
Kenneth emphasizes that the implementation of policies aimed at restricting the use of plastic, such as banning it or replacing it with other materials, would generate negative impacts on the environment and on the advancement of society. Because, although it is a new material for humanity and has a short history in the manufacture of consumer goods, plastic has become essential to support prosperous and technological societies. “Suggestions to stop using plastic would likely be detrimental to human and environmental well-being”, defends.
On the other hand, the analysis recognizes that recycling processes are still economically inefficient. One of the reasons plastic recycling rates around the world are lower than necessary. However, he claims that full recovery of plastic monomers through recycling would bring the company closer to current desired concepts of environmental sustainability. This, Kenneth concludes, is one of the main challenges for a future of economic and social development in harmony with the environment: recovering the value lost in the plastic recycling process.
Another of these challenges is the creation of mechanisms that ensure that learning and correcting the impacts caused by the relationship between human societies and plastic can develop, such as the circular economy, one of the reasons for the existence of initiatives such as the RePEense movement.
Full report: www.politico.com/f/?id=0000017c-b8e0-df97-a9ff-bcff43c30000
RePense Movement Website: www.repense.eco.br
Website: http://www.repense.eco.br
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