Across a wide range of market sectors, the plastics industry is already working to implement changes that demonstrate their commitment toward a more circular economy, and in doing so, is creating significant value for consumers and the economy.
To achieve circularity, a material or product must not become waste and instead must be able to be reused or recycled while saving energy, labor, and raw materials. This means products must be repairable or recyclable or must be able to be repurposed for continued use.
But before we can achieve circularity, we need to recognize that not all plastics are the same. Durable plastics, unlike their single-use counterparts, are meant to last for years, sometimes decades—even a lifetime. This makes durable plastics well suited for applications where strength and safety are essential, like vehicles, drinking and wastewater pipes, medical implants, and buildings.
Because durable plastic goods are designed for consistent long-term use, they must withstand typical wear and tear and not break down easily, making their path to sustainability and circularity unique.
While there are some shared circular practices with non-durable plastic applications such as packaging (e.g., certain advanced recycling technologies, recycled materials feedstock), durable plastic goods serve several distinct market sectors with varying methods for processing materials at EOL that differ from typical municipal waste and recycling programs for plastics used for most single-use and packaging products.
