Poll Reveals: US Voters Demand Accountability from Plastics Industry for Recycling Lies!

The majority of American voters would back state officials seeking legal recourse against the plastics and fossil fuel sectors for generating plastic waste, given proof that these industries have deceived the public regarding the feasibility of recycling their products. This information comes from a poll released on Monday.

The survey, carried out by Data for Progress and the Center for Climate Integrity, comes in the wake of a report that the CCI published in February. The report revealed long-standing industry dishonesty about the recyclability of plastics and highlights an ongoing, multi-year investigation by the California attorney general, which could potentially culminate in a lawsuit.

According to the poll, 70% of voters are in favor of such a lawsuit, with even 54% of Republicans expressing their support.

“No matter where you stand politically, no one appreciates being deceived by corporations,” said Davis Allen, a researcher at CCI. “The remarkable thing here is the consensus among voters that it’s underhanded and wrong for companies to label a product as recyclable when it isn’t.”

Alyssa Johl, CCI’s vice president and Allen’s colleague, asserts that the poll strengthens the argument for attorneys general to initiate lawsuits against the industry for its contribution to plastic waste and for misleading the public about recycling.

“As we wait to see the outcome of California’s investigation, it’s evident that the public is deeply concerned about the plastic waste crisis and would back holding Big Oil and the plastics industry responsible for the sham of plastic recycling,” she stated. “Any public official or attorney general considering taking action on this matter should know that they have both the law and public sentiment on their side.”

The survey, which included 1,231 online panel participants, also asked a variety of other questions related to plastics. After being provided with information during the survey, over two-thirds of the participants said the plastics industry should bear “a significant amount of responsibility” in addressing the plastic crisis. Meanwhile, 59% had similar expectations from the fossil fuel industry. The two industries are actually interlinked, as almost all plastics are made from fossil fuels.

More than 60% of participants strongly agreed—and 85% at least “somewhat” agreed—that it was misleading to use the “chasing arrows” symbol on products that were not actually recyclable. This practice was limited by a 2021 California law, and the Federal Trade Commission is updating its guidelines following recommendations given last year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which stated that the symbol’s usage can be “deceptive or confusing.”

The poll revealed that Americans tend to overestimate the quantity of plastic being recycled. On average, respondents estimated that about 45% of plastic is recycled, whereas a 2021 Greenpeace report indicated that the actual percentage is closer to 6%.

Despite the detrimental effects of plastic waste, global plastic production continues to escalate. It’s anticipated that about 220 million tons of plastic waste will be generated this year alone. Last week, a study published in the prestigious journal Nature estimated that global plastic waste emissions are approximately 52 million metric tons per year.

Recycling plastic is a logistical challenge due to the fact that many products are composed of different types of plastic composites and because the quality of the material decreases with each cycle of use.

The poll’s release coincides with the final stages of negotiations on a worldwide plastics treaty, which has been underway for several years. Prior to the United Nations General Assembly meetings this week, a group of celebrities including Bette Midler urged for decisive action on plastics in an open letter published by Greenpeace.

The final negotiations for the global plastics treaty will commence in Busan, South Korea on November 25. The previous major round of negotiations, held in April, was heavily influenced by corporate lobbyists, according to advocates. Activists and Indigenous leaders were also excluded from a smaller meeting in Thailand last month, which drew criticism.

The demand for plastics producers to be held accountable comes as the fossil fuel industry is already facing legal challenges for its role in exacerbating the climate crisis. Numerous cities and states have initiated lawsuits. However, none of these have reached the trial stage yet. The closest to doing so, City and County of Honolulu v. Sunoco et al., has been embroiled in political and legal disputes, with the industry striving to have the lawsuit dismissed.