The world continues to use and dispose of plastic at an alarming rate. Globally, we produce roughly 400 million metric tons of plastic waste every year, with 29 million tons expected to leach into oceans, lakes and rivers by 2040 1 . Plastic production accounts for approximately 5% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions and are one of the greatest contributors to ecological disruption2. However, steps are being taken to restrict more environmentally destructive plastics, like polyvinyl chloride, better known as PVC or vinyl3. PVC restrictions are looming and countries around the world and some US states have already banned or restricted the use of packaging and products that contain PVC4.
These plastics can be found all around us and cause immense harm to both people and planet. Companies today are focusing on altering the life cycle of a plastic product by recycling these products and producing PVC-free alternatives.
Environmental leaders, policymakers, and fortune 500 companies have their sights set on building a circular plastic economy to change how we utilize and recycle plastics by implementing used plastic products to create new products. In order to reshape human thought about plastics however, we need to create a widely adapted system where we eliminate the overuse of single-use plastics and build a circular economy for plastic waste.
Reimagining Plastic, Building a Circular Economy
The 2021 UN report referenced above estimates that less than 10% of plastic products are recycled. While most plastic waste is landfilled or incinerated, a significant amount still escapes into the environment directly affecting land and sea animals, which is only the surface level result that we can see. Micro-plastic waste impacts humans at the particle level daily. 94% of U.S of tap water is contaminated by microplastic particles and fibers, while the U.K, France, and Germany have about 72 percent contamination rates5.
Within a circular economy, the parts and materials used in our products can be recycled and reintroduced into the product life cycle, maintaining their value for as long as possible. This reduces the millions of tons of plastic waste created each year that is dumped into our oceans and burned into our air. Plastics in the circular economy work across many industries, all of which would greatly benefit (economically and socially) from a circular economy for plastic waste within their processes.
The Circular Economy Plastics Strategy
Both companies and governments are taking steps towards a circular economy and zero-waste plastic goals. More than 100 US industry leaders have vowed to eliminate PVC in all forms, including textiles, from their supply chains by 2025 order to accelerate progress toward a circular economy6.
Companies, like AMP Robotics, are using AI and Robotics to automate the recycling processes for their clients, helping them achieve higher recycling rates and build a circular economy approach to plastic waste. Patagonia has been recycling plastic since the early 1990s to use the recycled material for their jackets and other product lines. To date, 84% of their fabrics are recycled plastic.
The overall goal is to reimagine how plastics are recycled. Renegade Plastics is evolving the industrial fabrics industry for a more sustainable future. A future where our relationship and dependency on harmful plastics is altered and a circular economy of plastics is the driving force to slow climate change.
A Plastic Circular Economy Movement
Businesses and governments around the world are taking the initiative to create a circular economy plastics strategy and there is tremendous opportunity for growth in both North and South America. Renegade has filled a market gap, not serviced by existing PVC coated textile manufacturers. Their XPO and XTE offerings are competitive in cost, fully recyclable, and low carbon, for a sustainable solution. They’ve secured interest from leading customers with zero-waste plastic goals and believe the demand will only grow in coming years as the restrictions on PVC tighten and new plastic recycling laws come into place. The EPA is currently evaluating rules regarding the disposal of toxic plastics and disposal costs may significantly increase. Furthermore, the U.S. Plastic Pact has multinational companies vowing to eliminate PVC plastics from their supply chains by 2025 and they are actively looking for alternatives now. Finally, Canada aims to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030, including PVC coated textiles. Renegade is engaging many Canadian customers who are looking to transition away from PVC coated fabrics before these regulations come into effect.
By joining this movement, you are reducing the production of PVC laden plastics and ensuring that society produces less plastic waste to tackle ecological destruction and climate change head on.
Allies in the battle for a circular plastic economy like Renegade Plastics, Plastic Bank and Plastic Pollution Solutions are doing their part as well. Plastic Bank has collectively stopped over 70.7 million kg of plastic from entering our oceans.
Idaho Sewing For Sports and Cultiva have implemented Renegade Plastics plastic alternative fabrics into their business processes and products. Products like these plastic fabric alternatives will be the future for daily used products like car interiors, billboards, sports equipment, tents and hoop houses that cover our crops.
A Dedicated Commitment
Consumers must be educated and willing to purchase products made from recycled materials in order to drive the production of circular plastics. Companies worldwide are committed to the fight for a circular plastic economy and industry leaders like Adidas and Green Toys are using recycled plastics for their products for the betterment of our world. World-wide, we need to start making our products out of recycled materials, closing the loop on supply chains all over the world. But we cannot do it alone…
Join us as we pave the way to a more sustainable, healthy future.
1 FUN Environmental Programme, Drowning in Plastics 2021 (unep.org).
2 Speed & Scale, John Doerr 2021.
3Greenberg Traurig, EPA Considers Classifying Discarded PVC Plastic as Hazardous Waste, 2022.
4 FDA, Phthalates in Food Packaging and Food Contact Applications, 2022.
5 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0194970 | https://orbmedia.org/the-invisibles
6 Us Plastic Pact U.S. Plastics Pact’s Problematic and Unnecessary Materials List, 2022
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