A business without responsibility.

The plastics industry wants to produce even more. And to make sure that this runs like clockwork without much resistance, it is drawing attention to waste disposal and recycling. So there is no plastic waste problem for you, only how to get rid of it. So they are not responsible for the piles of garbage.

This has led to a waste trade and garbage exports that shifted the garbage problem from wealthy countries to poorer countries. Or rather: leaving it to them.

The leading plastics companies are based in 7 countries, but produce in more than 200. naturally supported by lobbyists to exert influence. And they do so very successfully. Because the message, even if we repeat ourselves here, has always been the same since the 50s: the waste problem can be solved with recycling.

During this time, even cheaper alternatives are being sought to produce even more plastic at a reasonable price. Like Fracking. An example: In 2005, a committee drafted a law to bring fracking in line with US water protection law. A miracle, and of course without asking the public for your opinion.

In England, the chemical company Ineos and other energy-intensive companies will be exempt from levies in 2017. Money, which is missing for alternative technologies and new ideas.

The plastics production is thus further boosted. Driven by the "American Chemistry Council", it represents more than 150 chemical companies and spent almost 89 million Euros on lobbying in the last decade.

Conclusion:

So you rightly ask yourself, what can be done against such a powerful lobby? We consumers must finally stop behaving like lemmings and understand how powerful we are. We must radically change our consumption. As soon as we buy fewer plastic products, the industry must and will react. And politicians must finally put climate policy before economic interests.