Does Recycling Really Work and Does It Have to Be This Hard?

For decades, we’ve been told recycling is the answer to plastic waste. But what if that’s a lie? California thinks it just might be.

This week, the Golden State’s attorney general filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, alleging the company misled the public about the effectiveness of plastic recycling for decades. The lawsuit claims the oil giant’s marketing campaigns fueled misconceptions about the recyclability of plastic products, contributing to the plastic pollution crisis.

The first-of-its-kind lawsuit brings renewed attention to the broader challenges of managing plastic waste, with only a fraction of plastics — about 5% in the U.S. — being successfully recycled. At the heart of the legal action is the argument that ExxonMobil promoted the “myth” of recycling to justify the continued production of single-use plastics, while much of the waste ends up in landfills or as pollution.

As global conversations on plastic waste intensify, with a major international treaty negotiation approaching, this lawsuit raises critical questions about corporate responsibility, sustainability and the future of plastic use.

Vidya Mani, an associate professor of business administration at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, is an expert in sustainable global value chains.

Mani also leads the P3 Impact Award, created by Darden’s Institute for Business in Society with Concordia and the U.S. State Department’s Office of Global Partnerships to recognize outstanding public-private partnerships.

The Darden Report spoke with Mani about the challenges of plastic recycling. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Why is recycling plastic so difficult?

A: Recycling anything is hard, not just plastics. When you look at a plastic wrapper, you think of it as one package. But it is mixed with many other types of plastic when it goes for recycling. When you think of a cell phone, you think of it as just the phone, not parts that are recycled differently. Instead, you have plastic, along with a whole lot of other metals that require different processes. Recycling anything that requires a lot of separation and processes is difficult. With different kinds of plastic, you need a lot of separate processes to recycle each kind. It’s not a single process. You have to do it at multiple points. That’s where the cost is involved. And unless you find someone willing to pay that price, the default option is always to take it to the landfill.

Q: California’s lawsuit comes ahead of a final round of global plastic treaty negotiations in South Korea in November. Why are these talks significant?

A: What’s at stake are literally the waterways and food systems for the globe. If we don’t get this right, we’re going to end up with contaminated foods. And many nations will sink further into poverty because their health systems are crumbling. And that’s going to cause more climate migration.

Q: Do you think the California lawsuit against ExxonMobil will have any impact on treaty negotiations or other discussions on policies around plastic waste and production?

A: Not right now. I think this is going to drag on for years. But what we may want to think about is when California first came up with the Supply Chain Transparency Act, it took a few years for companies to see the benefit to their reputations from proactively disclosing their efforts to address human trafficking and other supply chain risks. So, you have to start somewhere.

Q: Given the challenges with recycling, what alternatives should businesses and policymakers be considering to address the plastic waste crisis?

A: Consumption. We consume so much more than we need. One of two things has to happen: either our consumption has to go down, or companies have to do better when it comes to the lifecycle of their products.

Q: What steps can individuals take in their everyday life to reduce plastic use or improve recycling?

A: First, when you buy something, ask yourself if you really need it or if you can repurpose something else. Second, when you’re looking at laundry detergents and similar products, consider if you can reuse the container, e.g. refill it. Third, I suggest going to a recycling center to dispose of items properly. Many of us don’t wash stuff out before recycling, which is a major contaminant.

Engage with the companies to bring change. If you’re investing in stocks, have a major equity stake, or are working somewhere, start conversations about what can be done to reduce plastic use.

Q: How do business schools like Darden prepare future leaders to tackle complex sustainability challenges like plastic pollution?

A: We pose it as a question: What would you do if you were the CEO of the company, and you had a mission to help reduce plastic? What actions would you take? Part of the Darden curriculum focuses on how to create multi-stakeholder partnerships to reach sustainability goals. We teach how to evaluate the ROI impact of new technologies, how to scale and become efficient, and how to be a responsible leader, producer and consumer.