Patrick Krieger: Protecting our climate and following the science requires plastics

(Patrick Krieger is vice president of sustainability at the Plastics Industry Association.) In the seemingly never-ending COVID-era, “follow the science” has become the mantra to slow the spread and keep vulnerable populations safe. A useful thought for so many areas of our lives, but it’s unfortunately often ignored. One area where we aren’t following the science is how we think about plastics, especially single-use plastics, and the environment. Following the science means choosing plastic as the most environmentally friendly option. Plastics make everything from soda bottles to cars lighter, more effective, safer and more durable.

However, we need to alleviate plastic waste. Houston is leading the way to reduce plastic pollution and boost recycling rates with the Houston Recycling Collaboration — a public-private partnership that aims to increase access to recycling and community education as well as pilot advanced recycling technologies. New technologies that can increase recycling rates and plastic’s sustainability benefits aren’t the only reason to choose plastics — this material also outperforms on cost, making it the most affordable option and boosting access to many basic goods. Alternatives such as glass and aluminum are far more expensive to produce, consume significantly more energy and water, and due to their weight, are more expensive to ship, handle and transport, meaning higher costs for consumers. Take something many of us have in our homes: peanut butter. Peanut butter packaged in a plastic jar uses less water, less energy, and results in lower emissions than a similarly sized glass jar. Comparatively, a glass jar is nearly eight times heavier and more expensive than plastic, eating into fuel efficiency, number of shipments needed, and the price at the store. Scientific studies have looked at the full lifecycle of plastics to measure their climate footprint, and the conclusions are clear: Replacing plastic packaging with alternatives for consumer goods would nearly quadruple their environmental impact by increasing emissions and using more water and energy. Not to mention the resulting significant price hikes for consumers amid already-dramatic inflation. The efficiencies plastic provides are also true for many common single-use items. According to a life cycle assessment by the University of Michigan, single-use plastic options for straws, cutlery and sandwich bags all outperformed their reusable counterparts due to lower water and energy usage.