Plastic has a relatively big carbon footprint: 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions—more than the aviation or international shipping industries. But plastic that doesn’t harm the environment? That’s the goal of this project, which aims to develop lower-emissions recycling technology for mixed polyester plastics. Amazon and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are working together to jumpstart the advancement of biodegradable packaging materials. But we need help.
There are multiple opportunities for other Climate Pledge signatories to collaborate, from testing bioplastics in food, personal care, and logistics sectors to working with material recovery facilities to effectively sort and aggregate the materials. The endgame: New recycling technologies and a world in which plastics are low-carbon.