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Don't waste your time recycling plastic
It might seem counterintuitive, but plastic as a material is not recyclable.
When we say toxic chemicals, we are talking about some very bad actors: heavy metals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), flame retardants and persistent organic pollutants. Tens of thousands of proprietary chemical formulas are involved in the production of plastic, most of which have never been tested for their effects on human health, although many are known to be endocrine disruptors, fertility inhibitors and carcinogens. A study of just one plastics recycling facility discovered that it might be washing 3 million pounds of microplastics into its wastewater every year — all of which ends up being deposited in our city water systems or dumped into the environment.
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