Confused about recycling? It’s not your fault - Shannon Odell

翻译人员: kate shi 校对人员: Yanyan Hong

If you've ever looked at the bottom of a disposable bottle or cup,

如果你曾经看过 一次性瓶子或杯子的底部，

you've probably noticed this symbol.

那你大概注意过这个符号。

Seeing this, many people assume the item they’re holding

看到这，多数人会认为 他们拿着的东西

should be tossed in a recycling bin.

应该被扔到回收箱里。

Yet many of these plastics are incapable of being recycled at most centers.

然而，这些塑料却无法 被大多数回收中心回收。

In fact, of the 360 million tons of plastic created worldwide each year,

实际上，全球每年生产的 3.6 亿吨塑料中，

only 9% is ever recycled.

只有 9％ 被回收利用。

So why are so few plastics recycled?

那么，为什么可回收的塑料如此少呢？

And what do these codes actually mean?

而这些代码又是什么意思呢？

Our recycling problem is multi-layered, beginning at production.

我们的回收问题是多层次的， 从生产开始。

About 18% of plastics are made from what is known as thermosetting polymers.

大约 18%的塑料 是由所谓的热固性聚合物制成。

These plastics gain stability through curing,

这些塑料通过固化而变得稳定，

a process that hardens a material by irreversibly crosslinking

固化是通过分子链的不可逆交联

its molecular chains.

使材料硬化的过程。

The very properties that make thermoset plastics so useful,

热固性塑料之所以如此有用

in that they keep their shape and integrity under extreme conditions,

是因为它们在极端条件下 还可以完整保持原状，

mean that they can’t be broken down and rebuilt

这也意味着绝大多数回收厂

by the vast majority of recycling plants.

无法分解和重塑它们。

Thankfully, most plastics are thermoplastics,

值得庆幸的是， 绝大多数塑料都是热塑性塑料

which can be melted and remolded.

所以可以被熔化并重新塑形。

But this category encompasses a variety of materials

但是这一类别包括

with unique chemical structures, weights, and properties,

各种具有独特化学结构、 重量和特性的材料，

all of which require different conditions for recycling.

而所有这些材料都需要 不同的回收条件。

As a result, only some of these thermoplastics

因此，大多数回收中心

are accepted at most recycling centers.

只接受其中一部分热塑性塑料。

Which brings us to our next problem: the confusing code system.

这引出了下一个问题： 混乱的代码系统。

Developed and introduced by the plastics industry in 1988,

1988 年，塑料行业开发和推出了该系统，

this code was presented as a way to help consumers and facilities

旨在帮助消费者和设施

sort their trash.

对垃圾进行分类。

Each number indicates the material the plastic is made of,

数字代表所制成的材料，

known as its resin.

即树脂。

Some resin numbers are recyclable at most centers,

有些树脂编号 在大多数中心是可以回收的，

while others are not.

而另一些则不是。

And yet, within this system,

然而，在这个系统中，

all numbers are surrounded by the universally recognized recycling symbol,

所有数字都用 大众熟知的回收符号所环绕，

misleading consumers into thinking that many unsalvageable plastics

误导消费者， 认为许多无法回收的塑料

have a chance at a second life.

也有机会重获新生。

And just because a technically recyclable resin makes it to a recycling bin,

而且，即使技术上可回收的树脂 成功的进入了回收箱，

doesn’t mean it will continue its journey.

也并不意味着它将继续其旅程。

Plastics often contain multiple resins, are mixed with dyes and additives,

塑料通常含有多种树脂，

or are affixed with difficult-to-remove stickers and labels,

混有染料和添加剂， 或者贴有难以去除的贴纸和标签，

all of which can cause them to be rerouted to the incinerator or trash bin.

都有可能是导致它们 被转送到焚化炉或垃圾桶的原因。

In short, many companies don't design packaging with recovery in mind.

简而言之，许多公司在设计包装时 并不考虑重复利用。

Even under pristine conditions,

即使在原始条件下，

plastic resins can only be melted down and remolded a handful of times,

塑料树脂能被熔化并重塑的次数 也屈指可数，

as their polymers degrade with each use.

因为它们的聚合物 每经过一次使用都会降解。

If all these issues make you feel as if recycling plastics is infeasible,

如果所有这些问题让你觉得 回收塑料好像并不可行，

you wouldn't be the first.

那么你不是第一个这样想的人。

This reality was well known to the plastics industry as early as the 1970s.

早在 20 世纪 70 年代， 这一现实就为塑料行业所熟知。

Despite their doubts that widespread recycling

尽管他们怀疑

would ever be economically viable,

广泛回收在经济上是否可行，

the industry threw millions of dollars into ad campaigns.

该行业还是向广告活动 投入了数百万美金。

Within the US, the plastics industry quietly lobbied state governments,

在美国境内， 塑料行业悄悄地游说州政府，

leading a majority to adopt laws requiring that plastics

导致大多数人接受塑料必须带有

bear the confusing resin codes.

令人困惑的树脂代码的律法。

And with this, the burden of “fixing” the growing plastic waste problem

这样一来，“解决”日益严重的 塑料垃圾问题的重任

was pushed from the industry onto the consumer.

就从塑料行业推到了消费者身上。

Today, the situation has only gotten worse.

如今，情况只会更糟。

The rising costs to properly separate all this waste,

妥善分离这些废物的成本不断上涨，

paired with fewer international buyers of recyclable scraps,

再加上可回收废料的国际购买者减少，

has forced many cities to shut down their curbside recycling programs altogether.

许多城市被迫关闭了路边回收计划。

So how can we fix our growing plastic waste system?

那么，我们怎样才能 修复我们不断增长的塑料垃圾系统呢？

It’s clear that we must reduce the plastics we consume.

很明显，我们必须减少塑料消耗。

More than a quarter of our plastic waste comes from packaging materials.

我们超过四分之一的塑料垃圾 来原于包装材料。

Many manufacturers have taken steps in the right direction,

许多制造商已经朝着正确的方向 采取了措施，

phasing out unnecessary plastic films, and switching out plastic tubs and tubes

逐步淘汰了不必要的塑料薄膜，

with more easily recyclable materials, or compostable options.

并采用了更容易回收的材料或可堆肥的选项 来取代塑料桶和管子。

For the plastics that do remain,

对于残留的塑料，

one solution is to work towards a circular economy for plastics.

一种解决方案是努力实现塑料循环经济。

This means creating fewer new plastics, eliminating those that are single-use,

这意味着减少新塑料的生产， 淘汰那些一次性塑料，

and ensuring the plastics that remain can stay in circulation via recycling.

并确保剩余的塑料 能够通过循环利用继续流通。

Such a system would rely on policies that regulate plastics

这样一个系统将依赖于从塑料生产开始

starting at their production—

就对其进行监管的政策——

ensuring that all plastics created are free from contaminants

确保所生产的所有塑料都不含有

that could harm their ability to be recycled.

可能损害其回收能力的污染物。

In the meantime, many experts believe the current resin code system

与此同时，许多专家认为，

should be eliminated,

我们应该废除目前的树脂代码系统，

and swapped out for clear, simplified recyclable versus non-recyclable labels.

并让清晰、简化的可回收标签 或不可回收标签取而代之。

This would help consumers more easily sort their waste, but more importantly,

这将帮助消费者更轻松地 对垃圾进行分类，甚至更重要的是，

allow them to make informed decisions at purchase,

使他们能够在购买时 做出明智的决定，

ultimately putting the pressure back on manufacturers

从而最终减轻制造商的压力

to ensure a recyclable future.

以确保一个可回收利用的未来。