Role of plastics as a climate change driver to grow, researchers say
By Sheri McWhirter | October 31, 2021 | mLive
Scientists recently figured out that expected surges in plastics manufacturing may cause enough greenhouse gas emissions to cancel out gains made through closures of most of the country’s coal-fired power plants.
A new report published this month by Beyond Plastics, an academic project of Vermont’s Bennington College, quantified U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from plastics manufacturing. The researchers determined plastics are on track to outpace greenhouse gas emissions from coal plants before the decade is out.
The scientists said this data about the stages of plastics production has never been compiled before. Their research showed the U.S. plastics industry annually releases at least 232 million tons of greenhouse gases, the equivalent of 116 typical coal-fired power plants.
“Our report has found that plastics is replacing coal as a major source of atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions,” said Judith Enck, former EPA regional administrator and president of Beyond Plastics.
“And what’s happening in the markets is — as the world transitions away from fossil fuels for electricity generation in for transportation, the petrochemical industry has found a new market for fossil fuels: plastics. The petrochemical industry has big plans for expanding plastics infrastructure, and that in turn will dramatically increase emissions.”
Researchers examined the 10 key stages of fossil fuel use for making plastics and measured emissions based on 100-year carbon dioxide equivalent weights.
They explored emission rates from hydrofracking, moving and processing fracked gas, ethane cracker facilities, making polymers and other additives, use of foam plastic insulation, waste incineration and more.
“This whole energy-intensive, expensive process is all to give us more single-use plastic packaging – plastic bags, straws, polystyrene foam – much of it is littered and getting into Earth’s surface waters and ultimately into the ocean,” Enck said.
The report shows emissions from plastics manufacturing are already on an upswing. Industry officials reported a 10 million-ton increase in greenhouse gas emissions last year, and construction is underway on a dozen new plastics factories with at least that many more planned for the future.