Researchers challenge misleading language around plastic waste solutions

Solutions to the plastic waste crisis are often pitched using words that can skew value judgments, new research argues. The paper, authored by the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub at The University of Manchester, explores the consequences of terminology choices on end-of-life solutions for plastic waste. While recycling has long been touted as a solution for plastic sustainability, it comes in many forms, and can sometimes serve as a smokescreen for genuine discussions around sustainability.