The Double-Edged Sword: Facing Our Plastic Crisis in a Changing Global Market
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Date
2019
Authors
Greenberg, Anna
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon
Abstract
In January 2018, China enacted a ban on shipments of recyclables coming from the United States. This major global market shift is known in China as the National Sword Policy. Domestically, it has mostly been referred to as “The Crisis.” In the wake of this major change, this research project seeks to understand how various governments in the Pacific Northwest Region have been strategizing plastic waste management at the city, county, and state level. The study examines opportunities and barriers for both short term and long-term strategies of materials management. Special attention is paid to the role of education, infrastructure, policy, and partnerships as well as the importance of waste reduction and sustainable consumption in these plans. Research methods include interviews with government officials, private waste haulers, and partnering non-profits; content analysis of website, planning documents, and public messaging; and participation in community events. The major finding is that the National Sword is in fact a “double-edged sword” because although communities are scrambling to deal with the sudden change, it is forcing the communities to begin taking ownership over their own waste and developing more sustainable plans for the future of domestic materials management.
Description
50 pages
Keywords
recycling, waste reduction, life cycle analysis, extended producer responsibility, sustainable materials management