Which policy would best reduce plastic waste?

• A. Increase use of single-use plastics and ignore recycling.
• B. Reducing use and increasing recycled content in plastics, plus collect and recycle, and consider alternatives.
• C. Expand landfill disposal for plastics.
• D. Ban all recycling programs.

Answer: (B)

Reducing plastic waste comes from a combined approach that lowers how much plastic is used, increases the amount of recycled content in plastics, ensures effective collection and recycling, and considers alternative materials. When you cut down on plastic use, there’s less material that can become waste in the first place. Using more recycled content means plastic products are made from previously collected material, which lowers the demand for virgin fossil resources and saves energy. Collecting and recycling turns used plastics back into usable material, keeping resources in the loop instead of letting them accumulate in landfills or the environment. Exploring alternatives, such as reusable packaging or different materials, further reduces long-term waste and pollution. In contrast, simply boosting single-use plastics, expanding landfills, or banning recycling would raise waste, prevent recovery of materials, and miss the chance to close the loop.