today published a report that analyzes scientific data on the environmentalimpacts of plastics and finds plastics to be more sustainable thanalternative materials when life cycle assessments are taken intoconsideration. The report, authored by environmental scientist KennethGreen and titled *Plastics and Sustainability
further finds that eliminating plastics would be detrimental to ongoingsustainability efforts and that enhancing recycling systems is a practicalsolution.
Too often we see groups criticize plastics using unscientificinformation. The report released today summarizes what data has indicatedfor years: plastic is lighter and more durable than alternatives, and ithas a smaller environmental footprint,” **said Tony Radoszewski, President& CEO of PLASTICS.** “Switching to alternatives would not only harm anindustry that employs almost a million Americans, but it would also harmour environment and our well-being.”
Plastics and Sustainability* examined numerous life cycle assessments todetermine differences in methodologies measuring the sustainability ofdifferent materials, including steel, aluminum, glass, and others. Thereport acknowledges that plastics’ sustainability can and should continueto improve over time.
Assessing sustainability has to include plastic’s impacts on the physicalenvironment as well as the climate, including the production of plasticsfrom fossil fuels, and disposal of plastic waste into the environment. Butwe must take care in choosing alternatives,” **said author KennethGreen. **“Comparison
studies and common sense tell us that alternative materials will alsoproduce environmental impacts, quite possibly worse than the plastics theyreplace.”*
