But, until and unless such technology becomes adopted widely, the bulk of black plastic goes straight to the landfill.
This creates a number of problems. One, of course, is that plastic that could have theoretically been recycled ends up creating more trash. Greenpeace is among those to have called for a ban on black plastic— and other single-use plastics—to reduce pollution in landfills, rivers, and seas.
The government of Canada has done just that, passing a prohibition on the manufacture, import, and sale of black and other single-use plastic checkout bags, cutlery, and foodservice items, among other products.
Where does plastic material come from?
According to a 2018 study, there is “mounting evidence” that “the demand for black plastic appears to be met, in no insignificant part, by the recycling of plastic from waste electronic and electrical equipment.” As the controversial October study noted, many of these e-waste products contain flame retardants to protect devices from overheating, including a compound known as decabromodiphenyl ether, or decaBDE.
Studies have linked decaBDE with cancers and reproductive and developmental harm in laboratory animals. There is less comprehensive evidence of its impacts on humans, but it has been severely curtailed or banned in multiple countries, including in the European Union. In 2021, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) largely prohibited “all manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of decaBDE, or decaBDE-containing products or articles,” and updated that order with additional restrictions in late 2024.
