Thread by @kevin_budris

1/15 So-called “chemical recycling” or “advanced recycling” are not the safe, green, or “circular" technologies often described by the petrochemical industry. Let’s take a deeper dive and look at a few examples in today’s #FacilityFriday🧵. @CLF

2/15 All so-called “chemical” or “advanced” recycling technologies burn plastic or other waste – or turn it into fuel to be burned elsewhere. Any supposed “raw materials” that come out of the process are purely incidental. #FacilityFriday @GAIAnoburn
no-burn.org/resources/all-…

3/15 Burning plastic ≠ recycling. So-called “chemical recycling” uses a two-step incineration process. Step 1: expose plastics to temps as high as 2,800° F to create fuel and waste byproducts. Step 2: burn the dirty fuel and the waste. #FacilityFriday clf.org/blog/burning-w…

4/15 This two-step burning process emits climate-damaging gases and dangerous toxics like dioxins, lead, hydrogen cyanide, and nitrogen oxides. The pro-burning industry deliberately ignores these emissions when they claim these facilities are safe. #ClimateCrisis #FacilityFriday

5/15 The petrochemical industry prevents adequate emissions monitoring for “chemical recycling” by pushing laws that deregulate these facilities. Without real emissions data, it’s easier to pretend these facilities aren’t dangerous. #FacilityFriday
clf.org/blog/corporati…

6/15 The two-step burning process also allows the industry to ignore the downstream emissions from so-called “chemical recycling.” Because most plastic-derived fuels are burned offsite, they can pretend the facilities that made these dirty fuels are “clean.” #FacilityFriday

7/15 Let’s look at two facilities to see how this plays out. First up, Nexus Fuels in western Atlanta. This facility heats plastics into fuels and “chemical feedstocks” before sending them to a Shell plant in Norco, Louisiana to be burned. #FacilityFriday
markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/sh…

8/15 Both Nexus Fuels and the Shell plant that burns Nexus Fuels’ “products” are located near communities of color and low-income communities. And the Shell facility has a long history of environmental violations. #EnvironmentalJustice #FacilityFriday nola.com/news/environme…

9/15 Next up: Agilyx in Tigard, Oregon, which claims it turns polystyrene into styrene – a known carcinogen. Agilyx sends styrene, benzene (another carcinogen), and other chemicals to be burned at facilities in 6 different states. #FacilityFriday @NRDC nrdc.org/experts/veena-…

10/15 A very small amount of the styrene produced by Agilyx may be sent to an Americas Styrenics facility in Louisiana's "cancer alley." That facility uses a toxic process to turn styrene into polystyrene foam. #EnvironmentalJustice #FacilityFriday projects.propublica.org/louisiana-toxi…

11/15 When the American Chemistry Council talks about Agilyx as the future of so-called “chemical recycling,” they somehow always neglect to mention the toxic impacts of polystyrene production and burning waste chemicals. #FacilityFriday

12/15 Meanwhile, neither Nexus Fuels, nor Agilyx, nor any other so-called “chemical recycling” plant is adequately monitoring its own emissions for dangerous toxics like dioxins, heavy metals, or the countless toxic additives in plastics. #FacilityFriday eenews.net/articles/failu…

13/15 By obscuring emissions data for plastic-burning facilities, the petrochemical industry is perpetuating a #Greenwashing scam meant to keep us hooked on #SingleUsePlastics – at the expense of public health and the environment. #FacilityFriday clf.org/blog/polluters…

14/15 And so far in 2022, the petrochemical lobby is again pushing pro-burning bills in RI, CT, NH, and many other states. We need to push back on their disinformation campaign and stop these bills. #FacilityFriday @EnvCouncil_RI @cleanwater_ri @RIAudubon

15/15 When the plastics industry says that "chemical" or "advanced" recycling are safe or "circular," they’re ignoring the real impacts of burning plastic. All in their quest to put #ProfitOverPeople. #FacilityFriday @CLF @PlasticsBeyond @GAIAUS_CAN @ciel_tweets @ToxicsFree