At Upstream, we often talk about co-creating a world where people and planet are treated as “indisposable.” And while it is now evident how reuse is far better for the planet, it may not be immediately clear how a new reuse economy is—or at least has huge potential to be—more just and equitable than the current throw-away system. 

For starters, environmental health and the health of people and their communities are intricately linked. Black, Brown, Indigenous and low-income communities are disproportionately and directly impacted by the effects of climate change and by polluting industries – leading to a variety of serious health impacts. And the plastics industry, which produces most of our single-use packaging, has been a major contributor to the environmental injustices that occur throughout the United States.

Environmental Justice & Plastics Manufacturing

Plastics pollution is not equally shared in the US, with 90% of the reported pollution from US plastics manufacturing being released into just 18 communities located mostly in Louisiana and Texas. The people who live within three miles of these petrochemical clusters earn 28% less than the average US household and are 67% more likely to be people of color.

Additional impacts occur during the waste management phase. Waste incineration — often used to prevent waste from going to landfills — is usually located in marginalized communities. In 2015, the US EPA reported plastic incineration released 5.9 million metric tons of CO2e. These incinerators not only emit harmful pollutants in the air when they burn waste, they also bring thousands of heavy diesel trucks through the area daily, to transport the waste being produced — exposing residents to toxic emissions and leading to numerous health issues.

These environmental justice issues are caused by the current extractive global economy. Reuse reduces the overall demand for single-use products which rely on the joint exploitation of people and planet — and can help “turn off the tap” for plastics. Reuse also helps reduce overall pollution, toxic chemical exposure, and litter and can greatly reduce litter and waste management costs for local businesses and communities.

Economic Equity & the New Reuse Economy

Many of the communities most affected by the extractive economy also rely on those industries for income, which unfortunately are often low wage jobs with negative health impacts. What’s more, companies often bring in workers to operate the plants rather than hiring locally. And they benefit from special tax breaks and other incentives that deny economic benefits to the community. Reuse, on the other hand, fosters strong and resilient local economies where the logistics of reusables collection, washing, and redistribution provides safer jobs and helps build wealth locally. 

Much of the infrastructure required for the recirculation of goods within communities has yet to be built (or adapted for reuse). Setting up new systems and ways of thinking about how our economy works provides a once-in-lifetime opportunity to concurrently rethink how workers are affected by that economy and who is included at the table. 

Entrepreneurial opportunities abound as more reuse services come onto market. And there is no better way to ensure those services meet the needs of the community than if they are founded by — or at least created with the input of — community members. Now is the time to open minds, doors, and funding streams to expand who gets to leverage these new opportunities. 

This article is adapted from The Climate, Plastics & Reuse briefing document, one of the resources contained in the Climate, Plastics & Reuse Toolkit.