Sustainably Speaking: Will Americans Embrace the Next Era of Recycling? | America’s Plastic Makers®

Microplastics are defined as plastic particles smaller than five millimeters. They are challenging to detect and can have primary or secondary origins. Studying the life cycles of plastics is crucial for reducing microplastics and allows the industry to develop more durable products and design items that degrade under controlled conditions.

The journey towards safeguarding from microplastics in our environment is a process that demands global collaboration. Our guest, Dr. Jeanne Hankett, Sustainability Lead, North American Biodegradation & Microplastics Center of Excellence at BASF, shares valuable insights from her extensive work in this field. Dr. Hankett also provides practical advice for consumers, encouraging proper recycling practices and awareness of compostable materials.

Dr. Hankett also discusses how innovation requires collaboration between scientists, industry experts, and academia. Advanced analytical techniques and collaborations between stakeholders on a global scale are crucial for addressing the complexity of microplastic pollution.

In this episode of Sustainably Speaking, host Mia Quinn hands over the mic to Susan Jackson from BASF Corporation to talk with two prominent political pollsters who explored people’s perceptions around recycling. 

Jackson is joined by polling experts Cornell Belcher, president and founder of Brilliant Corners Research and Strategies and best known for his polling work for former President Barack Obama, and Brenda Gianiny, president and founder of Axis Research, who’s best known for the work she does with Senator Mitch McConnell. 

Belcher and Gianiny emphasize the importance of accurate polling for driving strategies, and they highlight the distinction between professional polling and media-driven polls. They also talk about their initial lack of knowledge about advanced recycling for plastic and how they now recognize its potential and find that voters and consumers share their enthusiasm.