“Advanced recycling” has been promoted as the “holy grail” for hard to recycle plastics, but in reality is not advanced, or even really recycling. The “advanced” processes have been around since the 1970s, but have never proven to be a viable solution for plastic waste. And they’re not “recycling” either, because they don’t result in the manufacture of new plastic products. Less than a quarter of materials processed via “advanced recycling” can be used to create new plastic products. Often, these just create unrefined oil, hazardous waste, and more emissions.
The plastics industry has been deceiving the public for decades, capitalizing on consumers’ desire to do good through recycling. They’ve launched state legislative campaigns to classify “advanced recycling” as recycling, as well as advertising campaigns to support these efforts, focusing on a “communications” problem rather than the actual problem of what to do with our plastic waste.
Sources:
Reading the Center for Climate Integrity’s “The Fraud of Plastic Recycling” Report (February 2024)
“As Plastics Keep Piling Up, Can ‘Advanced’ Recycling Cut the Waste?” By Judith Lewis Mernit for Yale E360. June 2023. & “Recycling Lies: ‘Chemical Recycling’ of Plastic is Just Greenwashing Incineration.” NRDC. 2022 Research by @aveiary and design by @bymatthewmiller for @futureearth
Schneider Electric has struck a landmark deal with Climeworks to support direct air capture technology, underpinning long-term carbon removal strategies. While targeted at corporate emissions, the technology directly links to embodied carbon in materials and future approaches to whole life carbon accounting in construction. For developers under pressure to achieve net zero whole life carbon in projects, advances like this signal a maturing market for permanent carbon removal that will influence material sourcing and sustainable construction finance.
The University of Derby has launched the Institute of Carbonomics, dedicated to addressing whole life carbon and embodied carbon for sectors including construction. This research hub is expected to guide builders, contractors, and suppliers through rigorous Whole Life Carbon Assessment and lifecycle assessment methodologies. By aligning academic expertise with industry needs, it will help construction firms manage Scope 3 emissions, refine sustainable building design, and integrate life cycle thinking in construction at scale.
London’s investment market is showing growing interest in greener portfolios, with carbon intensity beginning to decline across major holdings. This shift signals capital alignment towards environmental sustainability in construction and sustainable building practices. For developers advancing low carbon design, green infrastructure, and net zero carbon buildings, investor appetite could translate into greater access to funding, provided schemes demonstrate credible circular construction strategies and low embodied carbon materials.
At the local level, concerns are rising after Kent County Council withdrew its climate emergency declaration. This decision comes at a time when sustainable urban development and carbon neutral construction are seen as critical to regional planning. Lack of local policy support complicates efforts to lower the carbon footprint of construction and integrate eco-design for buildings, threatening to slow the transition towards renewable building materials, eco-friendly construction, and low carbon building practices in housing and infrastructure upgrades.
Gresham House’s acquisition of SUSI Partners has expanded its renewable energy and infrastructure portfolio to over £10 billion. This consolidation positions it as a significant investor in low carbon construction materials and green building products. For contractors and design teams pursuing sustainable architecture and resource efficiency in construction, stronger financial backing could accelerate the adoption of lifecycle assessment frameworks, environmental product declarations (EPDs), and sustainable material specification across global supply chains.
The debate on Heathrow expansion remains a broader climate concern, highlighting the need for consistency in national infrastructure planning. Large-scale projects face increasing scrutiny over their environmental impact of construction and their compatibility with carbon footprint reduction targets. For the built environment sector, this reinforces pressure to deliver low-impact construction aligned with breeam v7 standards, ensuring projects contribute effectively to decarbonising the built environment while demonstrating building lifecycle performance that supports long-term sustainability goals.
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