Plastic is Carbon

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the plastics and petrochemical industry uses "net zero" narratives to greenwash the expansion of plastic production. The document asserts that because plastic is derived from fossil fuels and emits greenhouse gases throughout its entire lifecycle, it is fundamentally incompatible with climate goals, and the only viable solution is to significantly reduce plastic production.

• Plastic production and incineration are projected to emit 2.8 gigatons of CO2e annually by 2050, which is equivalent to the emissions of 615 coal plants and could consume up to 13% of the global carbon budget required to limit warming to 1.5C.
• The document rejects the possibility of "zero-emissions" plastic, stating that production cannot be electrified because it relies on fossil-derived hydrogen and methane. Furthermore, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is described as unworkable at scale and prohibitively expensive; one cited study found CCS economically viable in less than 10% of 1,500 considered U.S. industrial facilities.
• Burning plastic waste for energy, including through pyrolysis, gasification, or "chemical recycling," is characterized as incineration that releases carbon. Specifically, burning plastic emits 2.9 kg of CO2e for every kg of plastic burned.
• Carbon offsets are deemed an inadequate solution for the plastics industry. The document notes that plastic's 2021 lifecycle emissions would require a new forest the size of Cyprus to offset, and by 2050, a forest the size of Belgium would need to be planted annually. Additionally, 2021 Direct Air Capture capacity (12,000 tons CO2 per year) represented only 0.0013% of plastic's emissions for that year.
• Bioplastics are not presented as a climate solution because they rely on carbon-intensive industrial agriculture. A cited Nature Climate Change study indicates that shifting 250 million tonnes of plastic production to bio-based plastics would require up to 5% of all arable land, potentially causing deforestation and food insecurity.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). Plastic is Carbon. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Plastic-is-Carbon-Oct2021.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Plastic is Carbon. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Plastic-is-Carbon-Oct2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Plastic is Carbon |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Plastic-is-Carbon-Oct2021.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndplastic, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Plastic is Carbon}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Plastic-is-Carbon-Oct2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }