How It Ticks: The Swiss Culture, Business & Life Podcast Switzerland's Plastic Paradox: Why We Burn 85% of Our Waste | Javier Pérez-Ramirez
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Sep 1, 2025 
Javier Pérez-Ramírez, a leading mind in catalysis engineering from ETH Zurich, tackles the pressing issue of plastic waste. He reveals that only about 10% of plastic is effectively recycled, exposing a massive gap between public perception and reality. The conversation goes beyond mere statistics, discussing the differences between mechanical and chemical recycling. Javier sheds light on Switzerland's waste management strategies and emphasizes that individual actions can make a difference in improving recycling outcomes.
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Scale And Climate Impact Of Plastic
- Global plastic production rises ~4% per year and creates a waste stream equal to the weight of every human annually.
- Burning all annual plastics would emit ~15% of the planet's safe CO2 budget, adding a new emitting 'nation'.
Tiny Recycling Rates And Downcycled Materials
- Only about 10% of global plastics are recycled today and roughly 9% of all plastics ever made have been recycled.
- Most recycled plastics come from mechanical recycling, which lowers material quality versus the original.
Why Collected Plastics Aren't Recycled
- Collected plastic often isn't recycled due to limited recycling capacity and poor-quality sorting.
- Contamination, mixed polymers, labels and additives make mechanical recycling costly and yield low-quality output.