The Majority of Americans See Both 'Mechanical' and 'Molecular' Processes as Recycling, According to a Recent Survey by the Harris Poll, a Stagwell (STGW) Company

NEW YORK, June 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Harris Poll survey commissioned by The Coalition to Advance Molecular Recycling found that both mechanical and molecular processes are considered ideal forms of recycling among the majority of Americans.

Two prominent methods of recycling plastics exist. They are mechanical recycling (the process of taking plastic waste and separating, washing, cutting, and melting it down to create new plastic products) and molecular recycling (the process of converting plastic waste back to its basic building blocks to create new plastic products). When these processes are described, the majority of Americans say both mechanical (59%) and molecular (53%) processes very much describe their ideal view for plastic recycling.

This survey research, which gathered responses from 5,000 U.S. men and women aged 18+, was collected to share with the Federal Trade Commission as it considers revising its Green Guides. The Green Guides offer non-binding guidance on both general principles that apply to all environmental marketing claims based on the FTC's view of how consumers are likely to interpret such claims, and how marketers can substantiate and qualify those claims to avoid deceiving consumers.

"When asked when plastic recycling ends, more than half of Americans (53%) say plastic recycling should never end—plastic materials used to make products should be continuously used, recycled, and used again," said Allison Powell, Vice President, Strategy and Go To Market at the Harris Poll. "This suggests an appetite for a circular economy for plastics, which can be facilitated through molecular recycling."

Americans view both mechanical and molecular processes as valid recycling methods; they view both as technologies to reduce the environmental impact of plastic production and divert waste from the waste stream. After being educated on these methods, consumer views on the characteristics implied by mechanical and molecular recycling are nearly identical. Both processes are seen as turning used plastic into new plastic (61% for both), reducing the environmental impact of new plastic production (52% for both), and diverting material from the waste stream (47% for mechanical and 44% for molecular). In fact, roughly 9 in 10 Americans (89%) say plastic products made with materials derived from either mechanical or molecular recycling processes contain recycled content.

About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com. 

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SOURCE Stagwell Inc.