Zero Waste: Plastic Recycling and the Circular Economy for a Sustainable Future

By Murat Karslioglu

What if the solution to one of the world's biggest crises was already within our reach?

Beyond Plastic dives deep into the global plastic crisis, exposing hard truths about recycling, greenwashing, and the systems that have failed us. At the same time, it offers an inspiring roadmap for a sustainable future where

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carson & Goldstein Press
• Release date: Jan 7, 2025
• ISBN: 9798218565572

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Copyright © 2025 by Murat Karslioglu

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The strategies, advice, and insights shared in this book are intended for informational and educational purposes only. They may not be suitable for every situation, and you should consult with professionals where appropriate. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be held liable for any loss of profit or other damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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ISBN: 979-8-218-56555-8 (Print), 979-8-218-56557-2 (Ebook)

First Edition

Published in 2025

Carson&Goldstein Publishing

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

1.The Rise of Plastic

2.Plastic in the Anthropocene

3.The Need for Global Action

The Lifecycle of Plastic

4.From Raw Material to Product

5.The Afterlife of Plastic

6.Environmental Costs

The Global Plastic Landscape

7.Key Statistics on Plastic Production and Waste

8.Regional Challenges and Opportunities

9.The Role of Policy

Current Methods of Addressing Plastic Waste

10.Traditional Recycling

11.Incineration and Waste-to-Energy

12.Biodegradable Plastics

13.Behavioral and Cultural Approaches

Sorting and Its Limitations

14.Why Sorting Matters

15.Labor-Intensive Sorting

16.Why Sorting Often Fails

17.The Case for Moving Beyond Sorting

Towards a Circular Economy

18.Principles of a Circular Economy

19.Building Localized Solutions

20.Circularity in Practice

Technological Solutions for the Plastic Crisis

21.The Rise of Advanced Recycling

22.Innovations in Upcycling

23.Designing for the Future

Landfill Plastics: The Untapped Resource

24.The Problem of Landfills

25.Mining Plastic Waste

26.Eliminating the Need for Sorting

Local Solutions for a Global Problem

27.The Need for Decentralized Waste Management

28.Case Studies

29.Addressing Transportation Costs and Workforce Challenges

The Role of Technology Investments

30.The Economic Case for Plastic Processing Infrastructure

31.Making Waste-to-Resource Systems Scalable and Affordable

32.Policy as a Catalyst

The Path to Net Plastic Zero

33.The Vision of a World Without Plastic Waste

34.Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Implementation

35.Collective Responsibility

A Future Beyond Plastic Waste

36.Investing in Technology for Sustainable Solutions

37.Harnessing the Potential of Landfill Plastics

38.A Call to Action

Appendices

39.Glossary of Plastic Waste and Recycling Terms

40.Resources and Updates

Foreword

My journey began with a simple yet profound question: Are our recycling efforts truly making a difference? As a father, technologist, and entrepreneur, I’ve always been drawn to solving complex problems. I once believed that building the next big thing in technology was the pinnacle of hard work and innovation. My career in computer science and industrial engineering taught me to analyze systems, optimize processes, and tackle challenges head-on. These skills led me to create companies that dared to compete with giants like IBM, Dell, NetApp, and Amazon.

Through those experiences, I learned resilience—the kind that grows when you face impossible odds and emerge stronger. But as I pursued the next breakthrough, another, far greater challenge quietly lingered in the background. It wasn’t a technical problem or a business opportunity—it was a question about our future.

Over time, I came to a humbling realization: no matter how much we build, innovate, or achieve, the most important legacies we leave are our children and the planet we live on. The world we create today will define their tomorrow.

Like many, I believed I was doing my part for the planet. I diligently sorted my recyclables, peeled labels off bottles, and washed jars before discarding them. It felt good to think I was making a difference. Then one day, I stumbled across an article that got me thinking: globally, the recycling rate for plastics is just 9%, and in the U.S., it drops even further to 5%-6% ¹. Most of the plastics we carefully sort and recycle are incinerated, landfilled, or shipped overseas under the guise of recycling—often contributing to environmental harm in developing countries.

I couldn’t believe it. Did this mean that everything we were taught at school doesn’t really work? Were we fooling ourselves into thinking we were solving the problem? The deeper I dug, the more disillusioned I became. Most of the plastics we meticulously sort and recycle still end up in landfills or oceans. ² Recycling, as I had understood it, was a comforting myth—a way to outsource guilt without addressing the underlying issue.

This revelation lit a fire in me. If our systems are failing, then real solutions must exist somewhere—right? Surely, the brightest minds in the world were hard at work fixing this. But as I researched further, I discovered an even harsher truth: many proposed solutions were mere greenwashing—feel-good gestures that masked the problem without solving it.

Faced with this reality, I made a decision: I would dedicate my skills, resources, and energy to tackling this crisis. It wasn’t an easy pivot. Diving into an entirely new field, filled with technical and societal obstacles, was daunting. But the stakes couldn’t be higher. This isn’t just another challenge; it’s an existential one.

I’ve always believed that the best way to learn is by teaching. Writing this book is my way of diving deeper into the plastic crisis, understanding its root causes, and sharing that knowledge with others. This is the first book in what I hope will be a series of explorations into tackling complex global challenges. I am committing my time, resources, and energy to uncover solutions that address the core of the problem—and take meaningful steps toward resolving it.

It’s a bet worth taking. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the opportunity to make a difference is one I can’t ignore. This journey wasn’t just born out of curiosity—it was fueled by a sense of responsibility and a deep desire to leave the world better than I found it.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of my wife, Svetlana, who believed in my vision even when it felt impossible. She stood by me as I poured myself into this mission, her passion for creating a better world for future generations matching my own.

To my children—you are the heart of this journey. The hours I could have spent with you, the bedtime stories I missed, and the countless sleepless nights were spent researching, writing, and refining not just another opinion, but a path forward grounded in solid research. Every ounce of effort poured into this book was driven by the hope that your future, and the future of countless others, will be one of opportunity, not compromise.

The plastic crisis is not just about managing waste or improving recycling. It is about breaking the cycle—objectively asking why and challenging the entrenched systems that keep us stuck. Like a proper product leader, I’ve sought to ask why five times over to uncover root causes and propose solutions that go beyond the obvious. It’s not about tweaking what already exists; it’s about envisioning a new way forward—one that turns waste into opportunity and avoids repeating the mistakes of the past.

Your support as readers means the world to me, and I want you to know it goes far beyond the pages of this book. All proceeds from this work will be 100% reinvested into advancing research and building sustainable recycling technologies. Together, we can not only understand the problem but also create real, impactful solutions.

This isn’t just about technology or policy—it’s about a shared vision for a cleaner, more sustainable future. A world where innovation meets accountability, and where every one of us plays a role in building something greater than ourselves.

Let’s rise to this challenge—not for recognition, not for profit, but for the generations who will inherit the choices we make today. Together, we can turn this crisis into an opportunity to create a legacy of hope, resilience, and sustainability.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Murat Karslioglu

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet. EPA.

2. Jambeck, J. R., Geyer, R., Wilcox, C., Siegler, T. R., Perryman, M., Andrady, A., ... & Law, K. L. (2015). Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science, 347(6223), 768-771.

Introduction

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

Albert Einstein

1

The Rise of Plastic

A Modern Marvel with Hidden Costs

In the early 20th century, the invention of synthetic polymers transformed the trajectory of human innovation. Synthetic polymers—long chains of repeating molecular units—enabled the creation of lightweight, durable, and versatile materials. Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic introduced in 1907, marked the dawn of an era where natural limitations could be bypassed (Figure 1).

During World War II, plastics replaced scarce natural resources in everything from parachutes to aircraft components, ¹ demonstrating their unmatched utility in critical applications. After the war, industries quickly repurposed these innovations for peacetime uses. Post-war prosperity and technological advances fueled the rise of consumerism, embedding plastics in everyday life. They became essential for household items, packaging, electronics, and infrastructure applications. Plastic was no longer a luxury—it was a necessity.

Yet, this meteoric rise carried hidden costs, such as environmental persistence, heavy reliance on fossil fuels, and an inability to biodegrade. These consequences remained unnoticed until they became impossible to ignore.

Figure 1 - The evolution of plastics and their impact on modern life.

Figure 1 - The evolution of plastics and their impact on modern life.

The Boon of Plastics

Plastic’s meteoric rise can be attributed to its unmatched properties. It is:

Lightweight: Making it ideal for transportation, reducing fuel consumption in packaging and vehicles.

Durable: Resistant to corrosion, chemicals, and weather, ensuring long product lifespans.

Versatile: Moldable into countless forms, from rigid structures to flexible films.

Affordable: Cheap to produce, democratizing access to goods across socioeconomic classes.

These traits turned plastic into a modern marvel. It revolutionized healthcare with sterile syringes and IV bags, extended food shelf life through innovative packaging, and provided access to electronics that have shaped the digital age. By 2022, the world had produced over 9.2 billion metric tons of plastic ²—enough to cover every inch of the planet in cling film (Figure 2). However, as plastics became indispensable, their unintended consequences began to surface, transforming what seemed like a miracle material into a global challenge.

Figure 2 - Global Plastic Production Growth: From 2 million tons in 1950 to an estimated 600+ million tons by 2030

Figure 2 -