Plastic Claims Exposed: Fossil Fuels Masquerade as Green

European consumers are increasingly seeing plastic packaging labeled as "circular" and climate-friendly. However, investigations reveal that a significant portion of these materials are derived from petroleum, not actual waste recovery. Major brands utilize plastic produced by Saudi Aramco's subsidiary, Sabic, which has opposed UN plastic treaty production cuts.

Sabic, alongside other petrochemical firms, employs methods like "mass-balance bookkeeping" and "avoided emissions" accounting. These techniques permit products with minimal recycled content—as little as 5%—to be certified as fully recycled. This practice, criticized by experts as greenwashing, misleads consumers about the true environmental impact.