Environmentalists seek to highlight plastics’ large carbon footprint

An environmental group focused on reducing the use of plastics is seeking to highlight the carbon footprint of manufacturing the material, arguing it is poised to become the “new coal” as dozens of new facilities have recently opened, are under construction or are being permitted. “If they become fully operational, these new plastics plants could release an additional 55 million tons of greenhouse gases -- the equivalent of another 27 average-sized coal plants,” says an Oct. 21 press release from...