Why does wasting plastic affect greenhouse gases?

Answer 1

If you waste plastic, like throwing a plastic drink bottle into landfill, instead of recycling it, you add a small amount to greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere.

This is because it takes energy to make plastic, which is made from oil. It takes much less energy to take a used bottle, melt it and remould it into a new bottle. So recycling saves energy, most of which at the moment comes from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). And burning fossil fuels, as you know, releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.

Answer 2

When plastic is disposed of improperly, it can release greenhouse gases like methane and ethylene as it breaks down in landfills. Additionally, the production and incineration of plastic also release greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming and climate change.