Judith Enck: The Problem with Plastic

·53 min·5 clips

Exxon Mobil is now the top plastic producer as fossil fuel companies pivot to plastic as their new growth market.

Judith Enck, co-author of 'The Problem with Plastic,' speaks with host Leslie about the book's plastic-free cover as a call to action. She traces plastic's history from its invention by Leo Bakelite to its surge post-World War II, driven by hydrofracking waste ethane. Enck reveals that fossil fuel companies are shifting to plastic production as demand for electricity and transportation fuels declines, with Exxon Mobil as the top producer. She connects plastic production to climate change, citing a report that emissions equal over 500 coal-fired power plants. Enck debunks plastic recycling myths, noting a 5-6% recycling rate and a lawsuit by California Attorney General Rob Bonta against ExxonMobil for deceptive advertising. She discusses health hazards, including 16,000 chemicals in plastics and microplastics found in blood, placenta, and testicles, with recent studies linking them to heart attacks and Alzheimer's. Enck criticizes artificial turf for containing PFAS and getting dangerously hot. She profiles grassroots activists like Diane Wilson, who won a Clean Water Act settlement against Formosa Plastics, and Debbie Lee Cohen, who eliminated polystyrene trays in New York City schools. Enck addresses plastic waste exports to countries like Vietnam and Malaysia, where it causes environmental harm. She suggests solutions like extended producer responsibility laws, refill systems, and water fountains, emphasizing people power over industry lobbying. The episode ends with a hopeful quote from Rabbi Tarfon about persevering in the face of global challenges.

As heard by us

A civic, public-health look at plastic, from book covers to local turf fights.

This episode treats plastic as a practical issue that reaches publishing, schools, and everyday routines. Judith Enck's discussion of The Problem with Plastic stands out for the book's plastic-free cover and for the praise aimed at that choice, while also pressing major…

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You want plastic explained without the usual environmental fog and hand-waving.

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