Beyond the bin

Is Recycling A Myth Or A Reality?

Eshal Ahmad, XI C & Chaitanya Roy, Alumna, AIS MV

Red, blue, or green? Which bin do I put the trash in? Wait, they even have a yellow one now. However, behind this rainbow façade is a dark truth – recycling might just be the chameleon of eco-friendly efforts, camouflaging itself as a saviour, while secretly masquerading as a myth in the yellow bin of confusion.

The notion
Sure, it’s a calming notion that you’ve saved the planet once again by sending your pizza box for recycling; is it true, though? With news enthusiastically flashing a 30% plastic recycling rate in India and brands like Domino’s, for one, confidently printing pro-recycling slogans on their boxes, claiming them to be recyclable, yes, perhaps. But what exactly happens post the truck drivers empty your trash bins and deliver the pizza boxes to your nearest recycling unit? One might say - it gets sorted, sent down a conveyor belt, and turned into a cardboard sheet… well, the educational videos take you only this far, don’t they?

The myth
The dramatic inversion is that this notion of recycling that has been rammed down our throat since kindergarten is, in actuality a myth. It makes us feel that we can use as much plastic as we want, as long as we recycle it. And it makes perfect sense when we find out who is behind most of this messaging: the industry that produces most of the waste, especially plastic packaging. And, for them, it is easier to pass the responsibility to us consumers. Besides, with brands like Walmart being heavily applauded for 50% recyclable packaging and fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Prada continuing with “recycled fashion”, just how could recycling be the enemy? This has, unfortunately, made the recycling logo, green arrows in a triangular loop, the very symbol of environmental protection. In 1988, the seven Resin Identification Codes (RICs) were adopted and numbers from 1 to 7 were placed between the loops. But that was (and is) a lie, for only 2 out of the 7 categories of plastics (as per the RIC) are recyclable.

The fact
According to the world bank, 1.3 kg of municipal solid waste is produced per person, per day. But if you send it all for recycling, it’s fine, right? Wrong. Most nations now produce far more wastes than they can ever hope to recycle. Statistically speaking, only 9% of all plastic in use world over is recycled, and much of this recycled plastic is of inferior quality. Not to mention, most waste in recycling never even makes it to a recycling centre; it is usually sent straight to a Waste to Energy facility or a simple landfill. Thus, tossing your “IT-Girl” coffee cups in a bin isn’t quite enough; food waste and plastic lining inside ruin perfectly usable product bales and affect the recycling procedures, and segregating them becomes virtually impossible too. It’s about time that we face the harsh truth - only limited categories of plastics, papers, and wastes can be recycled. And contrary to popular belief, every round of procedure leads to downcycling or in simple terms value reduction of the substance, thus it will eventually reach a landfill, or worse, our food as microparticles. Uh oh, that means the infinity loop recycling logo lied to us all!

So, if you are still counting on recycling to save the planet, you might want to view your options.
(Chaitanya is currently pursuing MBBS from VMMC, New Delhi.)

Innovation with a purpose

My heart is filled with immense love and gratitude as I share the wonderful news of Team Impetus Racers from Amity International School, Pushp Vihar, who have brought glory to the nation at the STEM Racing World Finals 2025 (earlier known as F1 in Schools). In a moment that makes all of Amity proud, our four brilliant young innovators — Maheer Singh, Naisha Singla, Aarav Rajpal, and Aryavardhan Chauhan have won the ‘Sustainability Award’ for their innovative car design, which showcased not only technical excellence but also a deep commitment to thoughtful, responsible engineering. Formed in 2022, Team Impetus has steadily accelerated from national to global recognition, powered by teamwork, resilience, and creativity. Even when faced with challenges, they remained undeterred, embodying the Amity spirit of perseverance and purpose.
Their outreach programme, ‘The Impetus Initiative’, further expanded their mission by spreading STEM awareness among students. This remarkable victory also continues the inspiring legacy of Team Urja, Amity’s all-girls team that made history in 2023 by winning the ‘Project Management Award’ at the same global stage. Team Urja had envisioned a legacy of innovation, blending creativity with eco-consciousness and planting trees to offset their carbon footprint. At Amity, education has always meant more than academic excellence, it’s about nurturing compassionate global citizens. Team Impetus represents what STEM education at Amity stands for: solving problems while making a difference. Their achievement is not just a triumph for Amity, but a moment of immense pride for India on the global stage.

GT M@il

Dear Editor,
This is in reference to the article ‘Romanticism 2.0’, published on page 5 of The GT edition dated November 3, 2025. The author analyses the transformation of romanticism, how earlier it was a revolution against societal constraints, and now it’s  just another trend raising the question – what exactly caused this transformation? Historically, from Poland to India, people’s struggles might have been for different causes, but there was a commonality of romanticism in all of them. In contrast, today it’s only about aesthetics – buying flowers, cute accessories, or lighting candles. The author concludes that the romanticism we speak of today is simply a husk of the original idea – the modern world’s response to societal pressures. Perhaps romanticism still is exactly what it was before - a form of resistance.
 Disha Dhir
AIS Gurugram 46, XI I