Report alleges plastics industry is shaping US school curricula
A Plastic Pollution Coalition report says industry-backed lesson plans and school programmes promote plastics while downplaying health and environmental risks.
Plastics-industry organisations have been influencing education in US schools through lesson plans, worksheets, experiments and outreach programmes, according to a report from the Plastic Pollution Coalition. The report alleges that the materials present plastics as safe, recyclable and economically beneficial while giving insufficient attention to their environmental and health impacts.
The report documents four case studies, including resources from the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), a Dow-linked initiative known as the American Association of Chemistry Teachers, and programmes supported by Shell. SPE’s PlastiVan programme, which has operated since 2011, teaches students about plastics’ contribution to modern life and claims to have reached more than 132,000 students.
Critics cited in the report argue that some materials promote industry talking points while offering weak or unclear alignment with STEM standards. The resources often emphasise recycling as the main response to plastic pollution. The source material cites research showing that 9 per cent of plastics are recycled worldwide and says scientists have warned recycling will not keep pace with projected growth in production.
The report says plastics-industry influence has reached schools since at least the 2000s, including communities near petrochemical facilities. In Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where Shell operates a 386-acre plastics complex, the company has invested in plastics-related curricula and recycling programmes, donated school supplies and bought a school basketball court, according to the report.
Teachers may turn to free or low-cost industry resources because of limited time, funding and access to high-quality curriculum materials. The report recommends that school boards restrict or ban educational materials sponsored by the chemical, fossil fuel and plastics industries, while environmental educators cited in the source package say teachers should be able to assess and contextualise materials themselves.
The allegations rely primarily on the Plastic Pollution Coalition report and comments from critics and have not been independently assessed in the source material. Shell, SPE, the American Association of Chemistry Teachers and the Beaver County school district did not respond to requests for comment, according to the report.
