156 The Stone Federation’s Ethical Stone Register allows buyers to verify whether a stone contractor is taking measures to ensure that the stone it buys has been sourced responsibly and ethically.1 Plastics and other polymers Plastics are of concern from a sustainability perspective, due to the obvious issues with very long lifetimes and low recycling rates, along with toxic manufacturing processes. Plastic production accounts for 4 per cent of global oil production. The British Plastics Federation argues that there is a case to be made for plastic’s sustainability, however, thanks to its capacity for recycling, light weight, durability, and low water consumption during production of plastic goods. PRODUCTS AND MATER I ALS Technical and biological material recovery cycles Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation 1 Source: Designing Buildings
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