The Global Recycling Crisis (1 Viewer)

[stlrams]

60 minutes did a piece a couple of months ago on plastics, I believe they said roughly 80% recyclable plastic is never recycle.  Instead it primarily ends up in landfills in India, China etc. 

 

[Buckna]

Read some articles last year about some scientists working on enzymes/bacteria/something that could be released that would eat and break down plastic. It sounded like the plot basis to a sci-fi horror movie about technology gone wrong.

 

[Hastur]

Several weeks ago I took a gallon sized bag of used batteries(we collect them until the container we have for them fills up) to the dump, as I know they have a specific area to dispose of batteries.  I take the batteries and start walking to the designated area, and mention to an employee that I'm going to dispose of the batteries real quick then come back and drive away.  The employee grabs the bag of batteries and throws them in with the regular trash, saying "It don't matter".

Today, the dump is busier than a long tailed polecat in a room full of rocking chairs.  I figured it would be, but I wanted to get the recyclables off the back porch.  I get there, and the cardboard containers are locked up.  I ask the office if they are accepting cardboard, and they say "Just throw it in with the regular trash.  It don't matter".

We as America may have systems in place to make recycling happen, but it doesn't mean it is working.

 

[Dezbelief]

Nature tends to find a way to get back into balance, but it's usually not measured and gradual - rather it's violent and sudden.

Has the world's population reduced any since covid hit?

 

[beer 30]

Has the world's population reduced any since covid hit?

Life expectancy in the US dropped something like 2 years so far. Along with the immediate impact of COVID, Mother Nature has baked in some long term population reduction as well 

 

[trader jake]

We as America may have systems in place to make recycling happen, but it doesn't mean it is working.

We'll only make a small dent as long as the end user is the main part of the messaging emphasis.  Reduce, reuse, recycle...right?  The much, much bigger issue is the product makers and their choices, lack of laws regulating them in this regard, and any real accountability for those choices.

The entire lifecycle of a product - and all of its components - should be considered before the thing is ever made.  That just doesn't seem to be a big enough part of the process.  Especially everything cheap and plastic.

 

[moleculo]

We'll only make a small dent as long as the end user is the main part of the messaging emphasis.  Reduce, reuse, recycle...right?  The much, much bigger issue is the product makers and their choices, lack of laws regulating them in this regard, and any real accountability for those choices.

The entire lifecycle of a product - and all of its components - should be considered before the thing is ever made.  That just doesn't seem to be a big enough part of the process.  Especially everything cheap and plastic.

As someone with a career in product development, making mostly cheap plastics, I can tell you recycability and lifecycle of components are NEVER a consideration. 

Companies are only concerned about financial performance and the regulatory environment.  The only way to change behavior is regulation.

 

[moleculo]

Several weeks ago I took a gallon sized bag of used batteries(we collect them until the container we have for them fills up) to the dump, as I know they have a specific area to dispose of batteries.  I take the batteries and start walking to the designated area, and mention to an employee that I'm going to dispose of the batteries real quick then come back and drive away.  The employee grabs the bag of batteries and throws them in with the regular trash, saying "It don't matter".

Today, the dump is busier than a long tailed polecat in a room full of rocking chairs.  I figured it would be, but I wanted to get the recyclables off the back porch.  I get there, and the cardboard containers are locked up.  I ask the office if they are accepting cardboard, and they say "Just throw it in with the regular trash.  It don't matter".

We as America may have systems in place to make recycling happen, but it doesn't mean it is working.

Recycling is either expensive or messy. China/India don't want to deal with messy any more (and I can't blame them).  And Americans won't foot the bill, so, " it don't matter"