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Recycling in the US (and many Western countries, for that matter) is a sham. It always was. (aus.social)

submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by ajsadauskas@aus.social to c/green@lemmy.ml

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Recycling in the US (and many Western countries, for that matter) is a sham. It always was.

In reality, most of the plastic placed in recycling bins were never turned into new products.

Now China has stopped taking that waste, the myth of near infinite consumption without the guilt of waste has been exposed for the lie that it always was.

That's not to say that we shouldn't aim for a sustainable circular economy. Of course we should.

But we'll need much bigger changes to make it happen.

"For decades, we were sending the bulk of our recycling to China—tons and tons of it, sent over on ships... But last year, the country restricted imports of certain recyclables... Waste-management companies are telling [municipalities] there is no longer a market for their recycling.

"These municipalities have two choices: pay much higher rates to get rid of recycling, or throw it all away.

"Most are choosing the latter.

"When [its kerbside recycling] program launched, Franklin [in New Hampshire] could break even on recycling by selling it for $6 a ton. Now the transfer station is charging the town $125 a ton to recycle, or $68 a ton to incinerate.

"This end of recycling comes at a time when the US is creating more waste than ever. In 2015, the most recent year for which national data are available, America generated 262.4 million tons of waste, up 4.5% from 2010 and 60% from 1985."

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/03/china-has-stopped-accepting-our-trash/584131/

#Recycling #CircularEconomy #Politics @green #ClimateChange #Environment

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[–] Urban_Hermit@mstdn.social 3 points 2 years ago (17 children)

@ajsadauskas @green

This is a problem with a clear legal solution, and guilting consumers into feeling responsible is not effectively solving it and never will. Nor was it really designed to, it was just a scheme to divert responsibility.

[–] siobhansarelle@tech.lgbt 1 points 2 years ago (15 children)

@Urban_Hermit @ajsadauskas @green

Rather than calling it guilting, perhaps take it as good advice?

Often essentially all the focus is placed on the companies who produce the stuff, then we go and buy little plastic bottles of cola.

We don’t need to drink cola.

Clearly in that case, in buying the cola, we are putting brief pleasure and convenience over the environment. Maybe while telling ourselves we have a conscience and trying to place the responsibility solely with companies that exist because people buy the product.

[–] Urban_Hermit@mstdn.social 1 points 2 years ago (4 children)

@siobhansarelle @ajsadauskas @green

No, we are not.

The plastic bottles that we buy Coke in are fairly recyclable, and they can be used as high quality water bottles a hundred times before they are recycled. Most of the plastic waterproof containers, as well as glass jars, tin cans, aluminum cans, and paper cartons - all that is well recyclable.

But, all those bags that you have to rip open and the films that your food is wrapped in, that is not.

[–] Urban_Hermit@mstdn.social 2 points 2 years ago

@siobhansarelle @ajsadauskas @green

Those flimsy, contaminated, torn, light weight films and plastic coated boxes are nearly unrecyclable and they are contaminating our environment. And I am telling you and everyone on Mastodon that wax paper is a simple, moisture proof solution. No one needs to feel guilty for eating the food they can afford, and for decisions they did not consent to.

This is easy, there is no reason to fight it.

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