The real problem with plastics is that they are really cheap.
which is because they don't have externalities priced in
New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
131–140 of 272 posts
Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
#132The diversity of responses in this thread as to what the real problem is is deeply alarming. Apparently hn - presumably an educated crowd - can't even agree what the problem is let alone how to fix it.
It’s a complex problem for which solutions have many ramifications, so it’s perfectly normal to see different opinions. Personally, I enjoy the friendly and constructive discussion I have seen so far, and can say that I learned a few things.
Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
#133The real problem with plastics is that they are really cheap.
which is because they don't have externalities priced in
It’s more that plastics are a byproduct of oil production.
As oil consumption falls, plastics will rise in price as there is less raw materials produced by oil refining.
Much like if demand for beef and milk fell, leather could be more expensive.
Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
#134Earlier quoted context omitted.
Your edit is where the problem is. Sure there is a lot of plastic in the ocean, but the ocean is big as well. As a whole the size of the ocean cancels out your attempts to do any recovery. You end up using more energy to power the filters (which are typically on ships) than you would by taking the oil powering the filters and directly turning it into plastic. Plastic in the ocean isn't an easy problem to solve with a…
You're assuming smaller plastic is better. You should probably stop assuming that.
I assume no such thing. Degrade is more than just smaller, though that does come first
Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
#135Earlier quoted context omitted.
How would recycling help that? Throwing your trash in a trash can and taking it to a landfill would protect the ocean and food chain just as much as recycling it would.
It would reduce the demand for landfill space?
We’re not running out of land tho.
Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
#136Plastic recycling seems heavily motivated by emotion and virtue signaling. In reality, only about 5% of our crude oil use goes towards plastic. If we rolled out EVs, and then just burned all the plastic trash (using waste-to-energy plants), we would still be far ahead. The biggest challenges with plastics are hormone disruption, and microplastics (particularly in the 3rd world without sufficient landfill or W2E infra…
I believe plastic recycling is not motivated by oil use primarily. I believe it is motivated by trash accumulation in oceans and the food chain (microplastics). There are a ton of areas of the world where plastic just piles up.
The countries which are the most preoccupied with recycling plastics, such as the US, are also the least likely to throw they trash into the ocean.
Plastic bags do no harm buried in the landfill, and we’re not running out of land.
Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
#137Earlier quoted context omitted.
How would recycling help that? Throwing your trash in a trash can and taking it to a landfill would protect the ocean and food chain just as much as recycling it would.
Yeah, the great irony here is that recycling is what sends the trash to Asia were it's then tossed in the ocean. Or at least, it used to. I think most plastic "recycling" is now going into local landfills.
Depends on your local council. Recycling is a very local issue, and so it's something communities can and should tackle head on.
But you are right, the amount of councils sending recycling to landfill is very sad.
Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
#138Earlier quoted context omitted.
I believe plastic recycling is not motivated by oil use primarily. I believe it is motivated by trash accumulation in oceans and the food chain (microplastics). There are a ton of areas of the world where plastic just piles up.
What about biodegradable plastics? If regular plastics were made illegal or heavily taxed, wouldn't industry quickly come up with biodegradable alternatives?
Biodegrading plastic releases CO2, landfill-buried plastic does not.
Apart from that, what problem are you trying to solve with this innovation?
Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
#139Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency
#140Earlier quoted context omitted.
It’s not easy to find good biodegradable alternatives for many types of plastics. See the example of Legos trying to replace their plastic with a more environmentally friendly version. https://www.wsj.com/articles/lego-struggles-to-find-a-plant-...
Seems weird to want biodegradable lego, when they’re highly reusable . I’ve never heard of a LEGO brick get so worn out that it had to be thrown away. Making them rot would just decrease their productive multi-generational lifespan.
... which would increase the ability of the market to absorb new LEGO(R) Bricks! Genius.