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Plastic experts say recycling is a scam. Should we even do it anymore?

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Re: Plastic experts say recycling is a scam. Should we even do it anymore?

#4
Recycling is an industry psyop to convince the public that plastic can be consumed ethically and sustainably. Unless we ban disposable plastics altogether, the problem will only get worse. Plastic has only been around for 100 years; imagine just how bad things will be in 500.

Re: Plastic experts say recycling is a scam. Should we even do it anymore?

#6
post #4

Recycling is an industry psyop to convince the public that plastic can be consumed ethically and sustainably. Unless we ban disposable plastics altogether, the problem will only get worse. Plastic has only been around for 100 years; imagine just how bad things will be in 500.

They even designed their plastic type symbol to look like the recycle symbol, even though most plastics can't be recycled.

> The “chasing arrows” symbol we see on plastic containers and products does not necessarily mean the product is recyclable.

https://www.acmeplastics.com/content/your-guide-to-plastic-r...

Re: Plastic experts say recycling is a scam. Should we even do it anymore?

#8
One of the big problems with plastic recycling is that people read "plastic recycling is a scam" but internalize "recycling is a scam". Some types of recycling are massively successful and efficient, like the recycling of vehicle lead acid batteries or post industrial steel recycling.

Re: Plastic experts say recycling is a scam. Should we even do it anymore?

#9
If we can, we should, but you probably want to consider most plastic wrappers as temporally displaced fossil fuel that will be burned for heat in a specialized kiln. The logo that designates plastic types should be changed to match local conditions, from the three circling arrows to a flame—with the same numbers. I believe that using those logos requires a license, but I doubt that it pays for the recycling of most of it. Most of it isn’t recycled anyway. You definitely want garbage collection and processing to be paid for by companies printing that logo. We definitely should include the cost of extracting and storing or processing carbon in there, too.

That might convince people to use paper bags or only certain types of plastic.

Re: Plastic experts say recycling is a scam. Should we even do it anymore?

#10
post #4

Recycling is an industry psyop to convince the public that plastic can be consumed ethically and sustainably. Unless we ban disposable plastics altogether, the problem will only get worse. Plastic has only been around for 100 years; imagine just how bad things will be in 500.

It's mind boggling to ponder a world without any plastic products though, isn't it? I work in ag irrigation, and the degree to which plastic has taken over irrigation implements in the last 20+ years is mind boggling. I sometimes wonder what it would mean for our company and industry in general if plastic suddenly became toxic.
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