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How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

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Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#151

Post by jessaustin »

Dylan16807 wrote: post #137
jessaustin wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At this point, "wondering" about this is willful ignorance. Municipal recycling programs in USA don't recycle much of anything. Valuable materials such as some metals don't make it into the blue bins; those are sold at actual recycling depots. Whatever is in the blue bins, is not recyclable in current economic conditions.

Is not recycleable for free . Always say that part. Because it can always be recycled for a little bit of money if we care a tenth as much as we pretend to.

Some containers could be recycled. Not all. The time to "care a tenth" is before we purchase goods that are packaged in problematic containers.

Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#152

Post by ummonk »

bit_logic wrote: post #44

The whole recycling scam makes me upset. For decades the message was to recycle for the environment. But it was all just shipped to China and then dumped into the oceans. It actually would've been better if it went to landfills, at least then it's safely contained. Another lie was that we're running out of landfill space, there's so much land out there. Like most environmental issues, the focus should've been on prod…

We also just have the ability to incinerate trash, generating electricity and avoiding having to create landfills.

Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#153

Post by zozbot234 »

bit_logic wrote: post #44

The whole recycling scam makes me upset. For decades the message was to recycle for the environment. But it was all just shipped to China and then dumped into the oceans. It actually would've been better if it went to landfills, at least then it's safely contained. Another lie was that we're running out of landfill space, there's so much land out there. Like most environmental issues, the focus should've been on prod…

[flagged]

Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#154

Post by kurthr »

zozbot234 wrote: post #153
bit_logic wrote: post #44

The whole recycling scam makes me upset. For decades the message was to recycle for the environment. But it was all just shipped to China and then dumped into the oceans. It actually would've been better if it went to landfills, at least then it's safely contained. Another lie was that we're running out of landfill space, there's so much land out there. Like most environmental issues, the focus should've been on prod…

[flagged]

[flagged]

Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#155

Post by bacon_waffle »

lostlogin wrote: post #102
Trasmatta wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember this from that same time period. I was just thinking about that the other day. I don't even recall when the message flipped back over, but it absolutely happened.

The type of trees killed for paper (and timber) here in New Zealand are utter trash, pinus radiata.

I think the argument is more about the native forests that were destroyed to farm pine trees.

Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#156

Post by [deleted] »

ummonk wrote: post #152
bit_logic wrote: post #44

The whole recycling scam makes me upset. For decades the message was to recycle for the environment. But it was all just shipped to China and then dumped into the oceans. It actually would've been better if it went to landfills, at least then it's safely contained. Another lie was that we're running out of landfill space, there's so much land out there. Like most environmental issues, the focus should've been on prod…

We also just have the ability to incinerate trash, generating electricity and avoiding having to create landfills.

[deleted]

Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#157

Post by lopmotr »

TJSomething wrote: post #129
bit_logic wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thinking about this more, wasn't there a time, maybe late 90s early 2000s when the message was that plastic is more environmental than paper? Something like at the supermarket checkout you should pick plastic over paper bags to save rain forest trees? Is my memory wrong or was this a widespread message at the time?

From a global warming perspective, plastic bags are generally better for the environment because they are extremely light, therefore use less gas to ship. However, plastic bags often end up in nature, where plastic particles end up in animals and plants.

Unfortunately, most people are so completely brainwashed that they feel proud of themselves for putting their plastic in the (open topped) recycling bin where it blows out, goes down the drain and ends up in the sea. They imagine that putting it in normal (closed top) rubbish will cause it to end up in a seagull's stomach, starving it to death while "recycling" allows them to sit back and gloat about how lucky they are to have the opportunity to save the planet.

Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#158

Post by Joeri »

maxerickson wrote: post #86
yborg wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't actually all that new, 25 years ago when I worked at a large Motorola facility, I was always amused when I worked late, which was often, of having the janitorial staff empty my wastebasket into the large bin they pushed around, and then dump the contents of the paper recycling basket into the same bin. It hasn't been economical to recycle paper waste streams in the US maybe ever.

Did you actually do the legwork to connect the actions of the janitor to company policy and the economics of recycling in the area? Like, I would guess the janitor was just being lazy, and their actions provide little to no information about either the actual policy at the company or economics of recycling where it was located. The substantial amount of recycled fiber in many products suggests that it isn't particula…

Lazy, or rushed? The pressure on cleaning staff in many office buildings is significant, especially if they’re under contract at one of the major cleaning companies. Their itineraries are timed to the minute.

Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#159

Post by rvense »

gedy wrote: post #65
bit_logic wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thinking about this more, wasn't there a time, maybe late 90s early 2000s when the message was that plastic is more environmental than paper? Something like at the supermarket checkout you should pick plastic over paper bags to save rain forest trees? Is my memory wrong or was this a widespread message at the time?

It was in my circles, I remember some passionate eco types arguing I should use plastic bags because they were recyclable, and paper bags "killed trees".

I know paper right now doesn't have a great environmental footprint, but paper does seem like a pretty good way to trick capitalism into planting lots of trees.

Re: How Big Oil Misled the Public into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

#160

Post by rnet85 »

GhostVII wrote: post #56

I'm not convinced that it's actually a bad thing to dump plastic and paper into a landfill. You just cover it up with dirt and plants every 20 years and build a new one, pretty low impact as long as you have it properly sealed off. Even gets rid of some CO2. Probably better than putting lots of energy into recycling when it isn't actually efficient to do so.

Except plastic breaks down into micro plastics and seeps into the ecosystem, unless you’re willing to hermetically seal hundreds of thousands of acres of land
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