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> Centralized trash sorting seems like a much more efficient solution How is this supposed to work? Sorting trash into many containers takes me a little more t

by msl 9y ago

> Centralized trash sorting seems like a much more efficient solution How is this supposed to work? Sorting trash into many containers takes me a little more time and effort and pretty much exactly as much energy as putting it all in one place. It also keeps the materials from mixing (that is, becoming dirty). How would it help to first mix it all, compress it together (which is pretty much required to keep transport efficient) and then sort it again? Even if you want to use a sorting machine, would it not be better to have presorted ("richer", in mining lingo) input material streams?

TeMPOraL 9y ago
You want centralized sorting anyway, because a waste processor: a) can't trust that you'll do your sorting perfectly, and won't occasionally throw e.g. glass into metals bin out of hurry, carelessness, spite, or while drunk. And even if you are perfect, your neighbour isn't. b) might want to change the segregation rules to better optimize recycling process; you don't want to force an entire city to update their bins and/or habits in lockstep with whatever the waste processor does. Point a) means they have to sort themselves anyway, at which point individuals doing the sorting is just wasted effort.
- msl 9y ago
  I suppose there is no point in trying to find rich ore deposits either? After all, the ore has to be refined anyway. Sure, the processor will want to seperate, say, aluminum from iron, and remove any glass from either stream, but I am fairly sure that these tasks become significantly easier if the stream does not also include diapers, orange peels and wet cardboard
  - TeMPOraL 9y ago
    > I am fairly sure that these tasks become significantly easier if the stream does not also include diapers, orange peels and wet cardboard My point is, they can't even trust the stream won't include those. General population can't be trusted like that.

by msl 9y ago

TeMPOraL 9y ago

You want centralized sorting anyway, because a waste processor: a) can't trust that you'll do your sorting perfectly, and won't occasionally throw e.g. glass into metals bin out of hurry, carelessness, spite, or while drunk. And even if you are perfect, your neighbour isn't. b) might want to change the segregation rules to better optimize recycling process; you don't want to force an entire city to update their bins and/or habits in lockstep with whatever the waste processor does. Point a) means they have to sort themselves anyway, at which point individuals doing the sorting is just wasted effort.

msl 9y ago
I suppose there is no point in trying to find rich ore deposits either? After all, the ore has to be refined anyway. Sure, the processor will want to seperate, say, aluminum from iron, and remove any glass from either stream, but I am fairly sure that these tasks become significantly easier if the stream does not also include diapers, orange peels and wet cardboard
- TeMPOraL 9y ago
  > I am fairly sure that these tasks become significantly easier if the stream does not also include diapers, orange peels and wet cardboard My point is, they can't even trust the stream won't include those. General population can't be trusted like that.