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If you read the article, the problem remains regardless of whether garbage is sorted manually (Denmark) or automatically (Canada). The problem is that the sorte
by dgudkov 7y ago
If you read the article, the problem remains regardless of whether garbage is sorted manually (Denmark) or automatically (Canada). The problem is that the sorted recyclables are subject to market supply/demand laws and are frequently cheaper to send to landfill than to sell (and deliver) to manufacturers. In other words, we produce too much garbage and there simply isn't that many manufacturers that are interested in buying and processing recyclables.
- skybrian 7y agoI'd guess that better-sorted recyclables are easier to sell, though.
- hairytrog 7y agoSilly Europeans spending their time sorting trash...
- oriolid 7y agoThe things that become trash are usually pre-sorted. It's not that difficult to not throw them in the same bin. If we get started about national stereotypes, maybe it's too difficult for Americans.
- hairytrog 7y agoit's too difficult for me. I wonder what the economic loss of having people sort their trash is, regardless of productivity and education level
- geewee 7y agoThat's not necesarily an unsolvable problem. I know several companies in Denmark who produce fresh plastic from recyclable plastic, and they can't meet market demand for their product - primarily due to them not being able to get enough "clean" or uncontaminated plastic. So the reality is much more nuanced than that. (I have a startup in the danish waste industry)
- dgudkov 7y agoI'm sure it is. All in all, it looks like the idea of recycling doesn't work as it was advertised and is perceived by the average citizen.
- michaelt 7y agoIf consumer sorting and centralised collection transfers costs away from the garbage collection company and to citizens, the garbage collection company can profitably tolerate a lower market price.
- dgudkov 7y agoProbably manual sorting can offset some cost, however it's not clear (as I'm not an expert in this matter) if that makes a difference. Garbage prices can't go extremely low due to transportation costs that are constant. So at some point it doesn't really matter if sorting costs are offset to citizens or not - the transportation costs prevent them from being sufficiently low for the manufacturers.
- jopsen 7y agoCollection from each house hold sound prohibitively expensive.