11 ms·
From what I heard it’s largely due to a concern that admitting recycling doesn’t work would make it extremely difficult to get it back up and working again once
by McAtNite 7y ago
From what I heard it’s largely due to a concern that admitting recycling doesn’t work would make it extremely difficult to get it back up and working again once the issues have been addressed.
Likewise a lot is the “sorting” people do when they throw out their trash is pretty bad. For example, a plastic bottle the cap on can’t be properly cleaned so it doesn’t get recycled. A pizza box in a stack of cardboard ruins the entire batch.
Planet Money did a really interesting two episode series on recycling. That goes into why things are ending up in landfills and why we continue to practice the ritual of splitting our trash.
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/12/741283641/episode-926-so-should-we-recycle https://www.npr.org/2019/07/12/741283641/episode-926-so-shou...
- nradov 7y agoWhen I worked in an office I frequently pulled pizza boxes out of the recycling bin. Even highly educated professionals don't seem to understand the rules.
- lrem 7y agoCome to Switzerland, we have well over 90% success rate here. Also: some people complain the total amount of recycled material is only a fraction of European average. Oh well...
- GordonS 7y agoDoes recycled material in Switzerland actually get recycled, or does it eventually get shipped to the other side of the world to end up in landfill?
- lrem 7y agoBasing on the fact that materials not recycled by local companies, say TetraPak, are not accepted in collection: I always assumed they actually get recycled. The rest actually doesn't go to landfill, but gets incinerated.
- slavik81 7y agoPizza boxes are listed as recyclable on my city's website. The rules vary a lot.