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> the actual costs of trashing it are externalized Does it really cost that much to bury things in the ground? And how much of that cost is externalized? Where
by ralph84 6y ago
> the actual costs of trashing it are externalized
Does it really cost that much to bury things in the ground? And how much of that cost is externalized? Where I live garbage collection is done by for-profit companies that charge for it.
Seems more likely that the costs of producing things in the first place are what's externalized by producing in third world countries with lax environmental standards.
- lotsofpulp 6y ago> Seems more likely that the costs of producing things in the first place are what's externalized by producing in third world countries with lax environmental standards. Environmental standards in developed (first world) countries are also lax because the long term effects of fossil fuel usage isn’t included in the price.
- ZeroGravitas 6y agoLandfill is one of the major sources of greenhouse gasses, so yes.
- thereisnospork 6y agoAt 1000$/tonne of CO2 (Air capture!) burying a soda bottle (2L - 42g) would cost on the order of 5 cents, or conveniently what many states charge as a bottle deposit, so no. You would have to be burying 5-10 kilos of plastic to approach even $10 worth of carbon dioxide emission mitigation.
- waterhouse 6y agoAnd since that gas comes from one place, it is relatively easy to capture it and do things with it. Methane in particular can be burned, either to destroy it or even as a power source. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gas_utilization https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gas_utilization