4 ms·

Currently, "proper disposal" of most plastic producta means just dumping them in a landfill somewhere anyway.

SilverRed 5y ago
Which isn't that bad. The oil came from under ground. Stick it back there and its not too bad. The real problem is when it ends up in rivers and oceans.
- beckman466 5y ago
  > Which isn't that bad. The oil came from under ground. Stick it back there and its not too bad. I’m curious what you based this on? Did you fall victim to ultracrepidarianism / the fallacy of transferable expertise [1]? ” The millions of tons of plastic swirling around the world’s oceans have garnered a lot of media attention recently. But plastic pollution arguably poses a bigger threat to the plants and animals – including humans – who are based on land. Very little of the plastic we discard every day is recycled or incinerated in waste-to-energy facilities. Much of it ends up in landfills, where it may take up to 1,000 years to decompose, leaching potentially toxic substances into the soil and water. Researchers in Germany are warning that the impact of microplastics in soils, sediments and freshwater could have a long-term negative effect on such ecosystems. They say terrestrial microplastic pollution is much higher than marine microplastic pollution – estimated at four to 23 times higher, depending on the environment.” [2] [1] https://twitter.com/bjorn/status/953778121764831232 https://twitter.com/bjorn/status/953778121764831232 [2] https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/plastic-planet-how-tiny-plastic-particles-are-polluting-our-soil https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/plastic-planet-h...
- TeMPOraL 5y ago
  Sticking something back into the ground in a safe way is non-trivial. That is to say, expensive - more expensive than waste-management companies in developing countries care to pay. Among other things, you need to make sure it won't be broken down by UV radiation from the Sun, weathered by wind and washed into the rivers, and that nothing leaks out and reaches the water table.
  - beckman466 5y ago
    > Sticking something back into the ground in a safe way is non-trivial. That is to say, expensive - more expensive than waste-management companies in developing countries care to pay You do realize the waste is created by global north capitalists (and consumed by global north capitalists and the working class), right? So why mention that it is expensive for global south countries ('developing countries'), as if it's ok that the burden of our waste is on them? In other words the global south countries have to deal with their own waste, as well as being used as trash dump by the global north capitalists. And if they are creating a lot of waste, it's because they buy planned obsolescent black box products from global north companies (companies who 'kicked away the ladder' in the first place [1] [2]). [1] https://anthempress.com/kicking-away-the-ladder-pb https://anthempress.com/kicking-away-the-ladder-pb [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/5/6/rich-countries-drained-152tn-from-the-global-south-since-1960 https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/5/6/rich-countries-d...
    - TeMPOraL 5y ago
      > So why mention that it is expensive for global south countries ('developing countries'), as if the burden is on them? Wait, that's totally not what I wanted to say. I mention it is expensive for companies there - companies operating there (including multinational), and companies shipping there. So they just don't do it, period. That they can get away with it is the very reason waste goes there, instead of staying in the West. Of course I'm not blaming the developing countries: I'm blaming the companies of "global north capitalism" for exploiting the communities that can't afford to reject a deal that's ultimately bad from them. The problem is that the waste can be exported like this in the first place.
      - beckman466 5y ago
        > I mention it is expensive for companies there - companies operating there (including multinational), and companies shipping there. > I'm blaming the companies of "global north capitalism" for exploiting the communities that can't afford to reject a deal that's ultimately bad from them. Got it, thanks for clarifying what you meant. > The problem is that the waste can be exported like this in the first place. Yes, I 100% agree with you. >> waste-management companies in developing countries That threw me off because in my experience often a service like this is taken care of by governments/local municipalities. So now I understand that you are talking about corporate entities managing waste.

Which isn't that bad. The oil came from under ground. Stick it back there and its not too bad. The real problem is when it ends up in rivers and oceans.

beckman466 5y ago
> Which isn't that bad. The oil came from under ground. Stick it back there and its not too bad. I’m curious what you based this on? Did you fall victim to ultracrepidarianism / the fallacy of transferable expertise [1]? ” The millions of tons of plastic swirling around the world’s oceans have garnered a lot of media attention recently. But plastic pollution arguably poses a bigger threat to the plants and animals – including humans – who are based on land. Very little of the plastic we discard every day is recycled or incinerated in waste-to-energy facilities. Much of it ends up in landfills, where it may take up to 1,000 years to decompose, leaching potentially toxic substances into the soil and water. Researchers in Germany are warning that the impact of microplastics in soils, sediments and freshwater could have a long-term negative effect on such ecosystems. They say terrestrial microplastic pollution is much higher than marine microplastic pollution – estimated at four to 23 times higher, depending on the environment.” [2] [1] https://twitter.com/bjorn/status/953778121764831232 https://twitter.com/bjorn/status/953778121764831232 [2] https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/plastic-planet-how-tiny-plastic-particles-are-polluting-our-soil https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/plastic-planet-h...
TeMPOraL 5y ago
Sticking something back into the ground in a safe way is non-trivial. That is to say, expensive - more expensive than waste-management companies in developing countries care to pay. Among other things, you need to make sure it won't be broken down by UV radiation from the Sun, weathered by wind and washed into the rivers, and that nothing leaks out and reaches the water table.
- beckman466 5y ago
  > Sticking something back into the ground in a safe way is non-trivial. That is to say, expensive - more expensive than waste-management companies in developing countries care to pay You do realize the waste is created by global north capitalists (and consumed by global north capitalists and the working class), right? So why mention that it is expensive for global south countries ('developing countries'), as if it's ok that the burden of our waste is on them? In other words the global south countries have to deal with their own waste, as well as being used as trash dump by the global north capitalists. And if they are creating a lot of waste, it's because they buy planned obsolescent black box products from global north companies (companies who 'kicked away the ladder' in the first place [1] [2]). [1] https://anthempress.com/kicking-away-the-ladder-pb https://anthempress.com/kicking-away-the-ladder-pb [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/5/6/rich-countries-drained-152tn-from-the-global-south-since-1960 https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/5/6/rich-countries-d...
  - TeMPOraL 5y ago
    > So why mention that it is expensive for global south countries ('developing countries'), as if the burden is on them? Wait, that's totally not what I wanted to say. I mention it is expensive for companies there - companies operating there (including multinational), and companies shipping there. So they just don't do it, period. That they can get away with it is the very reason waste goes there, instead of staying in the West. Of course I'm not blaming the developing countries: I'm blaming the companies of "global north capitalism" for exploiting the communities that can't afford to reject a deal that's ultimately bad from them. The problem is that the waste can be exported like this in the first place.
    - beckman466 5y ago
      > I mention it is expensive for companies there - companies operating there (including multinational), and companies shipping there. > I'm blaming the companies of "global north capitalism" for exploiting the communities that can't afford to reject a deal that's ultimately bad from them. Got it, thanks for clarifying what you meant. > The problem is that the waste can be exported like this in the first place. Yes, I 100% agree with you. >> waste-management companies in developing countries That threw me off because in my experience often a service like this is taken care of by governments/local municipalities. So now I understand that you are talking about corporate entities managing waste.