Does anyone still recycle?

Out here in the Bay Area, we have 3 separate cans and 3 separate curb side pickups for residential users. We also take the CRV materials to the local recycler and get a small sum back.

I work next to (and drive by) a recycling / sorting center. Essentially the garbage goes there and they have employees sort it, picking out the recycling then sending it along. You can imagine how pleasant it is to be downwind if this facility.

For industrial recycling, the trash from the buildings is sent to this recycling center. We also have our metals sent for recycling after they are cleaned.

So there are methods in place with organizations in place to handle and use them.

 

Every garbage day, walking the dog in our neighbourhood, I notice the most abysmal stuff in blue bins. Just an example: milk jugs, not washed out, a tablespoon or two of rancid milk sloshing around, not flattened, securely capped (oh yeah), and sitting in the hot sun. It takes a bit of effort, hopefully people get more educated.

Every little bit helps. Around here there's a couple of options for recycling used plastic bags, saran wrap, that sort of thing. And a nearby recyler (in addition to cans/bottles) takes styrofoam.

Down a trail from us Mr Lube takes used oil and filters, transmission fluid, brake fluid.

Another tact: avoid excess packaging, look at what's in your "garbage": any way to circumvent that. We used to buy our coffee at Costco, cheap as dirt, but came in a silver/plastic laminate bag, as far as I know you can't recycle. However, within walking distance is a local coffee place that roasts their own and will sell you a pound. We did that, and when the bag's empty keep bringing it back, refilling the same bag. Maybe it'll catch on.

 

Yeah I heard China was putting up resistance: they want clean plastic, and were getting too much detritus in what was supplied. Bottom line, reducing consumption, eliminating excessive packaging is preferable.

Just thinking about hose clamps I bought yesterday. I usually pick them up from a nearby Rona (hardware centre) and they're loose in a bin, with a just bar code tag. But I was in another place, getting automotive stuff, so picked them up there: two to a bubble pack with a paper.

 

With recent studies on environmental impacts of microplastic in ocean, land, and in our food chain, and concern for our health, I see ban on plastic use in future. Question is, do we have alternative material to replace plastics?

 

Package reduction is the quickest/simplest route I think. Costco is one outfit that's TERRIBLE for over-packaging.



Note too: all of these little dental floss packs are 40 meters. We used to be able to buy a 200 meter single dispenser, and you could buy refills for it.

 

Number 2,4,5,6 plastic can be easily converted to diesel fuel, natural gas and gasoline and at a much lower cost than a traditional refinery

No reason plastic should ever get tossed.

 

Yeah, where I really see it fall apart is out-and-about food consumption, garbage bins in food courts are a prime example. And, walking our trails around here, slobs abound. You can quickly fill a bag, with the castoffs from Starbucks, McDonalds, Tim Hortons and their ilk.

Our kids, whenever they come by, empty a bag or two outa their car everytime, just hand it to me.

 

Maybe it'll take communism. So many packages are thinly veiled advertising vehicles.

I saw somewhere, tooth brushes where you just change the bristles. TB's and razors, how come no recycle triangle. we could go back to the ol' style safety razor, no plastic.



Plus:

 

Or continue to use plastic and develop biological agents to degrade plastic. https://cen.acs.org/environment/sustainability/Plastics-recycling-microbes-worms-further/96/i25 Problem would be how to control those biological agents.

 

Kind of off-topic, except it's also a petroleum product in the environment, currently in the news, regarding the ongoing impact of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill by British Petroleum. Apparently one of the main microrganisms now is one that can eat oil. This what they were saying on CBC radio yesterday, maybe Quirks and Quarks show? Something, just an overview:

Disastrous BP Oil Spill 'Flattened' Microbe Biodiversity in Gulf

 

Our transfer station still takes recycling materials separate from regular garbage. Where they are taking them, I don't know.

 

we get an annual report from our transfer station:

1) no more black plastic in the recycling bin.

2) haulers charge less for recycling per pound than rubbish.

3) workers monitor the recycling bins and pull out incorrect items because you get a financial penalty.

4) we had a vote to switch to special rubbish bags you have to pay for to encourage recycling, it got shot down.

 

This is a terrible thought. But I sure hope China is not dumping all their unwanted plastic into the ocean.
Think back through hundreds of years of history, and all the thousands of sailing ships, cruise liners, military vessels, cargo ships, pleasure craft... whatever. How much crap and pollution has been dumped overboardi?!