Recycling vs Garbage
 

Assuming recycling is possible, is it more costly to the environment to throw waste in the garbage, or to recycle it? Does the answer depend on what kind of recyclable waste it is?

Re: Recycling vs Garbage
 

Most liberal political opionions are garbage IMO and they keep getting recycled. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

On a more serious note, the thing is that there simply isn't a demand for a lot of recycled items or the cost of recycling them is more than producing newer items. The bottle law debates in various states are examples of this.

And regarding demand for recycled items, some things such as newsprint have a more limited demand because the fibers breakdown after so much recycling and they need a certain percentage of new pulp to insure the quality of the newsprint. Of course they also use such recycled paper products in insulation. But with newsprint there is an oversupply of material for the demand. I assume it is the same with many other items.

Re: Recycling vs Garbage
 

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Assuming recycling is possible, is it more costly to the environment to throw waste in the garbage, or to recycle it? Does the answer depend on what kind of recyclable waste it is?

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Depends. Obviously taking a few bundles of a low value item such as newsprint several miles to a recycling facility does a lot more for the recycler's psych than the environment.

Anyway, one of the best books on garbage may be Rubbish!: ]The Archaeology of Garbage excerpted in Atlantic Monthly several years ago.

~ Rick

Re: Recycling vs Garbage
 

My city has implemented a pretty successful recycling program. Every houshold is provided with three refuse containers that are collected weekly. One for garbage, which goes to the landfill, one for yard waste, which is composted and used by the city and given away to citizens who want to haul it, and one for recyclable materials. Paper, cardboard, aluminum, steel, and plastic all go together in the main bin, and there is a separate tray for glass that nests into the top of the bin.

As you might imagine, this costs a bit tax-wise, but we are told that the recycling program is cost-effective, in that the expense is recovered by reducing use of the landfill and selling the recyclables.

Re: Recycling vs Garbage
 

Personal recycling (and by that I mean throwing your bottles/paper/plastics in seperate containers) is a waste of time and money and has a negligable benefit (and in a lot of cases a detrimental effect) to the environment. But it makes you feel better, right?

Re: Recycling vs Garbage
 

[ QUOTE ]
My city has implemented a pretty successful recycling program. Every houshold is provided with three refuse containers that are collected weekly. One for garbage, which goes to the landfill, one for yard waste, which is composted and used by the city and given away to citizens who want to haul it, and one for recyclable materials. Paper, cardboard, aluminum, steel, and plastic all go together in the main bin, and there is a separate tray for glass that nests into the top of the bin.

As you might imagine, this costs a bit tax-wise, but we are told that the recycling program is cost-effective, in that the expense is recovered by reducing use of the landfill and selling the recyclables.

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If it were *really* cost effective, there would be companies lining up to pay you directly for your recyclables. In reality, you have to spend tax dollars on top of your normal garbage collection to get somone to recycle your stuff.

Re: Recycling vs Garbage
 

Aluminum is cost effective. That's why homeless people go look for aluminum and get PAID for it. The rest is always subsidized. Throw it in the f'in landfill. There is plenty of land to use for landfills.

Re: Recycling vs Garbage
 

Yes, but does this point out that recycling is a waste of time and resources, or does it point out that our economy treats raw materials in a rather strange way?

Re: Recycling vs Garbage
 

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Yes, but does this point out that recycling is a waste of time and resources, or does it point out that our economy treats raw materials in a rather strange way?

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Chosing to use materials that cost less to process into a useful form is "treating them in a strange way"?

I'm shopping for a car. I find a dealer that has two cars of the exact make, model, and color I want. He's asking the same price for both of them, but one has a dent in the side and is missing a wheel. If I buy the one with no dent and all four wheels, am I "treating the cars in a strange way"?

Re: Recycling vs Garbage
 

Cars aint exactly a raw material