🚀 go-pugleaf

mikea@zorba.gvg.tek.com (Michael P. Anderson) writes:


> yes, plastics recycling is a ruse put on by the plastics industry. 

A little reality is called for here.  Not knowing what Mike's
definition of a "ruse" is, I can't refute his statement.  I can
shed some light on the matter.  As usual, the situation is not so
simple as the ideologues like to scream.

Speaking as a chemical engineer who has worked for a variety of "evil"
companies, I can tell you that most of the plastics industry is
sincere about getting some kind of recycling going.  This is not because
of any altruism or new-found love of the environment.  Rather, most
these companies learned from the pollution laws of the 60's and 70's
that one is far better implementing one's own programs than waiting
for government (Federal and State) to ram them down your throat. 

Just by looking at the waste disposal numbers (the alarming rate
at which plastic is consuming remaining landfill space), the industry
has already resigned itself to that fact that recycling will become
mandatory (maybe not this year, but within the 20 year life-time
over which most chemical plants are designed to provide a good return
on investment).  Thus, five years ago an industry-wide effort was started
to make recycling economically feasible (for the most part, it is not).

Most plastic products are made from blends of various high purity feedstocks.
The processing technologies are very sensitive to changes in purity 
and composition of these feedstocks. (before decrying this fact, remember:
this property makes plastics valuable, since this means one has
great control over the material properties with small changes 
the manufacturing process).
This makes recycling post-consumer plastic waste extremely  difficult
to economically reprocess.  Clearly, before recycling is economic,
one must reduce the variance of the feedstock.  The numbering  system
is a very cheap method that, when used industry-wide, goes long way
towards cutting the variability.  Notice, however, that this is but
one step.  As it is an easy one, the industry has already done this.
The next steps are more difficult.  

In my few, the single biggest thing we can do as individuals to make
plastics recycling  a reality is to pressure our local
governments into change the way solid waste disposal is financed. If
everyone (business and residential) had to pay for their garbage
pickup BY THE BARREL, than than throwing away plastic containers
would have a marginal cost (under th current system, the marginal cost
is zero: you pay the same for tossing 10 coke bottles as for one).
This would greatly shift the economics in favor of recycling.
At present, recycling must compete with (very cheap, very pure)
virgin feedstocks.  Tough.  However, if trash cost by the barrel,
than recycling must only be less expensive than disposal cost, which,
in LA anyway, is much easier to achieve.

Harassing companies is a poor way to move them: any company that
does not watch it bottom line ceases to exist.  However, shift the
forces that affect the bottom line, and companies can be remarkably
pliant.

>Here's the new credo: you built it / manufacture it, it's yours for life.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility?  If you choose to buy something,
why are you free of all moral taint while the manufacturer, which has devoted
great effort to responding to the public taste, must bear all moral
responsibilty?  I have always thought that constructive effort was
more useful for solving a problem than just trying to find someone
else to blame.

just my $0.02 worth - I look forward to the flames 8-)


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