🚀 go-pugleaf

> >
> >I have been proposing for years an equipment disposal tax, which
> >should be applied to EVERY manufactured item. It works like this:  The
> >tax is paid by the manufacturer when the item is produced, the longer
> >the life of the item the greater is the proportion of the tax refunded
> >when the item has to be disposed of. Thus a quality product which
> >lasts say 40 years might get a refund of 90% whereas a product which
> >lasted 5 years would only get a refund of 5%.  After all why should
> >the taxpayer have to shoulder the cost of disposal of manufactured
> >items?
> >
> 
> Technology is moving too fast for this kind of scheme. If you were to
> drive around in a car from 1960 you would likley be causing more
> damage to the environment, Likewise with electrical gear, most stuff
> is a lot more efficient. The focus should be on recycling, not
> disposal.
> 

It should be a "polluter pays" system.  If you produce some high tech
piece of gear you should be able to recycle it at the end of its
lifetime.  The scheme presented above does focus on recycling.  It will
force the manufacturer to recycle since there will a finacial incentive
to do so.  Cannot carry on producing some of the crap procts that turn
up at the retail shops.  It is a waste of resources.  When it is out of
warranty and it breaks down it tends to be thrown out.

Good point about efficencies.  You are right.  Modern equip tends to
have lower power consumption.  Our insatiable demand for energy is
causing climate change.  A high portion of our energy comes from FOSSIL
FUELS.

Alan Liefting.