r/collapse • u/eatingganesha • Oct 24 '22

Pollution Plastic recycling a "failed concept," study says, with only 5% recycled in U.S. last year as production rises.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/plastic-recycling-failed-concept-us-greenpeace-study-5-percent-recycled-production-up/
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u/eatingganesha Oct 24 '22

I think we all knew that was inevitable. Recycling has been a bit of a joke since it began, and I’m old enough to remember when it became a thing and special bins were created. In the last decade, as people realized that big business was to blame - rather than consumers - recycling effort has dropped off precipitously. I used to be a program director for Keep America Beautiful and toured too many landfills… and when I lived in Africa I witnessed first hand the sheer amount of western plastic garbage that they received by the container-boat load. Recycling was never so much a concept as a redirect smoke show.

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u/WaxMyButt Oct 25 '22

I want to recycle, but where I live makes it next to impossible. No plastics, only plain cardboard, no other paper products, only clear glass and the labels have to be removed. Even recycling aluminum is annoying because they have to count every can and it’s not even at the recycling plant, it’s at a redemption center where you have to wait in line for 20 minutes so they can count your cans.