shit...

We sort trash in 4 bins and one bag.

1. Paper
2. Glass and metal
3. Bio, food waste
4. General waste that doesn't belong in the other bins.
5. Isn't a bin but a plastic bag for plastic.

Lets say we didn't have a bag specifically for plastic, that waste would have ended up in 4. Most of 4 is burned. By putting plastic in its own bag it increased the amount of plastic returned to waste management and reduced the amount left out in nature and burned.

We've been dealt a shit hand, but we can try making the best out of the situation. Giving up isn't an option.

The problem isn’t just recycling; it’s consumption. Also, aluminum still holds some value. What else is worth recycling?

Recycling started off as the third R and last resort, the first two were Reduce and Reuse. Those were not compatible with an economy based on consumerism and growth, so Recycling became the focus, creating an industry to pick through the few things that could be recycled and trashing the rest, and encouraging the public to buy more because it's not a problem as long as you participate.

And if you don't participate, all the problems are your fault. Not the companies making the stuff, they're just doing what you want.

Reuse repair and recycle are in this order for a reason.

Companies should use recycle as a last resort. And especially should consider repair when producing items.

However people buy cheap new shit more often than try to repair sth.

Fuck consum economy

I think if we can't convince people to reduce their consumption which is a Sisyphean effort, The next best step would be to try to convince manufacturers and packaging companies to switch over to either mostly cardboard or metal. Metal is almost infinitely recyclable, and cardboard once it reaches the end of its recyclable life span can be used as fertilizer and as a product for other things.

I have plastic in my testicles and I don't even have any.

Plasticles

Big oil...

Not to mention how plastic recycling isn't exactly easy anyway. Not all jurisdictions take all kinds of plastic. So you have to know what your recycling center can handle and what you're tossing in or risk contamination.

I go out of my way to buy things shipped in paper, glass, or metal containers. Even though steel and aluminum cans do have a little plastic in them, it's far less plastic than containers made entirely of it.

It would be nice if we could have more things sold in the bulk section so you can bring your own container. Like, if I could buy laundry detergent or shampoo using my own containers, that'd be sick.

The problem is plastic can't be broken down and reassembled forever. Recycling isn't Lego. The focus should be finding ways to reuse something without altering it too much. But yeah it's not gonna save the planet sadly.

I really agree with your point. However:

First of all, it's reduce, reuse, recycle.

Nobody implied that recycling would solve everything. (at least i didn't, i don't know about what other people said)

Secondly, plastics is actually less of a problem than people think. Plastics is essentially non-toxic, or has a similar toxicity than wood, grass, and other carbohydrates. So essentially non-toxic. The fact that there is traces of it in your blood is not surprising, because our detection systems these days are very sensitive and can detect even the tiniest amounts.

The additives are the problem, and they should either be forbidden or strictly regulated.

The point that "chemical recycling is infeasible" is wrong. It used to be financially infeasible because the energy required to recycle was many times more expensive than just buying crude oil and making new plastics. Nowadays, however, that might change, depending on how cheap solar energy turns out to become over the next 10 years.

Furthermore, i guess Aluminum and glass are actually often worse for the environment, because while they could be recycled close to 100% when properly collected, such a good collection system is totally unreasonable and off the bat IMO. Consider: if there's one stupid guy who throws a lead acid battery into the recycle container, all of you now have lead poisoning for the rest of your lifes. It's a medical hazard.

Additionally, the problem with plastic waste in the environment is a problem of insufficient regulation, not with the plastics itself. Plastics can be burned very close to 100%, so it leaves no traces. Different than say nuclear which leaves back toxic waste. Additionally, burning plastics releases close to 100% of the energy stored in it, so it could be used as a fuel. In the future, optimized plastics power stations might burn plastics in the winter to generate energy to compensate for lower solar energy. That's why i'm actually in favor of collecting all plastics in gigantic landfills, because it might become a very valuable resource later on.