Microplastics update, the news is not good

[Fi2010]

Originally Posted by newhaul

I grew up here in Tacoma and I don't recall those heavy plastic trays you speak of the meat was on the same foam trays it still is on when purchased from the Safeway store down the block. Soda was in sometimes glass sometimes plastic bottles but the most common is still aluminum cans.
Milk was in plastic lined cardboard half gallon containers just like now , or in 1 gallon plastic containers just like now.

Don't know who told you that everything here is recycled it isn't. The majority of the recyclable plastic ( from the recycle bins . Is sent to the same landfill as the actual garbage. )

the best way so far to deal with the refuse is in generating power via incinerator based power plants.

We recommend you visit the garbage/recycling site. It’s impressive. https://www.co.thurston.wa.us/solidwaste/garbage/garbage-warc.html

Maybe garbage is handled differently in Olympia than Tacoma. Every city, county, state all have different rules.

Incinerators are definitely one solution. We just believe in building longer lasting and reusable equipment as the best option. Not only in the food industry, but for everything. Like it used to be. Unfortunately, disposable makes more money, hence the incredible pollution problem.

[Fi2010]

Originally Posted by NicBeeee

In the 70's here in the UK milk came in returnable glass bottles delivered on electric vehicles, meat wrapped up in paper from the butcher's, pop bottles returned and washed, used second hand cardboard boxes for your groceries that you would keep using until knackered, fish would be delivered on a bike as would your fresh fruit and veg, take aways would be wrapped in yesterday's newspapers, cheese and dairy products wrapped in linen. Sounds like the future is in the past

Fantastic! And yes, we should take the best parts of the past.

[john61ct]

And make those jobs union, paid a living wage for that location, with full benefits, then the economy will be much stronger.

The real economy that is, Main Street not Wall Street.

Burning plastic just pollutes our atmosphere and concentrates the toxic waste, which still needs proper disposal.

Best solution, don't create the plastic, leave them in the ground in the first place.

[Nicholson58]

If you want to effect a change, put a net across the mouths of the five rivers contributing 95% of the total plastics to the oceans. Clue, not in the US or EU. It is pointless to mine the mid ocean gyres when you could eliminate the sources for pennies on the dollar. The low hanging fruit here is falling to the ground.

[Fi2010]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

If you want to effect a change, put a net across the mouths of the five rivers contributing 95% of the total plastics to the oceans. Clue, not in the US or EU. It is pointless to mine the mid ocean gyres when you could eliminate the sources for pennies on the dollar. The low hanging fruit here is falling to the ground.

Really like The Ocean Cleanup new river cleanup system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4v88la9Hi4

[GordMay]

China’s recycling clampdown has hit Thurston County (Olympia), so fewer items should go in the bin
➥ https://www.theolympian.com/news/loc...#storylink=cpy


Here’s an interesting & informative article on How an e-waste sting uncovered a shocking betrayal
“American trash” ➥ https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/4/2...-reclaim-fraud

[Fi2010]

All the more reason to build things to last…to be reusable.

[john61ct]

Yes, should be illegal for vendors to do anything to discourage the repair and reuse of their products. Google the "right to repair" movement.

Apple is particularly egregiously evil in that regard. Also John Deere in agriculture. . .

[john61ct]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zVBkjMbF4Z4

[john61ct]

"Do you order different sizes of clothing online, knowing you can return the one that doesn't fit? Did you know the ones you return are sometimes sent straight to landfill?"

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/...eals-1.5393806

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by john61ct

"Do you order different sizes of clothing online, knowing you can return the one that doesn't fit?*Did you know the ones you return are sometimes sent straight to landfill?"

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/...eals-1.5393806

actually no I don't order clothing online due to by specific build . I have to try it on first.

( over broad shoulders and longer than average arms .

[JoeRobertJr]

Originally Posted by john61ct

"Do you order different sizes of clothing online, knowing you can return the one that doesn't fit? Did you know the ones you return are sometimes sent straight to landfill?"

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/...eals-1.5393806

Not just online returns. It is really appalling how much we throw away.
https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/26/new...ill/index.html
"Returning an unwanted holiday present? There's a good chance it could end up in a landfill. 5 billion pounds of returned items end up in the trash heap, according to Optoro, a tech company that helps major retailers manage their returns."

[Exile]

The blight of trash immediately following X-Mas at my county landfill is depressingly huge. Busiest time of year according to the workers there. And this is a mostly rural county!

[Exile]

Originally Posted by john61ct

And make those jobs union, paid a living wage for that location, with full benefits, then the economy will be much stronger.

So the Greta critiques are off topic/too political, but somehow scripted, boilerplate progressive talking points are not? I see . . . .

Originally Posted by john61ct

Let's see if this topic can be discussed without becoming too "political".

Yes, "let's." Or not.

[AKA-None]

Remember it’s reduce, reuse, recycle. Aim for the first item in the list.