[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Are there more microplastics in the food chain or have we gotten better at detecting them and picked this as the next focus for our hysteria?

Most likely a bit of both.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

What’s the point of getting rid of plastic bags when so many of the products we put in those bags are in plastic containers? If it makes you feel better putting all those plastic containers in a paper bag go for it.

I never requested paper bags for groceries. The folds in the bags are where insects lay their eggs. Or so I have thought for many years of hearing that. I never want any paper bags in our home.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

But.......isn't burning trash to energy still recycling? The trash is recycled into energy. Isn't that STILL recycling the trash?

That is not the common definition of recycling. The common definition is recovering the material from an item so that it can be used again as that same material - re-cycling. Aluminum from cans can be reused as aluminum; glass from bottles can be reused as glass; plastics can be reused as plastics.

Our trash isn't recycled into energy, it is destroyed (burned) to extract energy. Except for some metals, the original material no longer exists to be reused.

I suppose if you insist on calling trash-to-energy a form of recycling then every engine that burns a petroleum product is also a recycling system that recycles oil into energy.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

That is not the common definition of recycling. The common definition is recovering the material from an item so that it can be used again as that same material - re-cycling. Aluminum from cans can be reused as aluminum; glass from bottles can be reused as glass; plastics can be reused as plastics.

Our trash isn't recycled into energy, it is destroyed (burned) to extract energy. Except for some metals, the original material no longer exists to be reused.

I suppose if you insist on calling trash-to-energy a form of recycling then every engine that burns a petroleum product is also a recycling system that recycles oil into energy.

Yes, I think so. And it is particularly nice to have clean process as well. Energy has far more potential use than plastic. I guess “recycling” is a limited term indicating reuse. But the term has had a sort of an unwarranted halo attached to it. I do understand concern when plastics are not burnt but thrown into landfills and oceans. People can do better, and in our case, we do.

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

That is not the common definition of recycling. The common definition is recovering the material from an item so that it can be used again as that same material - re-cycling. Aluminum from cans can be reused as aluminum; glass from bottles can be reused as glass; plastics can be reused as plastics.

On the other hand, recycling plastics has always been iffy or problematic.

New report unveils what plastic makers knew about recycling : NPR

Generally, municpalities, ship the plastics collected in recycling bins (eventually) to third world countries, many of whom dump them in the oceans.

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-co...rToxic_ENG.pdf

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Velvet

Yes, I think so. And it is particularly nice to have clean process as well. Energy has far more potential use than plastic. I guess “recycling” is a limited term indicating reuse. But the term has had a sort of an unwarranted halo attached to it. I do understand concern when plastics are not burnt but thrown into landfills and oceans. People can do better, and in our case, we do.

Originally Posted by Dusty_Star

On the other hand, recycling plastics has always been iffy or problematic.

New report unveils what plastic makers knew about recycling : NPR

Generally, municpalities, ship the plastics collected in recycling bins (eventually) to third world countries, many of whom dump them in the oceans.

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-co...rToxic_ENG.pdf

Both these may be true; I didn't claim that recycling was better than burning. I only responded that "trash-to-energy" is not the common definition of the word "recycle."

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

That is not the common definition of recycling. The common definition is recovering the material from an item so that it can be used again as that same material - re-cycling. Aluminum from cans can be reused as aluminum; glass from bottles can be reused as glass; plastics can be reused as plastics.

Our trash isn't recycled into energy, it is destroyed (burned) to extract energy. Except for some metals, the original material no longer exists to be reused.

I suppose if you insist on calling trash-to-energy a form of recycling then every engine that burns a petroleum product is also a recycling system that recycles oil into energy.

Burning leaves various kinds of altered materials behind. Like wood fire in a fireplace leaves ashes and smoke and various gases, burnt trash leaves stuff, too. What kinds of stuff depends on what the trash consists of. So, the questions I have are, what does the waste from burning consist of (metals, glass, plastic gunk, ash)? Is any of the waste toxic or harmful to the environment in any way.? How is the residue or waste from burning disposed of. What happens to it?
Burning oil, coal, natural gas, to create energy produces some pretty nasty by products. What about trash? Just how clean ( or unclean) is it?

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Both these may be true; I didn't claim that recycling was better than burning. I only responded that "trash-to-energy" is not the common definition of the word "recycle."

& I was responding to "plastics can be reused at plastics'.

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by Gpsma

But how can we pick up dog and cat poop without plastic bags!!

you took the words right out of my mouth!!

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

But.......isn't burning trash to energy still recycling? The trash is recycled into energy. Isn't that STILL recycling the trash?

why, YES, it is!!!

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by Dusty_Star

On the other hand, recycling plastics has always been iffy or problematic.

New report unveils what plastic makers knew about recycling : NPR

Generally, municpalities, ship the plastics collected in recycling bins (eventually) to third world countries, many of whom dump them in the oceans.

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-co...rToxic_ENG.pdf

and i remember a few years back reading how the 3rd worlders aren't taking it anymore, that they felt we were sending them our trash

[shut the front door]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Your cat's waste is toxic???? I suppose it is if he has Toxoplasma gondii. Otherwise, I doubt it amounts to much compared to many thousands of lions and tigers and bears (oh my, oh my)

Stop bringing logic into this! This thread is about virtue signaling, not common sense!

[barbara828]

Half the produce is in plastic.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by PugMom

you took the words right out of my mouth!!

Hopefully just words

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Keefelane66

It’s not just plastic bags it’s all plastics. We have abandoned recycling in The Villages opting to burn plastics trash to energy.

Don’t plastic burn?