Recycling

[Capt Worley PE]

I have long suspected recycing was a money losing proposition, but I never thought it was this big. In n article in the local paper, Free Times, http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=19...241011100974972 I found this nugget of info about Columbia's recycling program:

“Recycling costs us $1 million a year,” he says. “We sell the recyclables for $80,000 a year. But do the residents of the city want to give up recycling?”

Note that this pertains directly to the city of Columbia, SC, I would bet that it is proportionately costly for other areas of the country.

Now, I think recycling is a noble goal and all, but I don't think that it is worth this kind of expense, especially in these tough budgetary times. I would like to see such programs dropped.

Comments?

 

[snickerd3]

depends on how big your local landfill is and how close to being full it is.

 

[picusld]

I have long suspected recycing was a money losing proposition, but I never thought it was this big. In n article in the local paper, Free Times, http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=19...241011100974972 I found this nugget of info about Columbia's recycling program:

“Recycling costs us $1 million a year,” he says. “We sell the recyclables for $80,000 a year. But do the residents of the city want to give up recycling?”

Note that this pertains directly to the city of Columbia, SC, I would bet that it is proportionately costly for other areas of the country.

Now, I think recycling is a noble goal and all, but I don't think that it is worth this kind of expense, especially in these tough budgetary times. I would like to see such programs dropped.

Comments?

My trash and recycle are private. costs about $100 every three months i think.

The only way that it can work is if taxes go down as a result...but they never do.

 

[snickerd3]

we have to take our recycling to a drop off, there is one in town so it isn't too bad. But we recycle as much as we can, we have two garbage cans in the kitchen. We average a single bag of trash each week, everything else is recycled, which we drop off about once a month. Mr snick may a recycling run this weekend, took two trips. They spread the recycling across the different waste haulers in the county. One company has to deal with the paper, another the plastic, I think the city takes the aluminum cans because the drop container for them is through a hole in the wall into their locked portion of the building. It didn't used to be.

 

[bigray76]

We have curbside recycling... which goes to the landfill via a separate hauler. Town handles contracting the recycling pick up (every two weeks); we have private garbage haulers... they all suck.

 

[Slugger926]

I am in a Sustainability Enterprises class this semester. It is an eye opener. It interesting that recycled paper is not as "green" as virgin paper. 95% of all green activities is hype.

I would recommend reading the book, "Cradle to Cradle".

 

[Bean PE]

I have long suspected recycing was a money losing proposition, but I never thought it was this big. In n article in the local paper, Free Times, http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=19...241011100974972 I found this nugget of info about Columbia's recycling program:

“Recycling costs us $1 million a year,” he says. “We sell the recyclables for $80,000 a year. But do the residents of the city want to give up recycling?”

Note that this pertains directly to the city of Columbia, SC, I would bet that it is proportionately costly for other areas of the country.

Now, I think recycling is a noble goal and all, but I don't think that it is worth this kind of expense, especially in these tough budgetary times. I would like to see such programs dropped.

Comments?

What would the cost be to send all the recyclables to a landfill?

 

[bigray76]

I am in a Sustainability Enterprises class this semester. It is an eye opener. It interesting that recycled paper is not as "green" as virgin paper. 95% of all green activities is hype.
I would recommend reading the book, "Cradle to Cradle".

Green is big business, thank's Al Gore.

I applied to be on my township's 'Green Team' - I was later asked to not participate since I was 'too practically sustainable'. (Only PE and LEED AP in the group). Simply my views are to reduce our dependency on foreign oil... however makes sense (but starting with conservation and being responsible - turn off the lights when not in use, etc.). I am a firm believer in nuclear power (look at how the French have done with it) and exploring reasonable (and comparable in production costs) means of energy production.

I should have seen the writing on the wall when I was interviewed along with another candidate who thought that curbing your dog would reduce pollution - amazingly, we both got selected... go figure.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

I say take it all to a landfill and burn it to produce energy. They already suck the methane out from under some landfills and burn that for energy.

 

[MA_PE]

It was always my understanding that recycling was never intended to be a cost saver, and certainly not a money maker, it is intended to reduce the amount of material that goes to the landfill while relieving some of the burden on the natural resources sonsumed to make the products. Personally, I think it's a PITA.

Also, I like to see the support for that political statement in the article. I don't believe it factors in the cost to collect and dispose of the material that is collected with the recylcing effort should the recycling progtram just be cancelled. I don't beleieve that it's a 10:1 loss ratio, butr I believe the net answer is still it would be cheaper without the recycling.

The focus on that article seems to be privatizing city services. I believ that it would be a cost savings to the city, but it increases city dependencies on other contractors that they don't have a control over. It would be a good way to cut off the life-long gravy train for city workers and when the current generation concludes their life long benefits the city could rebuild without the built-in in life long commitment for health insurance, pensions, etc. that is currently over burdening the country as we speak.

 

[snickerd3]

no city garbage collectors here. We had to hire private company.

But landfill capacity is a huge driver for recycling.

 

[Supe]

I recycle. I turn spam mail, old bills, and cardboard containers into brand new smoke and flames in the middle of the backyard.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

So your backyard looks like your welder, huh, Supe?

 

[Ble_PE]

I recycle beer to piss at a 1:2 ratio it seems...

 

[Supe]

So your backyard looks like your welder, huh, Supe?

Pretty much! Only they fixed my welder (allegedly, I pick it up tomorrow). Otherwise, that will be a recycled paperweight while I'm at it.

 

[FLBuff PE]

Does this count as recycling?

 

[Supe]

I don't see how it couldn't.

 

[bigray76]

I recycle beer to piss at a 1:2 ratio it seems...

Conservation... "if it's yellow, let it mellow... if it's brown flush it down!"

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

Does this count as recycling?

More like advanced tertiary treatment... :mf_followthroughfart:

 

[MA_PE]

I recycle beer to piss at a 1:2 ratio it seems...

Conservation... "if it's yellow, let it mellow... if it's brown flush it down!"

Ahh. the credo of campgrounds everywhere. Didn't we have a Destroilet discussion here before?