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Trash piles up in US as China closes door to recycling
AFP ^
| July 12, 2018
Posted on 07/12/2018 8:59:18 AM PDT by yoe
For months, a major recycling facility for the greater Baltimore-Washington area has been facing a big problem: it has to pay to get rid of huge amounts of paper and plastic it would normally sell to China.
Beijing is no longer buying, claiming the recycled materials are "contaminated."
For sure, the 900 tons of trash dumped at all hours of the day and night, five days a week, on the conveyor belts at the plant in Elkridge, Maryland -- an hour's drive from the US capital -- are not clean.
[snip]But since January, China has closed its borders to most paper and plastic waste in line with a new environmental policy pushed by Beijing, which no longer wants to be the world's trash can, or even its recycle bin.
(Excerpt) Read more at afp.com ...
TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; climate; recycling; trade
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To: yoe
One day it might make economic sense to mine old landfills for resources and then someone will do it.
Until then, burn what will burn (to get rid of disease) and pile up the rest.
21
posted on
07/12/2018 9:16:39 AM PDT
by
BitWielder1
(I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty.)
To: RinaseaofDs
I live in a university town. Recycling virtue-signalling is big here. Years ago I took some stuff to the municipal landfill and saw them burying recycling bags. I called them on it and they said it was only temporary and they would dig it all up and recycle it later. I told all my recycling acquaintances about it and they said I must be mistaken. Then in January of this year a local newspaper staffed by journalism students had an article on how the “recycled” bags are being buried in the landfill.
22
posted on
07/12/2018 9:16:43 AM PDT
by
E. Pluribus Unum
(<img src="http://i.imgur.com/WukZwJP.gif" width=600><p>https://i.imgur.com/zXSEP5Z.gif)
To: fella
Idiocracy: “Function: noun. Definition: an act or actions that come from ideas or beliefs that are not smart......”
IOW Democrats.
23
posted on
07/12/2018 9:16:53 AM PDT
by
rockinqsranch
(Dems, Libs, Socialists call 'em what you will they all have fairies livin' in their trees.)
To: CharlesMartelsGhost
Steel and aluminum are readily recyclable. Paper/cardboard and glass only somewhat. Recycling plastic has always been a scam.
The key is in the cost of sorting. Putting all of your “recylables” into a big plastic container isn’t effective because downstream someone has to be paid to sort it out. If the consumer doesn’t sort it, it’s never going to be economically viable.
24
posted on
07/12/2018 9:17:56 AM PDT
by
henkster
(Monsters from the Id.)
To: Red Badger
This all sounds like an opportunity for American entrepreneurs.
To: Red Badger
While I’ve never bought a mocha latte with extra cinnamon from Starbucks, I’m assuming they still give everyone a one time use cup with a piece of paper wrapped around it and covered with a plastic top and individually packaged sugars.
26
posted on
07/12/2018 9:19:51 AM PDT
by
bgill
(CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola.")
To: cuban leaf
"..I just burn my paper and plastic.."If ya have neighbors I'm sure they appreciate that stench.
I've got a neighbor who does that occasionally. It's nasty, just like them.
27
posted on
07/12/2018 9:19:57 AM PDT
by
CopperTop
(Outside the wire it's just us chickens. Dig?)
To: CopperTop
Well, my nearest neighbor is 500 yards away. :)
28
posted on
07/12/2018 9:20:35 AM PDT
by
cuban leaf
(The US will not survive the obama presidency. The world may not either.)
To: E. Pluribus Unum
[China never did any recycling.
They accepted payment, loaded it onto cargo ships, and dumped it into the ocean.
Its not that hard to connect the dots.]
That’s incorrect. China pays for the trash, which makes its way back into the supply chain after being reconstituted. Other countries will buy it, but they don’t pay as much. I expect it’s to do with those other countries having the typical brain-dead/corrupt tariffs and regulations that jack up materials costs to local producers, which is why China remains the manufacturing center of choice despite Southeast Asia having cheaper labor costs, on average.
29
posted on
07/12/2018 9:22:10 AM PDT
by
Zhang Fei
(Journalism is about covering important stories. With a pillow, until they stop moving.)
To: neverevergiveup
30
posted on
07/12/2018 9:22:19 AM PDT
by
Red Badger
(July 2018 - the month the world discovered the TRUTH......Q Anon)
To: CharlesMartelsGhost
Californias Department of Resources Recycling sent a letter cautioning that the economics of recycling had become unfavorable thus challenging what recycling means to Californians.
translation: Time for some new Green Taxes to SCROOOOOO with the natural economics.
To: yoe
32
posted on
07/12/2018 9:26:53 AM PDT
by
Bloody Sam Roberts
(Get in the Spirit! The Spirit of '76!)
To: CharlesMartelsGhost
I’d love to see my city and county recycling programs go away.
33
posted on
07/12/2018 9:29:18 AM PDT
by
wally_bert
(Just call me Angelo or babe.)
To: Bloody Sam Roberts
The Great Garbage Avalanche of 2505.
34
posted on
07/12/2018 9:33:50 AM PDT
by
dfwgator
(Endut! Hoch Hech!)
To: cuban leaf
"..Well, my nearest neighbor is 500 yards away. :).."Damn, I miss those days. Now we're "conveniently" located. Me and the tractor are bored.
Take care, "Stinky". Hehehe. d;^)
35
posted on
07/12/2018 9:35:59 AM PDT
by
CopperTop
(Outside the wire it's just us chickens. Dig?)
To: yoe
36
posted on
07/12/2018 9:36:41 AM PDT
by
old-ager
To: old-ager
Cant they shred the plastic and mix it with material for 3D printing?
37
posted on
07/12/2018 9:45:26 AM PDT
by
EQAndyBuzz
(Proud member of the DWN party. (Deplorable Wing Nut))
To: yoe
The last line of the article pretty much sums up the whole recycling mess
“They’re going to have to start paying more for the privilege of recycling.”
Key word - privilege. Its all about virtue signaling and assuaging liberal guilt.
To: rockinqsranch
"Idiocracy: Function: noun. Definition: an act or actions that come from ideas or beliefs that are not smart...... IOW Democrats."
Also a very apt and funny movie. In which Hollyweird unwittingly exposed the logical results of the Progressives agenda.
39
posted on
07/12/2018 9:59:44 AM PDT
by
fella
("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
To: E. Pluribus Unum
I doubt that, they were paying us for the recyclables.
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