Submitted by chrisdh79 t3_yd3b4e in Futurology
usethemoose t1_itrlx2q wrote
Reply to comment by ingen-eer in Recycling plastic is practically impossible — and the problem is getting worse by chrisdh79
You would be improving material circularity (in theory) while drastically increasing carbon emissions. Aluminum extraction and processing is energy intensive and dirty. Glass is energy intensive to produce, recovered materials are typically down-cycled due to color contamination, it’s heavy and inefficient to move and fragile, usually requiring plastic to prevent breakage.
Plastic isn’t only used because it’s cheap, it’s also very energy efficient to produce, lightweight for distribution (fewer transit emissions) and protects products from damage. Plastic waste is a significant issue that needs to be solved, but I always caution against promoting bans that don’t consider all the environmental advantages it currently provides.
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments