-Ch4s3- t1_j69qg55 wrote
Reply to comment by tdaddybxl in UV light from the sun slowly breaks down plastics on the ocean’s surfaces: researchers calculate that about two percent of visibly floating plastic may disappear from the ocean surface in this way each year by giuliomagnifico
That rolls up medical plastics, chemical spray bottles, aluminum can liners, bandages, cling wrap, straws the people with mobility issues need, and so on. Plastic is basically a CO2 sink if it’s buried, may as well just do that.
GruntBlender t1_j69r20y wrote
Safest way to dispose of it is incineration tho. Anything else will leech microplastics and plasticisers into the environment.
pzerr t1_j6a2n4k wrote
Which turns it into complete C02.
GruntBlender t1_j6b1knc wrote
Better than microplastics
TrueRepose t1_j6bhhwp wrote
Which can then be transformed into carbon and breathable air :)
mxemec t1_j6igzon wrote
At least pyrolysis techniques can convert it into fuel beforehand.
-Ch4s3- t1_j6a3yq7 wrote
Garbage disposal uses lined and heavily monitored sites. It’s a solved problem.
mynextthroway t1_j6dgvr7 wrote
I wouldn't say plastic is a CO2 sink. Being a sink makes it sound like CO2 was pulled from the air to make the plastic, and then it was buried. Burying plastic just keeps it from causing a lot of trouble that burning it or dumping in the ocean causes.
-Ch4s3- t1_j6dyi5c wrote
Well weathering of plastic will release some CO2.
What I mean really is that plastic is made from a waste product and very little CO2 is emitted in its production. It displaces more carbon intensive material use, and when its buried any carbon it contains is sequestered. It’s a great material that way if properly disposed of.
mynextthroway t1_j6e2q0p wrote
Properly disposed is the key, but recycling is not the amazing solution plastic/oil companies made it out to be. Do you want to see a waste of plastic? Look at dollar stores, the seasonal section of Target, Wal-mart, etc. Nearly all of it is useless or unneeded. Single use plastic going to countries that can't/wont handle the waste properly is a problem for oceanic plastic.
-Ch4s3- t1_j6e3tkj wrote
I believe I’ve been saying it should be buried. Moreover SE Asian countries aren’t really buying US and European plastic recycling materials anymore so a lot of it is actually getting landfilled again. Insofar as it all goes in a big hole in the ground it hardly matters.
Making sure it doesn’t end up in waterways seems like the correct focus to me. I don’t really have a lot interest in trying to police people’s preferences. Just handle the waste stream correctly and clamp down on littering.
gimme_alt_girls t1_j6acuvq wrote
Yeah no. Micro plastics shed off into everything. Congrats, you just enriched the soil
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