SIGMA920 t1_j52c448 wrote on January 19, 2023 at 10:17 PM

Reply to comment by dhc710 in Bloomberg: Amazon Packages Burn in India, Final Stop in Broken Recycling System. Plastic wrappers and parcels that start off in Americans’ recycling bins end up at illegal dumpsites and industrial furnaces — and inside the lungs of people by ombx

> So the effects were: - No one remembered to bring reusable bags - All the shopping baskets were stolen - Reusable plastic/polyester/whatever bags were made available for sale cheap - Everyone just buys them at checkout and likely throws them away after they've accumulated too many

The biggest issue with that is even when you do bring your own bag in, you sometimes still have to get an extra bag anyway because you didn't bring enough bags.

It'd be cheaper and better for everyone if they would just eliminate the waste at the manufacturer, shipping, and retail level. There's no need to put plastic air bags in a cardboard box with something that isn't fragile or is going to matter if it moves around short of there being complete destruction.

RowLow8834 t1_j53y434 wrote on January 20, 2023 at 5:37 AM

I'm currently working in a stock room of a retail store; while in school, my job creates so much waste there are about five layers of plastic for every single piece of merchandise, not including the packaging on the product. I brought it up with some coworkers they agreed it seemed outrageous, but they didn't notice it till I said it. We as a culture have become too desensitized to the plastic waste, and I think nothing will change, at least anytime soon.