The widespread adoption of returning and reusing plastic packaging could help to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 69%, a study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation showed on Wednesday.
How much energy does recycling them use? Because that's another issue I see. If recycling LDPE, PET or MDPE ends up having a bigger carbon footprint than just throwing them away, that should be a factor.
You have to sort the plastic, shred it, wash it, melt it, and form it. It takes time, energy, and money. It isn't free and it is right to recognize that. I don't think there is a way that recycling can have a lower carbon footprint than just outright throwing something away.
That said, if you're throwing something away and need to manufacture something to replace it, I'm not sure that you shouldn't be comparing the carbon footprint of recycling to the carbon footprint of new manufacture rather than disposal.
They're paying people to recycle, they're not charging them for it. So it is free for people to recycle and whoever is paying for recycling is losing money.
Polyethylene (grocery bags (LDPE), drink containers (PET), ziploc bags (MDPE), etc.) and polypropylene are both relatively easy to recycle.
Polystyrene (styrofoam), and PVC are not.
How much energy does recycling them use? Because that's another issue I see. If recycling LDPE, PET or MDPE ends up having a bigger carbon footprint than just throwing them away, that should be a factor.
It shouldn't, because the energy can be green.
You have to sort the plastic, shred it, wash it, melt it, and form it. It takes time, energy, and money. It isn't free and it is right to recognize that. I don't think there is a way that recycling can have a lower carbon footprint than just outright throwing something away.
That said, if you're throwing something away and need to manufacture something to replace it, I'm not sure that you shouldn't be comparing the carbon footprint of recycling to the carbon footprint of new manufacture rather than disposal.
They're paying people to recycle, they're not charging them for it. So it is free for people to recycle and whoever is paying for recycling is losing money.
But otherwise, fine.
I only meant free in the sense that recycling obeys the laws of thermodynamics. You don't get something for nothing.