[Summit] recycling and landfills

[Andrew Nosal]

Long ago, I was disappointed that RI did not have a bottle bill.  When  
curbside recycling came along, I came to prefer putting the empties in  
the bin because that is a lot easier than schlepping them back to the  
store for 30 cents a six pack.  When I spend time in NY or VT the  
empties are pure hassle.  Most people throw them away or leave them  
out to be redeemed by someone willing to work for the pittance.

The deposits on discarded bottles are, I believe, shared by the  
merchant and the state.  Works for them!

So.  If the curbside recycling system does not produce marketable  
glass for recycling, RI needs a bottle bill.  The deposit should be 20  
or 25 cents so you do not feel like a fool spending half an hour  
redeeming your bottles for $1.20.  At least the scavengers will have a  
chance to enjoy a middle class existence. There should be an incentive  
for beverage makers to return to refillable bottles.  Much less energy  
use than melting glass.

Good points below.  Cans are the greenest option now.


On Aug 2, 2012, at 9:49 AM, Martha Fraenkel wrote:

> The market for recyclables fluctuates wildly depending on the  
> economy generally and technology.  This cannot be controlled by RI  
> Resource Recovery Corp.  How about we get a bottle bill in RI  
> (because that would make for more recyclable glass, according to the  
> article) and buy beer in cans for now.
>
> A solid waste landfill isn't a big compost pile.    The landfill  
> accepts anything that you throw out that is not recycled, like  
> construction scrap, demolition debris, household stuff, furniture,  
> etc., as well as food garbage.  You don't manage or turn the debris,  
> you bury it, for good, with no planned end product.  A landfill is  
> lined and will ultimately be permanently covered ("capped") to make  
> it water tight.  It is essentially a big tomb, not a living organic  
> mass like your compost pile.   You can open a closed landfill and  
> find the wastes much like when you discarded them there decades  
> before.   The problem odors come when the landfill is not yet  
> capped, because there is some decomposition.
>
>
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