Does plastic you throw in trash get recycled before it goes into landfill?

Question

I heard a manager at Walgreens tell me that before trash gets dumped into a landfill, or incendirated, they have these low paid people that go through and remove things like plastic bottles, glass, and other things that can be recycled.

Any truth to this, or does it all just get dumped/burned?

Answer 1

As I aware of, yes, it is true in Australia.

There are drop-off stations for recycle material in Sydney. In there, the materials are sorted out for recycling.

When I was doing my Master in NSW Uni, I'd worked for a few weeks to get field experience, in some recycling stations, to sort out the materials (rubbish, such as bottle, plastic bags, cardboard, paper, tin, etc.). I'd got paid for that. It is related to one of my subjects to get field experience.

Answer 2

Although this is possible.. it is highly unlikely. You would have to have a really progressive waste collection company.  Doing so would not be cost effective.

Don't be afraid to call the waste management company. I find mine to be very informative and helpful when I call about issues.

Answer 3

yes, things like that is true. the only problem is that most garbages are not segregated that is why still many plastics are dumped in landfills.

Answer 4

Just stop and think about the massive effort it would take to hand sort all the trash from just one good-sized truck.

It's not gonna happen.

Even many of the so-called recycling services that charge extra are actually just dumping the stuff or running it through the mass burners.

Many people have different opinions about what "going green" really means.

Answer 5

If u throw it in the recycle bin. Yes. maybe.

Answer 6

No it gets dumped. I went on a field trip to the landfill one time and those plastic bags were everywhere.

As long as you put them in the recycling bin, they get recycled.

On Dirty Jobs on Discovery Channel, Mike had to sort out the trash but he never sorted out the plastic bags.

So, I'm pretty sure they get dumped. Recycle them. In the bins. They take forever to biodegrade.

Answer 7

Nothing you throw in the trash gets recycled.

Answer 8

There is an incinerator behind my house - ew, I know. We have campaigned against it since forever and the place totally stinks. But there IS some sort of sorting that goes on.  I don't know whether they are sorting things out to be recycled though. I highly doubt it. I think it's more that they are sorting out what rubbish can go to what area of the plant, depending on size etc.  They also have magnets to collect anything magnetic? No idea why. Maybe they do get the cans recycled? I really should have asked my parents before answering this...

In conclusion, as for hiring looooads of people to sort the rubbish, that definitely goes on in the site by me. However, I don't know if the same goes for other places, neither do I remember the purpose of this sorting.

Answer 9

Yes, not everywhere but sometimes some companies employ people who remove recyclable trash that way making pretty big money by making like plastic flakes to send to rendering plants and so on. it's a fact. but it's rare and it doesn't mean you don't have to recycle.

Answer 10

Some jurisdictions have a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) where some things are separated, but:

1.  not everyplace has one and

2.  it is often only for separation of stuff collected specifically for recycling, not the general waste stream.

If you pitch it in the trash, you can assume it's going to a landfill or incinerator and you will seldom be wrong in the USA.

Answer 11

Not in Australia you have to have 3 separate bins one everyday scraps that cant be put into a compost, another for only paper

the 3rd one is green waste that usually gets mulched up and sold back to those who would like it on there gardens.

Most stuff is taken to a warehouse and sorted before its sent of to what ever use it going to be used for

Incinerators have been banned for years here.

Car tyres are not to be dumped they get picked up and get turned into dripper hoses and rubber door mats, oh yes!!!! on barriers in the sea.

Plastic shopping bags should be banned for ever this year