Recycling Reality?

Question

I saw an episode of Penn and Teller's BS (on Showtime) claiming that recycling plastic bottles actually harms the environment.

They said that using separate trucks to collect recyclables creates more pollution, and costs local governments more.

They also said that the US has enough landfil space to last 1,000 more years, and that the recycling movement was created after a big misunderstanding about a trash barge.

As a loyal recycler, I am devastated.

Anyone?

Answer 1

There are a lot of ways to do the job wrong and just a few ways to do it right. These guys are doing it wrong. Plastic is one of the best things to recycle but it needs to be done right. The same can be said for all of the stuff that ends up in landfills. If it is processed right it will generate wealth and a good environment.

Answer 2

most people in citys and burbs think there is no space... get in ur car and drive for 20 hours...plenty off space. but NIMBY.plastic is very stable in a landfill.its paper and organic materals that cause water polution... it takes oil to make new plastic so recycleing is worth it...keep recyclin...in my town for 10 years we saved glass only to find out they were putting it in the fill...accualty costs 50 dollars a ton to get rid of it...

Answer 3

OMG just carry your trash out to the burning barrel and set it on fire just like most of us used to do and some of us (I) still do ash takes up less space than trash

Answer 4

at least the bottles are going to be put to good use, and not just sitting there in the landfill. where is the extra landfill space? the ocean? my backyard? I DON'T THINK SO!

Answer 5

What a load of rot.  I don't know where Penn & Teller are getting their information, but it's very inaccurate.

Lets just look at the little town along Lake Michigan I live in:

*The landfill the city uses raised their rates this year and will only be operation for three more years.

*The recycling program here has resulted in the city needing 23% less landfill space each year -- thus our bill for this service is done 23%.

*The recycling program here (because of the return on the material going to be recycled) is a zero budget item.

The reality is we are getting pressed for landfill space; recycling is the right and moral course to be taking; and the more we recycle the LESS we burn through the remaining fossil fuel sources we have.

Pen and Teller are entertainers -- and not very good ones.  They are by no stretch of the imagination governmental, environmental, or material experts.

Answer 6

Someone asked the identical question, worded identically, a few days ago. It was answered back then.

1. Much of the country has no landfill space at all. Nada. Zilch.

2. Governments have recyling programs to save money. It costs less to dispose of recycling materials than regular trash. That disproces at least one of the assertions.

3. I didn't know that Penn and Teller were recycling economic experts.

4. Did they really say that? Do you have a link?

Answer 7

Yeah, they're lying or maybe yes seperate trucks do cause pollution, but not that much. U.S. may have that much landfill space, but who cares? NOW I AM MAD AT THEM FOR CLAIMING THAT RECYCLING IS AN ACCIDENT!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

I'm not sure they would be a reliable source of advice on recycling.  It's like asking Al Gore's opinion about a magic trick.

Answer 9

Recycling turns an old used bottle/something else into new one by using energy from water, solar and nuclear electrostations. If there is no recycling, you pollute ground with waste and you turns all the materials firstly in things and then in the waste. Earlier or later, everything would be turned in the waste and you would have to start recycling. Its the only way of continuously life on Earth --- spending renewable and solar energy on 100% recycling of waste.

Answer 10

Devasted, Well read this, E Coli Contaminated Spinach, a few deaths, a Ca Gov, and Ca Big Money Water Recycling. Talk about garbage   http://www.vitabrewcoffee.com/germanator...