1. Yes, it's a whole new look! Have questions or need help? Please post your question in the New Forum Questions thread Click the X to the right to dismiss this notice
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Seeing tons of unread posts after the upgrade? See this thread for help. Click the X to the right to dismiss this notice
    Dismiss Notice

Recyclables Dumped in Trash Truck

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by KTdid, Feb 13, 2020.

  1. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    3,429
    Likes Received:
    146
    This seems to be happening more often than not - again this morning. Patriot also trashed my neighbor's 8 cans of paint that they left on the curb the last three pick-ups. Are they in a hurry? Is the recycling truck out of commission? Do the workers lack training?

    Whenever I buy any thing, my first consideration is packaging. If something has excessive packaging, it stays on the shelf. It's not enough to just say 'oh, it'll be recycled anyway' when we all know only 20% of plastics are recycled. We all need to break our addition to plastics and other packaging not recyclable.

    I have very little to recycle but when I do, I take time to make sure it's clean and put it out in the recycling bin. To see Patriot dump it in with the trash is not acceptable.

    And yes, I've called Patriot enough times to know their reply; 'what street did this happen on? okay I'll report it to the supervisor.'
     
  2. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2002
    Messages:
    5,280
    Likes Received:
    342
    Blame China. They no longer accept most of our recycled stuff. They were the number 1 user of recycled material in the world.
    I believe there was an article in the newsletter in the last month or two explaining what is happening.
    The main problem is that way too much non recyclable stuff is put in the recycling containers.
    If they see one thing in there, then the bin gets put in the trash.
    After recycling centers stop accepting material, then the trash companies have no alternative other than throwing recyclables into the trash.
     
  3. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    3,429
    Likes Received:
    146
    Where's your sarcasm emoji? How can you visit our woes on China because we fail to have a domestic market capable of handling our 'excessive' plastic disposables? We're as culpable as any other industrial and growing market. Your claim has no merit.
     
  4. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2002
    Messages:
    5,280
    Likes Received:
    342
    I don’t care about the merit. It’s the simple fact. No other country is willing to deal with the hassle and expense of recycling so it all gets thrown into the dumps.
     
  5. Genco

    Genco Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2003
    Messages:
    278
    Likes Received:
    29
    Fairfax county has eliminated glass containers (which should be the easiest to sort) at curbside pickup since last year due to a few reasons, but mainly due to contamination of broken glass with more valuable recycled material like cardboard and the impact broken glass has on machinery. For someone who has had the pleasant experience (sarcasm) of being on a garbage tipping floor you see the contamination all the time. That is why it's so hard to make trash into energy because of all the laborious sorting (costs) that takes place on the floor trying to sort out all the different materials. By the way Cliff is right on the factual aspect of China's refusal to take recyclables. It was called "Operation Natioinal Sword" by the Chinese. Here is one but many articles regarding the subject. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/energysource/recycling-is-going-to-waste/
     
  6. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    3,429
    Likes Received:
    146
    I don't disagree. China stopped accepting our plastic two years ago and they announced this change in advance. That doesn't absolve the U.S of responsibility nor does it make sense to blame China. That was my point.
     

Share This Page