Why can't they just burn the stuff that can't be recycled?

The machines that recycle plastics vary in what they can handle. Most of them cannot handle small items such as plastic lids, plastic forks and straws. However I did run into one recycle facility that took bottle caps and if they could take bottle caps they probably could handle plastic straws and plastic silverware as well.

It’s quite expensive to burn plastic so that there is no toxic smoke to pollute the air, so the only other option is to put it in the landfill.

It’s also helpful to keep in mind that a recycle center just functions as a collection center for companies that remanufacture glass or plastic etc. into usable products. If one of those companies goes out of business, you may find your recycle center has suddenly stopped accepting certain materials.

As a sidenote, here in Austin someone is pushing to require reusable drinking straws to help cut down on landfill waste. https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/austins-stubbs-pledges-to-go-green-says-they-will-stop-using-plastic-straws/269-566643910

There isn’t “smoke” from a nuclear power plant, but the waste has to be contained for 10,000 years.

Burning the trash causes huge amounts of pollution and increases carbon dioxide to add to the climate changing levels.

Well, I actually have a plastic, permanent straw that came with this cooler cup Rick bought for me. I guess I need to put it in a bag and start carrying it around with me.
Have you heard when they might go to paper straws?

I always thought they didn’t take the caps because they were a different type of resin than the containers…but you may be right. I really need to research further. Damn. I wish I had a classroom and I could schedule a field trip.

@Dutchess_III It depends. There are too many types of plastic to really be able to sort them all reliably. If you know that your plastic is not any of the other numbers, then you put it in the number 6 bin. The resin that you speak of is probably a problem for recycling, but not all plastic caps are made with that resin. PETE #1 water bottles such as Ozarka are made entirely with the same type of plastic. You can dump out the water, screw the cap back on firmly, and throw the whole thing into the recycle bin without worry. At least that’s what I’ve been told at the recycle centers where I have volunteered.

What really irritates my family members is that is soon as they learn the rules – what will and will not be accepted by the recycle center, they go and change the rules! It’s nobody’s fault. The people who take the stuff the center has collected have changed their requirements, so the recycle center cannot afford to stockpile material they cannot move out.

Let me do some lookin’ up.

”The reason that in the past we asked consumers to take the cap off is because the cap is made from a different kind of plastic than the bottle, meaning that the bottle and its cap could not be recycled together ”

But…that has since changed, yay!

“The plastics recycling industry is now recommending that consumers replace caps and lids on plastic bottles and containers they recycle. This is part of an effort to increase the amount of material collected and to avoid sending consumers conflicting messages.”

I, personally, would not put the lid back on. Isn’t there a risk of it shooting off at high speed when the container is crushed? I wish there was one, comprehensive go-to site for questions like this. I realize different recycling centers have different rules, but if you could put in the name of your recycling center to get their specific information.

The machine that crushes recyclable plastic is enclosed so the idea of something flying out and hitting somebody is not an issue.

Well, that’s just something else I read in my searches.

I suppose you’re right. There are all sorts of recycle machines. And with that comes all kinds of designs. Some obviously will be safer than others. It always comes down to the recycle center that takes your stuff. You need to ask them.

Well, the recycle center that takes our stuff is just a stopping off point until they send it to the actual recycling center.

Toxic fumes. Nuclear plants have no smoke, only steam.

A side note about straws, particularly, reusable ones: Spoiled milk is hard to clean out of straws and produces a very deadly bacteria. Might be best to use paper or pasta straws and only use them once.

It might not be a good idea to go sight seeing at the recycling sorting center. There is a high rate of employee turnover at those places because of the dirty stuff people try to recycle, and the smell involved.

Putting it in the landfill is actually a good course of action. Someday landfills will be goldmines for resources. Like mentioned nuclear power plants don’t burn anything, except money perhaps.

@Dutchess_III So where does the stuff go?

Where’s Lavoisier when you need him?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Lavoisier

We were out the other night and the restaurant uses straws made of corn. They are designed to break down more quickly and completely than plastic. But they didn’t get soggy like paper straws can do. Personally I think I can go back to drinking out of the glass like a big boy.

Nice @seawulf575.

@kritiper I don’t drink milk out of a straw. Only pop. Don’t ask me why.

If you’re going to get something at a restaurant it’s probably going to be either food poisoning or off the rim of an improperly sanitized glass. For that reason straws are not such a bad idea.

@Dutchess_III
that’s because you can’t get a pop mustache but you can get milk mustache. ;>0

@ARE_you_kidding_me I just don’t even worry about that crap.

I’ve always thought it was weird, @Tropical_Willie! People don’t drink tea through a straw, or water…..

@Dutchess_III What about milkshakes? Have you ever sucked milkshake through a straw??

Yes. And milkshakes. Too messy to drink straight from the glass.

@Dutchess_III…pop? Hhhmmm…..you are from a very narrow area of the country. Northern Ohio, maybe Indiana or NE Pennsylvania? Nowhere else have I found anyone that calls it “pop”. Old School Georgia always called it “Coke”. As in “You want a Coke?” “Sure” “What kind?” “Make it an orange”

My dad came from Wyoming, his folks from Texas/Oklahoma. Mom’s folks from Ireland. We live in the Northwest and have always called it “pop.” Was strange if anyone called it soda…

Interesting, @kritiper. I started noticing the whole pop thing in the service. The only people I ever knew that called it pop were from the areas I noted. I had never heard of anyone else saying it until now. Thanks!

The only drink I had ever heard of with the word “soda” was scotch and soda. So when somebody called pop “soda,” they got a real strange look from me!