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I dont know very many places that do sort regular trash, but you would think they would just pick it all up and pay someone to sort it because I'm assuming that would be cheaper than the cost of gas, trucks, and labor of driving around seperate trucks..
Europe is way ahead of us on recycling and regulations/mandates.
This is more along the lines of what's already in use coming to the US.
I dont know very many places that do sort regular trash, but you would think they would just pick it all up and pay someone to sort it because I'm assuming that would be cheaper than the cost of gas, trucks, and labor of driving around seperate trucks..
Here the same trucks are used for all forms of waste. They have separate compartments for trash and recyclables (and one for compost too, I think).
Almost every city these days provides separate trash "recycle" bins for folks to separate their plastics, glass and paper. But why do the work for free? You don't get paid to recycle and it doesn't do anything to save the earth. Why bother? All it does is make these "garbage companies" rich!
All these waste plants that the garbage companies use help them make TONS of money from your trash. They use mechanical separators that easily sort your garbage no matter if you pre-sorted it in the pretty bins or not. All a worker needs to do is dump regular trash in there (bags and all) and it rips and separates everything nicely. Whatever the machines cannot do, they have workers that get paid to do the rest.
Here is a quick video of how they do it and how easy it is:
But check this out, then they take for example all of the garbage plastic and then it is shredded and compressed into cubes. They then sell these cubes to companies than melt it down and make new plastic products. This is millions of dollars thanks to your hard FREE recycling work.
The whole trash separation process is ran by people that get paid hourly! If everyone recycled, then less people would have jobs because less sorting would be needed. That would mean higher profits for the "garbage companies".
So remember, if you recycle, you are contributing making someone else richer. You are not saving the earth. (Dont fall into that tree hugger crap).
What you need to take away from this article is: F*** 'em just throw your garbage in 1 container, make your life easier and sleep happy.
And the city doesn't charge you ?
If not they you truly are getting "free" recycling.
Doesn't work that way in all cities though.
I found that out when I moved from the city to out in the county and contracted privately for the same garbage company the city used. Pretty big difference in price. I would have thought that I would be paying more because I'm one household and that the city got a good deal due to quantity of households.
But it was just the opposite.
Here in Ohio the city doesnt charge us. I know our home in Pittsburgh, we pay a flat rate for trash, and we dont get a bill there for recycling either.
The city trash service cost more in the city so they can get a kickback from the company probably.
And the city doesn't charge you ?
If not they you truly are getting "free" recycling.
Doesn't work that way in all cities though.
I found that out when I moved from the city to out in the county and contracted privately for the same garbage company the city used. Pretty big difference in price. I would have thought that I would be paying more because I'm one household and that the city got a good deal due to quantity of households.
But it was just the opposite.
No charge here, either.
We have separate bins here picked up on different days, for garbage, recycling and in many neighbourhoods, composting.
Because we compost, we can get free dirt in the spring for our gardens. It's lovely, rich, black earth.
Here the same trucks are used for all forms of waste. They have separate compartments for trash and recyclables (and one for compost too, I think).
Not here... I sit here in amazement watching the trash truck go down the street, and the recycle truck follow closly behind.
The other thing that baffles my mind is they never pickup the trash on the side of the street the trucks are on, they always cross the street, go up, turn around and cross the street coming back to pickup the trash they just passed the first time..
I'd think for safety issues they'd minimize the number of times they cross the street, not mandate it.. but thats a completely different thread..
No charge here, either.
We have separate bins here picked up on different days, for garbage, recycling and in many neighbourhoods, composting.
Because we compost, we can get free dirt in the spring for our gardens. It's lovely, rich, black earth.
Oh wait...that's for hippies, so it's bad.
I make my own compost. Have 2 big bins..one is for the cooked stuff and the other is for the current stuff.
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