Damn recycling company...

I've been recycling for a couple of years now, and I'd like to think that I am doing the best I can by recycling everything I can. But, my roommates boyfriend came over and saw the recycling bin outside and started laughing. He said that his friend works for the recycling company that is in our area and that they take the recycling to the same trash dump as everything else!! I was so pissed, because the company is just trying to make money by charging an extra fee for the pickup. Bastards. Anyone ever heard of this happening?

 

Find hard evidence of this and sue them for fraud. Companies like that have to be stopped. I've heard of other companies doing the same thing until someone stood up and challenged them. These people are profiting from the destruction of the earth. You have to do something about it, or find someone in your area who can. If I can help just let me know

 

I'm lucky that that hasn't happened in my area... if it had I know my dad would have found out and done something about it. A. he's so anal about conservation he won't flush the toliet if all he did was pee so you can imagine what he's like when it comes to recycling, and b. he works for the state

But definitely... find out, because that is bullshit if that's what's happening.

 

That makes me so angry!! They're just taking money from people who actually care. You definately should report them to someone in your area.

 

oooohhhh ....... that shit pisses me off hardcore...... My husband just started a job at the local garbage place and he came home from his second day of work and told me that they had taken all the recycbles and thrown them in with everything else.....I mean WTF he is not going to be working there very long... stupid people...... why is it so hard when people already have it sorted.... grrrrrr

 

I KNOW!! It's so sad. I've already looked into a couple of places and local organizations that might be able to help back me up on this that will surely raise hell. It'd be so hard to actually prove something like that though. Grrrr...

 

This happens to a hell of a lot of recycling, and it's not the fault of the rubbish collection firms; it's probably not even fraud. In most places, there simply isn't
enough capacity to recycle the amount of stuff that people want to. And where there is that capacity, there's no demand for the recycled stuff. The problem is to do with
economics and complex things like that; it's not as simple as blaming the rubbish men.

If they did recycle the waste, they'd just have to throw away the recycled things that
they made, which would be even worse than not recycling in the first place! This is a good lesson; the world is so complex, you can never be sure right away what effect any given action will have. This matters not a jot to the average recycler though,
because they only want to feel better, not do good.

 

I've heard of it before. Usually when they take in either too small or too large quantities to be recycled profitably, and local environmental laws & ordinances require seperate pickup. Still I think it'd be a good idea to address the issue; while it may not be profitable it's definitely profitable for the environment to recycle anyways.

 

one solution...use less!!!

 

I have heard of this happening alot.

 

Good advice Still it's a good idea to recycle the little we do use

 

I have never heard of this, and this post kind of surprised me...but maybe it sholdn't have. That sucks, though. I hope the company that is recycling for us doesn't do that.

 

ah ha, sneaky sneaky. That would take some serious scheming. It might just be worth it though! The only problem is, they pick up at 7 am on Tuesdays, right when I'm getting ready for work... shit.

 

I don't think that there's any point playing these cloak-and-dagger games. They are almost certainly within their rights; if you put out waste for re-cycling, and they *can't* re-cycle it for whatever reason, what should they do? There's only one thing they can do with it, and that's put it in landfill. The problem isn't the waste company - it's people who don't understand basic economics. ;-P

 

i've heard that when you recycle, some things have a greater chance than others of actually being recycled instead of going to the dump. from what i recall, recycling centers collect recyclables, and re-sell them to the companies tha use them to manufacture new products. things like glass bottles, metal cans, and most papers are cheap & easy to recycle, and so get used more. some plastic bottles, like soda bottles and milk jugs, are also easy to recycle, and are usually turned into new products. some products, like plastic bags, or polystyrene foam, aren't that difficult to recycle, but are impossible to sell to manufacturers, because they're so light-weight yet bulky that it isn't cost-effective to ship them.

some guidelines:

the higher the number, the less likely it is to really get recycled, no matter what your company takes.

choose products with less packaging, to reduce the amount of stuff that needs recycling, or that might end up in a landfill or incinerator. buy bulk whenever you can, using your own container. often (but not always) you pay less per pound for bulk products, and some eco-conscious stores or co-ops may offer a discount when you bring your own bag or container.

*never* use polystrene or "styrofoam" products! they almost *never* get recycled, because they are light-weight & a pain in the ass to ship, and they can be very dangerous in landfills, where they might get broken into smaller pieces & get eaten by wildlife, leach chemicals into the environment, and *never* biodegrade!

be wary of "biodegradable" plastics. these are a sham. they usually are made so that they break down into tiny bits, but they do not truly decompose or biodegrade.

some companies that use recycled products will take the product directly from the consumer, rather than just buying from a recycling company. some will even pay you, at least for shipping! for example, the my children's toothbrushes are made from recycled yogurt cups - one of the items that is recyclable, but seldom actually gets used. they will take yogurt cups shipped directly from the consumer. i believe they'll also recycle the old toothbrush, too!

 

You pay for rubbish collection? Wow. Is that common in amerikkka?

 

unfortunately, yes. not everywhere, but in a lot of places. american tax dollars are for illegal oil wars, not little frivolities like keeping streets clean and safe.

 

Most people in my neck of the woods have to pay for collection...unless you live in city limits-then its free. But, we just take ours to the recycling center ourselves. It's free, too. The only thing with pickup around here is that they only take paper, drink cans, and bottles. If you go to the center, you can recycle a whole lot more-batteries, oil, food cans, paint, etc. It's just down the street from my house, so it's not a hassle at all. The little old man that works there loves my daughters and lets them push the button that smooshes the trash. They love going just to push the button!