Have you ever given thought to what goes into the trash from major retail outlets? Think of a Home Depot. Most of those 2000 plus stores fully expect to bring in roughly $30 million each per year, and that's a rather low estimate. Most recycle only a very few things: cardboard and pallets. Virtually everything else goes down the chute into an industrial compactor and trash container. When items are returned - even in perfect working order - if the packaging is damaged rendering the item visually unacceptable to the customer it goes down the chute. If an item is pulled from the shelves because of a manufacturer buyback, that company may direct that the product be destroyed rather than shipped back. Due to "warranty" restrictions and "company" policy, nothing slated for the chute may be sidetracked for any style of charitible donation without some major bowing and scraping to the management. When the idea of sorting and recycling anything - even plastics or aluminum cans - was floated in front of management (at and above store level) a kind ear was lent, the appropriate noises made and all was promptly forgotten while looking at last week's sales plan. If folks want something to protest, they might consider calling on their local talking head consumer advocate (generally at a local television station) and encouraging them to do a bit of research into just what goes into the rubbish bins from the biggest retailers on the planet.
Ever go behind a walmart? They have dumpster cities back there and the smells are horrible they litterally have over 5 huge dumpsters behind there. Much less then ome depot or lowes I would love to know were all that waste is disposed.
Here's the funny thing. Outside most major supermarkets, there are recycling points for cardboard, fabrics, glass and metals. So why don't the supermarkets them-selfs recycle?
In MD recycling is required. If you put recyclables in your household trash they will not take them, or will leave the stuff on your front lawn. Retailers are required to sort and compact recycleables but they skirt the law. I'm working on a wood burning furnace that burns pallets and compacted cardboard for our new house in WV. BUt the source for free pallets is drying up.
