Why we're burning our recycling | It's Complicated

Almost 90% of people in the UK recycle. But more than a tenth of everything we put out for recycling in this country is being burned.

Why is this happening? Josh Toussaint-Strauss explores how local authorities have ended up incinerating so much of our recycling and what impact this is having on the environment

#recycle #recycling #environment #trash #rubbish #garbage

[ster]

We will never be able to eliminate waste entirely, but the solution to this has to begin with reducing the amount of waste we produce enormously, and regulate the types of waste produced

[rossgoodchild]

The simple solution coming from 22 years in the waste and recycling Industry I'd simply buy less or buy what you need. Reduce. Unfortunately there is too much packaging. Also a simple universal waste collection scheme would be better i.e the same collection method across the UK. One bin for refuse one bin for recycling and one bin for all organics.

[luddity]

It should be illegal to mass produce non-recyclable products, under penalty of revocation of corporate charter. All companies should be fully responsible for their actions.

[johndyer]

Burning is better than putting rubbish into land fill.

[stephenfabiano]

IMO, all Manufacturers use the Cheapest form of Containers/Packaging...to Make More Money...period!
It's NOT our fault that they choose to use Plastic...it's the manufacturers Fault!
THEY DECIDE too use Plastic vs any Alternative Packaging material...NOT US!

[objetivista]

Recycling is not enough. The biggest problem is the programmed obsole$cence which causes overproduction and then substantially increase environmental pollution.

[noahway]

Me mum forgot her 'green ' grocery bag, and came back home to retrieve it. When she got home, I unloaded the bags-- nothing but plastic. The meat was in plastic, as were the potatoes, apples, veggies, frozen food, medicine, ect, ect.

[audreydupuy]

Governments just need to gradually ban plastic packaging. It s not the consumer's responsibility. We managed before plastic, we still can.

[uc_swop]

Recyclable plastic can only be recycled a few times so it’s not really viable.
So It just gets burned while most people don’t know.

they could still use the money of their company to actually recycle it, but they won’t.
They use more money to advertise that recycling is real then to actually recycle it.
That way their profits are kept stable, and people will keep buying it thinking that they aren’t doing anything to the enviroment.

It’s all about image and profit.
Those are the basics of every company especially those who are primary causes of pollution.

[johnblaze]

The government should just make it mandatory for plastic packaging to be recyclable plastic. I guarantee that big business will find a way to apply.

[jiminverness]

What about high temperature incinerators? The ones that break down the dangerous byproduct gases?

[DennisCambly]

Same thing is happening in Canada though no one talks about it especially the media. The collection of trash is a new way of creating taxes by local city councils.

[SmR]

So, holier than thou Sadik Khan plans to increase the ulez zone upto the M25, but London is one of the worst at correctly recycling plastic waste, thereby increasing C02 emissions anyway.

[debbiebland]

Why do they always try to blame people? We buy our products in the containers they put it in .

[pigstain]

I think you are wrong .. the main stem problem is Single Use Plastics thus the solution should be eliminating single use plastics (SUPs), strick EPR on plastics, and moving toward Zero Waste Economy (i.e Refill, Reuse, Repair, Recycle, Rot, Redesign, etc - economy) .. which alot of grassroot movement and business already taking a lead in several parts of the world. A decent journalist should have known that.

Ref : BFFP(BreakFreeFromPlastic), GAIA, etc

[picobyte]

Not complicared, just economics. Glas, concrete, wood, paper, metals are recycled because it saves money and energy.
Recycling doesn't need to be regulated or subsidised when it makes sense.
Same for ekectricity generation, coal, gas and Nuclear don't need subsidies only expensive unreliables like solar and wind do.

[robertsmith]

Standardize reuseable glass containers. Stop most plastic production. Recycle paper. Recycle all batteries. Compost compatable waste more into areas that grow trees for paper production after many deaceds of tree growth.

[KellySmunt]

They need to bring the no single use plastic laws forward.

[liamdixon]

What’s the song name for the song playing at 3:52?

[jimmcneal]

CO2 emissions are not that big of a problem, because they will end up being consumed by plants eventually, and are turned to plant mass. We could even have transitioned to "green"/nuclear energy without restrictions for coal/oil/gas industries without much problems for ecology, despite what those ecofanatics say. This however isn't true for methane, since it's not being consumed by plants and will stay in atmosphere for a long time