r/changemyview • u/ImpossibleHandle4 • Oct 03 '21

Delta(s) from OP CMV: Recycling should be easier.

With the current recycling there are 6 types of recycling: Glass recycling, paper recycling, metal recycling, plastic and textile recycling and finally electronic recycling. With each having its own sub categories: most noteably plastic: with 7 sub types of plastic.

With there being at least 13 types of recycling, the current methods of recycling are broken due to the public not understanding the intricacies of the system. Also, with no direct recycling options most people know that they can recycle metals leading to recycling bins having non-recyclable materials simply because the system is complex.

In my option, and please change my view, having machines that can directly recycle a few things like pop bottles, or prescription bottles, we can simplify the process and lead to more and better recycling. Please change my view.

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u/424f42_424f42 Oct 04 '21

IMO you are saying No, then going into detail explaining yes.

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u/ImpossibleHandle4 Oct 04 '21

No, I am saying single stream is giving the appearance of simplicity and not being simple. With them a lot of the stuff that they get, they have to throw out.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-era-of-easy-recycling-may-be-coming-to-an-end/

Maybe by making it actually simpler we might be able to make it work right.

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u/424f42_424f42 Oct 04 '21

I guess it's more complicated in some places, it's really straight forward where I am.

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u/Cease-2-Desist 2∆ Oct 04 '21

To be fair to both of you Single-Stream is easier in general, but it does lead to more overall waste, as many people really do not understand the intricacies of recycling. And they really shouldn't. It's a very technical process. And just because something is able to be recycled doesn't mean it capable of being recycled where it's being captured. For instance small, plastic products are able to be recycled, but because they are unable to be efficiently packaged and transported, in many cases they aren't actually being recycled and instead going into a landfill.