Recycle

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by gvidas

Maybe. I don't have any faith in the companies who run incinerators.

Detroit just ratified changes to the city charter, which included a mandate to start a recycling program.

I'm not sure what you mean.

The operating company will do what ever makes them the most money. You can't really burn metals and glass, so those have to be removed from the waste stream before putting the combustibles into the burner or gasifier. If they're worth anything, they'll be recycled.

Rocks, dirt, broken concrete, etc. are taken out and used for road base or daily cover.

If the paper, cardboard, plastic, etc. materials are worth anything, they'll be recycled. If not, they'll be burned.

[gvidas]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

I'm not sure what you mean.

The operating company will do what ever makes them the most money. You can't really burn metals and glass, so those have to be removed from the waste stream before putting the combustibles into the burner or gasifier. If they're worth anything, they'll be recycled.

Rocks, dirt, broken concrete, etc. are taken out and used for road base or daily cover.

If the paper, cardboard, plastic, etc. materials are worth anything, they'll be recycled. If not, they'll be burned.

You're probably right about hard fill and scrap metal. But, my understanding of how it works here is that they don't really care. What seems to make them money is a combination of questionable contracts with the city and high volume. They call it all "green" and get EPA grants on the ground that a small amount of the energy involved is converted into hot steam and/or electricity.

I'm only familiar with the incinerator situation in Detroit, and I'm projecting that skepticism fairly broadly, I admit. But, the profit margins on recycling are pretty slim. It seems easier to me to just say, 'fuck it, burn it all' and sell whatever is left as hard fill.