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douglasg14b ,
@douglasg14b@lemmy.world avatar

Imagine the massive inconvenience of separating your plastics so that your recycling facility can actually recycle more plastic waste instead of if ending up in a landfill 🤦

guacupado ,

Imagine the massive inconvenience of having to separate plastics to recycle when you literally work at a plastic recycling plan.

force ,

i'm pretty sure most plastic isn't even recyclable

edit: relevant link

Spaceballstheusername ,

It's not that the plastic isn't recyclable it's that you cant mix plastics and recycle them. So if there is a doubt at all what a plastic is then it's thrown away or if it can't be separated from other materials or contaminated with oil or something.

Miaou ,

Standard practice in Germany but I think there's no recycling in the USA (assuming you're there) so quite pointless in this case

Reddfugee42 ,

Bahaha oh mein freulich

omxxi ,

very relevant article:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/15/recycling-plastics-producers-report

Tarkcanis ,

I could be wrong, but I would assume they're part of a bottle exchange; where they wash the bottles and reuse them

twack ,

Can you name your country? Because, uh... No. If that actually exists where you live though, then that's awesome. We should have that here.

wizzor ,

We used to, here in Finland, but I think now they crush them and reform them into new bottles. The things cost 20c/piece, so everyone returns them.

SpookySnek ,

Pretty much every northern European country has had it since the 80s. Nowadays we melt it into new packaging though, supposedly it requires even less energy. And you get money for turning them in :)

Gardienne ,

Australia does it too.

benpetersen ,

Some dairy deliveries have that. We get milk, lemonade, creamer all delivered in glass quarts pints or half pints. Rinse and give it back the next week with the next delivery. I wish more grocery stores have this

linearchaos ,
@linearchaos@lemmy.world avatar

You mean you have to remove the plastic label before you throw the bottle into a recycling bin which gets dumped into a landfill never to be seen again.

Everythingispenguins ,

Shhhh, if they don't know they still feel good about it

linearchaos ,
@linearchaos@lemmy.world avatar

But, but, but, they're going to eventually mine all the plastic out of the landfills because at some point will be swimming in so much energy and time that turning it back into the little bit of oil that was used to make it Will be our sacred duty as humans. Tomorrow us will definitely mine all that back out and turn it back into oil right?

sean ,

And that's if they're lucky. There's also a decent chance it will end up piled up on some foreign beach/riverbank to slowly leach into the ocean.

cosmicrookie ,
@cosmicrookie@lemmy.world avatar

They should teach AI how to sort garbage and do it for us instead of making it create videos of pirate ships in a cup of coffee

Everythingispenguins ,

But the pirates can sort the garbage.... Right??? Please tell me I am right.....

iN8sWoRLd ,
@iN8sWoRLd@lemmy.world avatar

Just watched https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/plastic-wars/?

inclementimmigrant ,

Which once removed and put into the recycling, the plastic bottle will then go live a long life in the landfill.

Zacryon ,

You need to separate most materials in order to recycle them. The plastic of a lid is different from that of a bottle which are both different from a wrapping. Separating materials is key to successful recycling. A lot of times stuff can't get recyled because people don't separate it before throwing it away.

Or you could just use, you know, reusable materials.

burningmatches ,

Separation requirements vary. In the UK, plastic bottle caps are generally tethered to the bottle now to prevent people from separating them.

WildPalmTree ,

Why?! I dont get it. What kind of psychopath doesn't put the cap back on when empty. Who opens a bottle, throws the cap away, and chugs away?! How is this a problem? I'm just so baffled this was/is a problem.

morriscox ,

When I squash a (gallon) jug it sometimes warps the opening so that the cap doesn't fit anymore.

WildPalmTree ,

True enough. Didn't think of it as I'm used to a recycling system where you don't crush them. In fact, if you did, you wouldn't get your deposit back.

histic ,

I guess me? don't spill and it's not a problem just like a glass

WildPalmTree ,

But it's one of the few benefits of plastic bottles; if I don't finish it, I can re-seal it. It's not about spilling, it's about preserving.

histic ,

I guess personally if I'm leaving and I'm not done with it I just chug it quick and throw it away

Miaou ,

Could simply be to keep the material together. Makes sorting easier.

WildPalmTree ,

I understand that's the reason. My point it, I'm surprised and amazing this doesn't happen automatically already. I've never not put the cork back on a bottle when it was empty.

burningmatches ,

Uh, I was replying to someone who said it’s essential to separate lids from their bottles. It’s not psychopaths who are doing this — it’s people who think it’s the right thing to do.

WildPalmTree ,

Sorry, I missed that. That's actually really interesting and the only good answer I've seen so far; people doing harm thinking they are doing good. Still hate it though... The cap gets in the way of drinking.

b763e622 ,

I think you are on to something, mr Whistleblower. Keep digging and call Greta when you have drawn conclusions! In the meantime, move stealthily, they may be watching! :-)

ToastedPlanet ,

Do people not enjoy ripping the paper off of plastic water bottles? This looks like the same kind of fun to me.

StopSpazzing ,
@StopSpazzing@lemmy.world avatar

Quicker to just throw it in the fire place... ya know?

Hikermick ,

It all gets dumped in the ocean

mojofrododojo ,

nah, we put ours in the hillside. trash hill's getting chonky

HerrBeter ,

Future archeologists will be confuss

Gradually_Adjusting ,
@Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world avatar

I don't mind, as long as there are some

HerrBeter ,

No one said anything about human archaeologists 😁

Everythingispenguins ,

Trash hill got back

SplashJackson ,

Milk should come in bags, there I said it

SpeakinTelnet ,
@SpeakinTelnet@sh.itjust.works avatar

Oh, hello there fellow Canadian

ji17br ,

I’ve heard this a couple times now. Where in Canada are they doing this?

SpeakinTelnet ,
@SpeakinTelnet@sh.itjust.works avatar

Ontario and Quebec are the two I know have the 4L in bags. I don't know for the others.

SplashJackson ,

Ontario? I think you mean NewFordland

Buffaloaf ,

Or don't drink milk.

histic ,

we got a lactose hater here

flubba86 ,

This is almond juice, not milk.

MNByChoice ,

Are the bags plastic?

Megacomboburrito ,

Leather

meliaesc ,

It's just a live cow.

Everythingispenguins ,

In the fridge?? Seems like I need a bigger fridge

Kbobabob ,

So, do you just throw the bag in the fridge? How is it stored?

threelonmusketeers ,

Throw the 4L bag in the fridge. Remove one of the three inner 1.3 L bags, and place it in the dedicated milk bag holder that every household has:

https://i.cbc.ca/1.5412961.1577985405!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/milk-bag-in-a-plastic-container.jpg

Snip the corner, pour yourself a glass, and enjoy!

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costofliving/we-answer-your-burning-questions-about-things-like-milk-bags-tariffs-condo-insurance-and-printer-cartridges-1.5409407/here-s-why-milk-comes-in-bags-in-parts-of-canada-1.5409420

BirdyBoogleBop ,

How do you close the milk bag? Surely you can't leave it open wouldn't that shorten the milks lifespan, right?

Kbobabob ,

I was wondering the same thing. I'm guessing it just gets used fast enough. They are smaller than what most Americans buy.

Meron35 ,

Milk and other raw foods generally won't spoil any faster unwrapped Vs wrapped in a fridge. Wrapping is mostly to stop odour transfer and other physical contaminants. The lid of a milk jug would be functionally similar to wrapping a glass of milk with plastic wrap.

storage method - Uncovered Raw Meat or Milk in Fridge - Seasoned Advice - https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/35900/uncovered-raw-meat-or-milk-in-fridge

BirdyBoogleBop ,

From all these comments I have had some serious misconceptions on the fridge life of milk.

Passerby6497 ,

The bag-jug-holder-thingy that my partner's dad gave us has a little hook thing where you can pull the snipped end of the bag through. Works fairly well to mostly close the bag, and only lets out a drizzle of milk when you tip it (my kid's favorite part lol).

howrar ,

We don't close it. It's never been a problem.

Jackcooper ,

CANADIAN

Blackmist ,

We used to get it in glass bottles, and the bottles would be reused (not melted down).

Just a shame getting it that way costs about 3-4 times as much as a big four pint plastic jug from Tesco.

derpgon ,

That's just dumb. It's supposed to cost a little more, where the extra money is returned upon returning the bottle.

Squizzy ,

This brand is all cartons where I am, more efficient and environmentallly friendly.

ech ,

Cartons have plastic too, yeah? Cause plain cardboard isn't staying mess free for long if you fill it with milk. That said, it's probably less plastic, though this is also less plastic than just making the whole jug non-recyclable. Why they don't just make the label recyclable too is beyond me.

Teanut ,

I think they used to wax the cardboard. Maybe they still do?

SoleInvictus ,
@SoleInvictus@lemmy.world avatar

That's how my milk used to come when I was a little kid.

ech ,

Depending on the type of wax used, it could be better, or it could be the same as plastic.

Duamerthrax ,

Wax or plastic coated paper is still going to use less plastic then a whole plastic judge. Don't make perfect the enemy of better.

ech ,

That said, it’s probably less plastic

Did you miss me saying that?

intensely_human ,

The problem is plastic is great for food safety. The way it makes air and water-tight seals, that can easily be broken, is hard to replicate. If cans could open, on their own, the way sealed plastic bottles do, then we could have easier recycling via metal containers. But the self-open cans make sharp edges and nobody's invented a way around that yet.

SpaceCowboy ,
@SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca avatar

So we have all this plastic waste because people can't be bothered to operate a can opener?

ech ,

Basically. Convenience pushes most, if not all, of the packaging changes we see. Plastic has been very good at accomplishing the things people want to be done with packaging at a low, immediate cost to the user. Turns out the long term cost is much more drastic.

intensely_human ,

Because people like you can’t be bothered to respect their fellow humans in terms of use case design.

But yes. Until we find a way to use can openers to keep small amounts of ketchup sterile, it’s because people can’t be bothered to use a can opener.

SpaceCowboy ,
@SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca avatar

Sure there's a use case for aluminum cans and and a use case re-usable containers too.

But there's a lot of people like that think that finding a use case that requires plastic for one thing proves that plastic is needed for everything. This is a fallacy.

dubyakay ,

Incredible idea, LISTEN TO THIS:

Reusable glass bottles with metal caps.

Duamerthrax ,

They also make Aluminum "Bottles". There's going to be a plastic gasket on the metal cap, but that's magnitude less plastic then a whole bottle and I already know what salad dressing looks like. Lighter to transport then glass as well. If the supply chain is short, glass can work, but the longer it is, the more sense aluminum is.

dubyakay ,

Sounds perfect. Unless it's true what they say about aluminum toxicity after all.

Duamerthrax ,

Aluminum cans have a thin plastic liner. The aluminum toxicity is about aluminum oxide anyway. The main exposure source for that is hygiene products that use it as a whitener.

stockRot ,

There are so many other plastic use cases in food storage and transport. Like sure, we can bring back milk men but what about everything else?

dubyakay ,

Like what?

intensely_human ,

Wrapping a candy bar in a sealed wrapper.

dubyakay ,

Good one! Industry and consumption problem. Also I assume by candy bars you are referring to chocolate bars.

Industry: could offer chocolate bars in bulk packed sealed boxes or bags with waxy cardboard or paper packaging. This already exists for many independent products. However vendors and producers want to maximize profit on individual wrapped item, preying on weak wills around the cashiers.

Consumption: chocolate bars are bad for you. I'd tax sweets and sugary beverages a similar way we tax tobacco, cannabis and alcohol, so that it can give back to society's increased healthcare costs and dissuade excess consumption via increased prices. Currently producers like Mars, Mondelez and Hershey's get away scott free for poisoning the populace.

intensely_human ,

Did you miss the part about the airtight and watertight seals?

dubyakay ,

You mean the ones made out of natural rubber?

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