While you dutifully separate household waste into a rainbow of colorful recycling bins, many cities aren’t able to recycle household plastics any more. Calgary recently found itself holding 1,400 tonnes of plastics — with nowhere to send them.
Even when cities offer to pay recyclers to take their plastics, most refuse. As a result, municipal waste management costs are increasing as towns struggle to manage unwanted recyclables. Ultimately, taxpayers foot the bill.
The market for used plastic is drying up, in part, because the quality of recycled plastic is too low to be used in many new products. Until now.
While you dutifully separate household waste into a rainbow of colorful recycling bins, many cities aren’t able to recycle household plastics any more. Calgary recently found itself holding 1,400 tonnes of plastics — with nowhere to send them.
Even when cities offer to pay recyclers to take their plastics, most refuse. As a result, municipal waste management costs are increasing as towns struggle to manage unwanted recyclables. Ultimately, taxpayers foot the bill.
The market for used plastic is drying up, in part, because the quality of recycled plastic is too low to be used in many new products. Until now.