Recycling

China’s recycling ban has sent America’s plastic to Malaysia. Now they don’t want it – CNN

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China’s recycling ban has sent America’s plastic to Malaysia. Now they don’t want it – CNN

Dozens of laborers and factory operators sit hand-cuffed in rows on the pavement at an industrial park in Malaysia. They've been detained in a government raid on unlicensed plastic recyclers as the country seeks to curb a growing illicit industry. "It's illegal," said Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, who attended the raid and had invited journalists to watch. Sources of plastic waste imports into China in 2016 and cumulative plastic waste export tonnage (in million MT) in 1988--2016. Sources of plastic waste imports into China in 2016 and cumulative plastic waste export tonnage (in million MT) in 1988--2016. Expand the map "It's against the Environmental Quality Act because they do not have licenses and they are polluting."

Malaysia is cracking down on opportunists who are trying to cash-in on China's decision last year to ban plastic waste imports. Since July 2018, officials have shut down at least 148 unlicensed plastic recycling factories -- but have only pressed charges against a handful of suspects. Much of the waste comes from countries outside Malaysia, including the US, which angers Yeo who says wealthy nations shouldn't be using her country as a trash dump. "I will take care of my own rubbish," she says. "You should take care of yours."

New York passes statewide organics mandate, plastic bag ban | Waste Dive

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New York passes statewide organics mandate, plastic bag ban | Waste Dive

Effective January 2022, any establishment that generates more than two tons of food waste per week must separate material for donation and arrange for inedible scraps to be taken to an organics recycler within 25 miles. Temporary waivers will be granted by the state based on factors such as cost and distance.

While the plastic bag ban got all the news 📰 in the state budget, I think the food waste ban is likely to have a much greater environmental impact going forward with much less impact on consumers. Yet because it's not bright and flashy it's unlikely to get the news coverage. 

Paper Bags

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I am increasingly disapproving of the proposed paper and plastic bag bans, that municipalities have been bringing forward in recent years. While I have several reusable bags, I don’t always have them on my truck or with me when I go to the store, especially when I stop taking the bus home.

Primary Tree Type Beebe Hill and Harvey Mountain

I would have no problem with them banning plastic bags in favor of free paper bags. Paper bags are more convenient and easier to then having to remember to bring back them to the store for recycling. Paper bags also support healthy forests, are compostable and recyclable with ordinary mixed-paper recycling.

Sun thru White Pine

Plastic bags can pose a litter problem. But paper bags generally rot fairly quickly, don’t get caught on trees, and really have few downsides.

My Letter to My County Legislature on the Proposed Bag Ban

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One of the most important things a citizen can do besides voting, is to write their legislator, and let them know their thoughts on issues of the days. I recently wrote my county legislator, Vicky Plottsky about the proposed bag ban that is likely to be taken up in the next few week sin the county legislature.

Dear Ms. Victoria Plotsky:

I am writing you to urge you to vote no on the proposed Albany County Local Law “D”, The Eliminate Single-Use Plastic Bag Use in Albany County Act”.

I believe this law is not only unnecessary, it’s misleading in it’s purpose and bad public policy. This law would not only ban plastic bags, but also charge a new tax on environmentally-superior paper bags.

Plastic bags are convenient for consumers like myself, but generate minimal waste compared most other packaging consumer goods come in today. Moreover, all big-box retailers in the state of New York are required to take back plastic bags from consumers. Even when plastic bags aren’t recycled, they have a wide variety of uses in their reuse — like boot liners, keeping one’s lunch from leaking onto their backpack, or even trash can liners.

That said, I have no objection with banning plastic bags in favor of paper bags. Indeed, this is a public policy that should be explored further by county government. An increase in the use of paper bags would have significant environmental benefits.

The use of paper bags support local farms and forest owners. They will encourage more people to plant timber species, helping to sequester carbon dioxide out of the air and reduce climate change. Paper bags can be conveniently recycled with most mixed-paper recycling programs, and used for composting.

Paper bags rot relatively quickly, they provide few of the litter concerns that plastics cause. They are non-toxic. They don’t block up waterways, they don’t get stuck in trees. The environmental benefits to paper bags are only positive — they should be encouraged, not discouraged.

Taxing paper bags is a new tax on local families. Rather then taxing them, we should be promoting them — so we can have healthy forests that provide habitat for wildlife, recreation for citizens, and increased for the opportunities for the public to hunt and trap. Managed forests are healthier, have larger wildlife populations and increase carbon sequestration. A healthy pulp and paper industry, creates jobs and is good for our region’s economy.

Therefore, I believe you should vote no on the proposed Local Law “D”.

Sincerely,

Andy Arthur