Re: [GreenYes] Re: Single Stream Processing - Pro and Con

["Roger Guttentag" <rgutten@concentric.net>]

OK, do you have any examples of where this concept has been put into
practice or even being considered?

Roger M. Guttentag
610-584-8836
rgutten@concentric.net

----- Original Message -----
From: Helen Spiegelman <hspie@telus.net>
To: <greenyes@grrn.org>
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2002 1:50 AM
Subject: Re: [GreenYes] Re: Single Stream Processing - Pro and Con


> Yes, Roger.
>
>
> At 12:12 AM 04/26/2002 -0400, Roger Guttentag wrote:
> >(Note to GreenYesers: in order to keep this email reasonable in length -
> >please refer to previous communications on this topic under the
discussion
> >thread labeled "Re: 2002 Recycling Today Paper Recycling Conference
Report")
> >
> >Dear Helen:
> >
> >I must confess that I did not understand your message.  If I wanted to
> >realize the additional value of my recyclables by sorting them, there is
> >nothing stopping me from then selling them to a buy-back operation.  Are
you
> >suggesting that there should be multiple recycling collection systems
> >serving the same community serving different constituencies that are
> >differentiated by willingness to sort?
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >
> >Roger M. Guttentag
> >610-584-8836
> >rgutten@concentric.net
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Helen Spiegelman <hspie@telus.net>
> >To: <greenyes@grrn.org>
> >Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2002 11:59 AM
> >Subject: Re: [GreenYes] Re: 2002 Recycling Today Paper Recycling
Conference
> >Report
> >
> >
> > > Michele,
> > >
> > > As a fellow free-enterpriser, I have to challenge you on your analysis
of
> > > the issue of fibre sorting!
> > >
> > > You suggest that it is a *social* issue whether fibre products should
be
> > > sorted  ("not possible to educate all consumers", "OK for middleclass
> > > suburban neighbourhoods" etc.). While this observation scratches the
> >truth,
> > > it falls short of proposing a solution.
> > >
> > > Sure some people's time is too valuable to waste it sorting their
garbage
> > > -- those people should be expected to pay a price for having someone
else
> > > do it. That's not what happens in our municipal recycling systems.
> > >
> > > If we design inflexible collection systems that do not allow some
> >motivated
> > > consumers to reap economic benefits by adding value to their discards
by
> > > sorting them, then we miss an opportunity to make recycling more
> >efficient.
> > > This is not a question of 'education' it is a question of economics.
> > >
> > > IMHO, the last thing the city should do is provide free collection of
> > > unsorted fibres. This distorts the market by rewarding those who don't
> >take
> > > the trouble to sort. It diverts a huge volume of otherwise high-grade
> >fibre
> > > from the market. It shuts out those who would like to realize economic
> > > benefits by sorting their trash. It also perpetuates the crude 19th
> >century
> > > infrastructure of 'professional' trash sorters (what advanced
professional
> > > training does it require to stand at a malodorous conveyor and pick
news
> > > and OCC off a stream of MWP?)
> > >
> > > Until we free fibres from captivity in uneconomic monopolistic
collection
> > > systems we will never reach zero waste.
> > >
> > > Just my opinion, of course! :)
> > >
> > > Helen.
> > >
> >
> >
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