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[greenyes] Plastics Recycling - APC All Bottles Recommendation


With regard to Jay Donnaway's response to Christine McCoy that "APC may be right that a simple "All Bottles" message brings in much more of the good with relatively little of the bad," I would like to put forward a different point of view.

APC statements are patently wrong and their putative research on which they make both claims is false.

As to their claim that all bottles brings in more 1&2 plastic, there is no basis in fact for that statement. Not only does an examination of their numbers show a decidedly mixed result with many reductions along with some increases, but they persistently refused to use any controls in their so-called tests -- a necessary component of any sound research program that could support such a claim. This is because the small increases reported (in those cases where there were increases) were will within the bounds of what, in prior years, they themselves stated is the sort of positive response expected to any effort to promote recycling, regardless of the particular content. Control groups are used to sort out these sort of effects unrelated to the thing being asserted.

As to there being "relatively little of the bad," that is the completely at odds with their own data that shows dramatic increases in PVC, a terrible contaminant of PET, which is already at levels that make it difficult for PET to achieve the quality needed to command the higher prices for bottle-to-bottle recycling that Coke's 10% commitment brought within reach.

If anyone would like a copy of the full report commissioned by the California Integrated Waste Management Board documenting these and several other concerns, please let me know.

Peter



____________________________
Peter Anderson
RECYCLEWORLDS CONSULTING
4513 Vernon Blvd. Suite 15
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 231-1100 / Fax 233-0011
anderson@no.address

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