PVC, PET and Facebook--Ugh!

So...I hate Facebook. There I said it. If my four year old said this to me I would reply that 'hate' is a strong word....so maybe not HATE hate, but I very strongly dislike it. Don't get me wrong. Good things have happened to me because of facebook. I have connected with some old friends whom I was happy to hear are still loving life, but...for the most part, my experience hasn't been that positive. It's a little bit like junior high all over again. Only this time, it's all out in the open. Look how many 'friends' I have. Aren't I popular? You have how many friends? Like, you know...whatever. And, then there are the little updates...so and so is having spaghetti for supper. So and so just bought an ipod(didn't it used to be called a walkman?). And just like that, these people with all these so called 'friends' can influence them with just one or two sentences to make good or bad choices. Like I said, junior high all over again.

Recently, I saw someone had posted a short blurb urging their 'friends' to stop recycling plastic. They included the link to one article on the subject and then a brief summation in case they didn't have time to do the research themselves. Here's the thing...recycling plastic is a complex issue that cannot be summed up briefly. Here's the other thing...I don't like other people doing 'research' and then forcing their decisions upon me no matter what the topic. And...last thing...she might just be plain wrong. Ok, so now here I go giving my brief explanation of recycling plastic. I know that I am contradicting myself a bit here by forcing my own understanding down your throats, but at least this explanation is not one or two sentences(am I really capable of summing up anything that briefly?) and this explanation comes with the caveat that you should do your own research on the subject. I might just be plain wrong. Hey...try wikipediaing it.

I have touched on this subject before when I urged you all to start using reusable shopping bags, but now I'll dive a little deeper into it. You see on the bottom of almost all of your plastic containers you will find a number 1 through 7. That provides information as to the type of plastic that it is so it can be properly recycled. You'll see a number on things like styrofoam, too, which is also a type of plastic, but due to it's size and inability to be compacted it is unable to be recycled. So, for simplicity sake, let's only concern ourselves with plastic bottles, of which there are two primary kinds, PET and PVC. Of all the plastic bottles that are recycled, it is my understanding, a mere 2% are PVC. This type of plastic is used thanks to it's ability to stand up to UV rays--primarily in the form of siding, pipes, and other construction type material. It is extremely long lasting and cannot really be recycled. That is not to say that it isn't done--it is, but the resulting product is far inferior to the virgin product so no one uses it. So, to sum up, what's the point? In fact, in places where cradle to grave manufacturing is coming into policy(wikipedia it if you don't know) PVC is being phased out because manufacturers realize that, in the end, it ends up in a landfill. My understanding is that, currently, there are people working on a solution to this problem...a new recycling technique, but, to date it is not being used.

The rest of the plastic bottles we recycle, 98%, are in one form or the other of PET. They are easily recyclable. With that, like I have said before, my main issue is that much of it gets sent to China as we do not have the facilities to handle it here in North America thus increasing the carbon output of plastic. How do we get those facilities? I'd like to say 'pressure the government' and 'sign petitions', but I am afraid that we truly live in a supply and demand society. As long as we here in North America keep electing right wing governments, we are going to have to rely on this old model. So...how do we increase demand? Recycle. Soon, some swift entrepeneur will see this empty need and fill it. Are recycling programs flawed? Absolutely. Does PVC have to be sorted out from PET? Yes. Here lies the main issue as PVC has a much higher melt temperature and cannot be mixed with PET or the batch will be ruined. Is the answer to stop recycling altogether or should we just demand higher recycling standards? Sorting is easily done here in Okotoks with one person manning the recycling facilities at all times. Another way to solve this issue might be to simply avoid purchasing items that are packaged in PVC containers. Almost always there will be an alternative. Again...so goes the supply and demand model, right? So, next time you are purchasing a plastic container, check the bottom. If the number you see is #3 maybe make the choice to purchase a competitors product. Or, if you choose to recycle it, make sure to put it in the proper bin. Sounds simple enough to me. Stop recycling plastic all together...well, that is not all that simple now, is it?

Ugh...facebook.