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Comment by abalone | Hacker News Reader

If plastic bags are not curbside recyclable then throwing them in the bin doesn't help. Consumers absolutely do bear responsibility for the environmental impact of their consumption choices.

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In Los Angeles, as they continued to receive recyclables in the blue cans that were deemed inappropriate, they continued to expand the list of appropriate materials to fit what consumers were tossing in the cans. So, it's not cut and dry if putting unlisted items in the blue cans helps or not.

In parent's defense, every city has different rules sometimes different recycling vendors within a city. They rarely communicate these rules in an effective and routine manner.

I don't think I've ever understood the "what goes in recycling, what goes in organics" rules in any place I've ever lived. It's a total unknown. I put stuff in whatever bin makes intuitive sense and the man in the truck takes it away. Until either 1. the rules are explained in a sensible way or 2. the city starts fining me for putting something in the wrong bin, my behavior is not going to change.

Serious question: did you ever look it up? What's the problem exactly.. did the municipal recycler not have a website that stated what they accept? Could you not find the website in a google search? When you say "explained in a sensible way", do you mean you did find an explanation but it didn't make sense?

In Switzerland, recycling is done by the city administration. Put things in the wrong bin, get fined (and quite aggressively so). Instructions are sent to you when you move into the city and every year to every household. Works really well [1] (recycling rates: Glass 95%, aluminium 90%, paper 90%, plastic bottles 80%, batteries 70%). Also, no landfills at all, everything is burned, air is filtered and heat is used for heating.

[1] http://www.bafu.admin.ch/umwelt/indikatoren/08484/08653/inde...

> no landfills at all, everything is burned

Only combustible waste is burned. Landfills are still needed.

The recycling rates are great, but even with perfect filtering there's a serious issue with burning trash. Namely, CO2.

That's better than methane from letting it decompose in landfill, plus you get energy out.

That depends on how much biomass goes to landfill but a good composting/recycling program can sort a lot of that out. Furthermore, landfill methane can be captured and repurposed.[1]

Seriously, burning stuff is not good. We need to stop doing that.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gas_utilization

How do they know who put what in which trash can?

Highest fines are for putting plastics/glass/large metals in the roadside bags that are picked up. They usually try to find an address label or similar inside the bag to identify you.

For public trash cans: It happens that private security hides around the cans to control. I was once fined about 40 USD for putting paper in the paper bin on sunday at noon. They hid around the corner.

Could you explain that a bit? Fined for putting paper in the paper bin?

It's forbidden to put recyclable materials in the public recycling bins on sundays in Switzerland. Mostly because glass shatters loudly. So while cities massively encourage recycling, some laws prevent it on certain days.

Consumption choices is a strange term when every store surrounding someone does double plastic bags all day. If the city is concerned, address the problem at the source and not the leaves where I gaurantee you no amount of social pressure will have anywhere near the effect.

That's consistent with shared responsibility. We work together as citizens to make laws that express collective goals. Some cities have banned plastic bags quite effectively. Perhaps we should federally regulate shipping environmental impacts as well.

Yep, there's a bag ban here in Austin. Stores can't hand them out.

Same in the Bay Area plus we just passed more laws against plastic bags in the past election.

You could always ask them not to double bag, or take your own bags...

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