What Is Going On With Recycling Goals- We Seem To Be Going Back To Paper

[bluefortress]

You know how there's a massive initiative these days to reduce plastic to obtain an healthier environment and to achieve this we are transitioning to paper products - cups, bags, straws etc?

I remember in the 90's there was a similar drive to reduce the amount of paper used. So are we going to increase the amount of paper based products again and then go back to that same situation - having to reduce paper again? I know with technology paper usage is less these days but still
 

 

[davebro3]

//I remember in the 90's there was a similar drive to reduce the amount of paper used.//

I don't remember that.

Paper products are more easily recycled than plastics & are biodegradable if not recycled. Some plastics can't be recycled at all & facilities aren't in place to deal with all those that can be.

Technology IS being developed to recover hydrogen from plastics via high temperature furnaces leaving little residue but has some way to go before it may become commercially viable.

[Old_Geezer]

I believe it's widely accepted that most things create issues, that paper creation is not pollution free, and plastic recovery isn't easy for many plastics, certainly not mixed plastics, and most of what is done is not financially justifiable but done simply to be seen to be doing something and pleasing the masses.

[ToraToraTora]

We use far less paper these days and what is used is recycled as far as possible. eg at work we have virtually no paper at all. No printers, copiers etc in the main office. Far fewer things in general are printed. Newspapers for example onlt a relative few are actually printed. redusing plastic in favour of paper is good and it gets recycled anyway.

[youngmafbog]

I'm not sure I understand the OP, are you saying its a bad thing or a good thing?

IMO it's a good thing and as TTT points out paper is pretty much a thing of the past in many offices.

[ToraToraTora]

YMB, I think the OP is worried that reducing plastic usage will increase paper usage. It will a bit but as pointed out paper usage is vastly down in say the last 10 years and it gets recycled anyway.

[Gill1941]

Apart from paper being recycled it also biodegrades quicker.

Plastic can be around for hundreds of years.

[nicebloke1]

All in all i think recycling of anything seems to be in confusion, but there again its difficult to access whats happening that joe bloggs dont see.

It does seen as though supermarkets are making some efforts, that we do see. So a positive in that area.