What is not recyclable?

[AndyHui]

I can't really think of anything... Apart from a few certain plastics such as the older polystyrene foam, we should be able to recycle just about anything, can't we?

 

[minendo]

Thermoset plastics are not.

 

[her209]

Spent condoms.

 

[caz67]

SEX..!!

 

[CraigRT]

styrofoam is the only thing i can think of.

 

[TechnoPro]

Originally posted by: AndyHui
I can't really think of anything... Apart from a few certain plastics such as the older polystyrene foam, we should be able to recycle just about anything, can't we?

What's your definition of recycle? Because to me, there is a difference between having a technology that can recycle a product, and having the technology to do it at a reasonable cost and with minimal environmental damage.

I did some research a few years ago on my municipalities recycling program and some of my findings were sobering. The net environmental and enconmic benefit of recycling is sometimes nonexistant.

Certain plastics that are classified as recyclable (by virtue of their number and recycle symbol) are quite dificult to recycle. By dificult, I remember reading about toxic by-products from the recycling process, harmful chemicals needed during the process, high cost, high energy requirements, small output of usable "new" material, etc. The author basically positied that some plastics were by inherent design, very difucult to break down once formed, and that recycling was not along-term solution for that class of materials. A transition towards more eco-friendly plastics was one step in the right direction.

Another issue I looked into quite a few years ago (~8) was car tire recycling. Perhaps some revolutionary technology has since been introduced, buy I remember a bleak picture back then. Simply storing used tires posed 2 big threats: disease carrying pests and the risk of fire. Not that tires are particularly flammable, but tire fires are hard to control and release real nasty things into the air. On the recycling front, the economics of recycling tires is simply not there. The processes are very expensive. Good article.

Good news, though, is that I have seen tire scraps reused to line roads that are being repaved. The assumption is that the scraps will never break down, so they make a perfect filler material for these paving projects.

 

[Mo0o]

Anything thats touched food is no good ie. pizza boxes.

 

[TitanDiddly]

Nuclear waste.

 

[esun]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
Anything thats touched food is no good ie. pizza boxes.

Apparently milk cartons are no good, either (at least I saw it on a sign recently; I'm just assuming it was true).

 

[DeeKnow]

yes milk cartons (the tetrapak kind) are almost impossible to recycle. they are made up of muliple layers of paper and pvc bonded together which makes them non bio-degradeable... which is a shame because i think it is a wonderful technology in every other way

 

[amdskip]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox
Nuclear waste.

Yup, they are building huge storage areas for it at the nuke plant my dad works at.

 

[bleeb]

Originally posted by: her209
Spent condoms.

Yes. Definitely don't want to recycle dat stuff.