My First Time Recycling ♻️

We all know that plastic pollution is a huge problem, and we need to find different ways to combat this issue. Recycling can be a really good solution to this and has become more popular as a way to reduce our plastic footprint.

Two weeks ago, I got the opportunity to use a reverse vending machine at Costco. I was excited because recycling is a little different in Trinidad, you collect your bottles, cans, cartons, and glass and drop them off at designated bins. There is no cash back. Anyway, as I approached the machine, I realized there was sticky liquid all over the machine and the floor around the base. It was not the most pleasant welcome and I couldn’t help but think about the origin of these liquids. But it was clear that some people had not taken the time to just rinse out their containers before depositing them. It is really important to wash out the bottles and cans to maintain the integrity of the materials being recycled and to reduce the risk of contamination. A simple rinse can go a long way in ensuring the efficiency of recycling processes.

Luckily my enthusiasm for recycling outweighed my temporary disgust. I ignored the liquid and proceeded to insert my clean, empty bottles into the machine, hearing the satisfying clinking sound as they were whisked away. The reverse vending machine accepted plastic bottles and aluminium cans, making the entire process quick and efficient.

While I was there a bin was full so workers came to replace the bin and I got to see a pile of crushed cans accumulated from previous recyclers.

I finished with all my bottles and cans and then got a receipt with how much money I had with cash back that I used in the store.

Less than 10% of the plastic waste generated globally is recycled the rest ends up in landfills, incinerators or polluting in the environment. The low recycling rates of plastic can largely be attributed to a number of factors. Firstly, the misleading nature of plastic products itself, as many types of plastics are not recyclable or are extremely difficult to recycle. Secondly, inconsistent recycling practices and lack of infrastructure, especially in developing countries, worsen the problem. Additionally, plastic recycling often requires complex sorting processes and expensive methods, making it economically unfeasible.

 

While recycling offers a glimmer of hope, it's clear that the current system is flawed and insufficient to deal with the scale of plastic waste generated globally. As individuals, we must take responsibility for our usage of plastics and push for fundamental changes that prioritize sustainable packaging alternatives. By doing so, we can strive towards a future where recycling becomes the norm, rather than something that happens rarely.