recycling
“Require manufacturers and retailers to accept & pay a modest price for all bottles, batteries, etc. returned. Litter collecting becomes profitable, everywhere cleaner.”
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2. How does it fit with Compass’ core beliefs of equality, solidarity, democracy, freedom, sustainability and well being?
It’s easier & cheaper at present to throw rubbish away regardless, unless a policeman with time on his hands is watching you. This wastes recyclable resources, preventing a sustainable way of life, & makes everywhere a mess.
3. How does it build the institutions of social democracy, like social groups and collective and cooperative forms of ownership and control?
Only indirectly. It makes it in the interest of individuals to do something (collect litter) which benefits everyone else.
4. How much will it cost or raise and where will any cost come from?
Prices of new goods will presumably rise to cover the cost to suppliers of paying forthe returns. However, the input of potential recyclables should encourage them to set up recycling processes for the increased flow of material. Eventually, prices should decline.
5. Which groups in the electorate are likely to support or oppose this measure? Is there any polling evidence you have on this?
Shops & manufacturers will oppose it.
Most of the public will support it (cleaner environment &, for those with little or no other income, a way of making some money while doing a useful job).
6. Is there a place or country where it’s worked? Please provide some information.
Used to work in England in the 50s. Shops paid children who took bottles back.
I think it works (without need of law) in many developing countries.
7. What are the three main arguments in favour/against it?
Cleaner environment.
Recycling will delay our exhaustion of natural resources.
“Money for old rope” for anyone prepared to collect what richer people throw away. Poor people will be grateful.
Comments
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Steve Goodrich
They run a refund-recycle scheme in Germany that seems to work quite well. As they only sell drinks in glass bottles it enables numerous full-life-cycles requiring only washing before re-use. An excess charge is levied (up to around 1/4 of the price of the drink e.g.50cents) on initial payment for the item e.g. bottle of beer, which is refunded upon presentation to a place accepting them. The item doesn’t need to be returned to the place of purchase, which provides another dimension to the scheme.
Quite of lot of bottles aren’t returned, despite the levy, and so are left around on the streets (it’s legal to drink responsibly on the streets). This enables those who are short on money, for example students, the homeless etc. to collect the bottles en mass and cash in on the recycling. I haven’t yet found a fault in it (apart from its potential to fuel alcoholism). Next time you’re in Germany keep an eye out for signs next to prices that say “Pfand”!
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Anon Co-operator
Kerbside recycling something I have been banging on about for years - why has it not happened? I suppose we would need to identify the reasons why deposits were scrapped. If people do not want to claim their deposits back, OK. But if it comes down to funding, why not “tender” any collection of bottles or whatever out to charities and community organisations? This way the community benefits in so many ways.
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Anon Co-operator
A similar scheme operates in some parts of Australia - and the homeless did benefit in some ways, getting money for doing the recycling.
But the problem will remain of recycling not being 100% - but you will always get those who don’t want to do it, no matter how easy it is made - even with kerbside bottle recycling provided, which we don’t have at the moment (see comment made earlier).
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Posting Comment...
April 1st, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Kerbside recycling something I have been banging on about for years - why has it not happened? I suppose we would need to identify the reasons why deposits were scrapped. If people do not want to claim their deposits back, OK. But if it comes down to funding, why not “tender” any collection of bottles or whatever out to charities and community organisations? This way the community benefits in so many ways.