In this week’s issue of our environment newsletter, we look at well-meaning but complicated efforts to create and certify plastic-free plastic and where things stand with the federal government’s two-billion-trees pledge.

  • @[email protected]
    6•1 year ago

    the City of Toronto … told me that the window, which it calls plastic, should be removed and put in the garbage, while the box should be put in the green bin if soiled and in the recycling bin if clean.

    That’s the thing most paper packaging should actually go in the compost since it’s almost guaranteed to be soiled. Only some composting systems will accept these bioplastics as well. I know Calgary’s does, but not sure which others

    • @FireRetardant
      1•1 year ago

      Mixed materials are a huge issue in the waste stream and are something that should be reduced on the production side. In a perfect world we all peel off plastic windows from boxes and envelopes, we all rinse our cans and we all seperate the plastic caps from the bottles, but this isn’t a perfect world and the vast majoriry of mixed materials waste stays mixed when disposed of and cause serious concerns in the recycability and quality of recycled materials.

      There should be regulations to reduce the amount of mixed materials. If they can’t be reduced they should be designed in a way that is easier to remove and come with disposal instructions for the consumer.