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HappilyhiketheHump t1_j28se36 wrote

We have mandated recycling, so cans and bottles should just go into the blue bin. Then the revenue from the valuable recycled products could be used by the solid waste districts to reduce their costs and expand recycling and composting efforts.

Putting all recycling in the blue bin would eliminate all the costs of spent time, gas and CO2 associated with returning cans to a separate location to get $3.

This will never happen though because the legislature has “claimed” all the nickels not returned and dedicated the spending of that “revenue” to other environmental needs.

So we’re stuck with an antiquated system that wastes resources and costs all Vermonters a ton of time, cash and CO2 emissions just so we can sustain the progressively failing status quo.

That sounds about right for Vermont. smh

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lantonas t1_j2cazbe wrote

> Putting all recycling in the blue bin would eliminate all the costs of spent time, gas and CO2 associated with returning cans to a separate location to get $3.

And then the distributors have to drive around to all the redemption centers and collect their empty cans. God knows where they go after that.

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realize-finiteworld t1_j2chqyb wrote

This is definitely true for the easy to recycle materials. However, a redemption program is ideal for collecting clear glass bottles and other materials that lose value when they are co-mingled at the curb/blue bin.

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HappilyhiketheHump t1_j2exs2f wrote

No. The redemption program costs unnecessary time, money and CO2. Put the glass in the bin and it can be sorted at the recycling facility like all the other items.
Additionally, the value of recycled glass, even clear glass is very low.

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realize-finiteworld t1_j2f9oho wrote

It only gets crushed into mixed glass in VT and never gets recycled back into glass items. The only valuable glass to glass recycling programs keep colors separate

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