Social [Plastic Waste] Startup turns trash into construction-grade building blocks

[MikeMcMann]

City of Vancouver votes to ban single-use plastic straws and styrofoam cups

May 16, 2018

 

[Arkain2K]

No its not.
Here is a photo of how supermarkets sell fruits in Japan:

Please read the full article. Japanese are actually super proud of having individually wrapped fruits and consider it a "great customer service".
A friend of mine from New Zealand, works in real estate company in Osaka. Every month they have random presentations. A few months ago, he decided to focus on the unnecessary use of paper in FAX MACHINES (yes, Japan still uses fax machines, even worst- they will ask my company to scan the email, fax it to them and then they scan it and save on their computer).
He presented them with several examples, including replacing the use of corks in wine industry, with metal caps. A japanese colleague of his asks:
- Are they using metal caps in french wines?- to which my friend reply:
- No, I dont think so.
- You see! - answers his colleague and turns with a smirk to his other japanese office staff, shaking head in "what are those foreigners thinking" way.
Here is the full article:
https://kbjanderson.com/life-in-japan-wrap-it-up-value-or-waste/

Japan is an entirely different animal when it comes to waste management. Bringing up the Japanese lifestyle is just gonna put everyone else in shame.

You know how most countries in the West are aiming to recycle 25% of their plastic waste annually? Japan's plastic recycling/reuse rate is already at 84%, making them #1 in the world BY FAR.

Here's the latest report from their national plastic recycling program, if you want to learn more about the breakdown by categories:
http://www.pwmi.or.jp/ei/index.htm

Oh, and they're also reusing 98% of their paper and 96% of their glass products.

When you're a super high-tech society living on a mountainous island with a solutely no precious space for landfills, you can either ship all your trash off to some third-world countries and make it their problem, or you can decide to take recycling seriously.

Took it seriously, they did.

With the kind of extraordinary numbers from the Japanese recycling programs, I think they've earned their rights to package their food (or any other products) however the hell they want, if most of it are recycled materials that will be recycled by again and again by them anyway.

Oldie but goodie from 2011 (though it must be point out that once Britain and Europe ships a cargo of recyclable waste to China, that counts towards their own "recycling rate" as far as they're concerned):

Japan streets ahead in global plastic recycling race
At 77%, country's plastic recycling rate is about twice that of the UK, and well above the 20% figure for the US
By Justin McCurry in Tokyo | Thu 29 Dec 2011​

Japan is one of the most successful countries in the world for recycling plastics. In 2010, 77% of plastic waste was recycled, up from 73% in 2006 and 39% in 1996, according to the nation's Plastic Waste Management Institute.

The country has passed several recycling laws to address the disposal and treatment of plastic waste since 1997, when businesses and consumers were obliged to separate plastic waste for the first time.

That measure, along with better awareness off the benefits of separating out plastic, is what has had the impact.

The list of plastic items that can be recycled has grown to include boxes and cases, wrappings, cups and containers, plates and trays, tube-shaped containers, lids and caps. Most is processed together, with plastic bottles and other containers treated separately.

In 2006, according to the institute, Japan recycled 2.1m tonnes of plastic waste, while 4.8m tonnes undergoes so-called "thermal recycling" which includes conversion into useful chemicals and burning to generate energy.

The number and types of plastic waste separation differ among municipalities, but most households are required to separate plastic wrappers and packages from polyethylene terephthalate [PET] bottles, whose labels must be torn off before they are thrown away.

The law was tightened amid a rise in the amount of waste generated by Japan's 127 million people, and a shortage of landfill space.

Household items such as food wrappers and PET bottle labels are clearly marked to indicate they need to be treated as plastic waste. The items are usually collected for free, on different days from regular kitchen waste.

At 77%, Japan's plastic recycling rate is about twice that of the UK, and well above the 20% figure for the US, which still depends largely on landfill, according to institute spokesman Takushi Kamiya. One major driver has been the lack of space for landfill close to crowded and sprawling metropolitan areas.

"Japan has been able to make progress in plastic recycling because waste-processing agencies have won the support of manufacturers," he said.

Japan recycled 72% of PET bottles in 2010, compared with 48% in Europe and 29% in the US.

The recycled material is used in textiles, sheeting, industrial materials and household items such as egg boxes. Large quantities are shipped to China, Hong Kong and other parts of Asia, where it is used to make toys and games.

New technology is helping raise the PET-bottle recycling rate. The food company Ajinomoto recently unveiled a plastic bottle made entirely from recycled PET. The firm expects to use 4,500 tonnes of recycled PET in its drink bottles every year.

Japan's plastic recycling operation would be easier if manufacturers reduced the amount of wrapping they use, said Kevin Carroll, representative director of EA International, an environmental and engineering risk management consultancy in Tokyo.

"Japan differs from other countries in that it tends to overwrap," Carroll said. "You buy a bento boxed lunch and it comes in a plastic box with a lid, and then it's put into a plastic bag. Lots of other foodstuffs are the same.

"There's a tremendous amount of plastic around. The real problem is with household plastic, a lot of which gets burned or buried. The amounts involved are phenomenal."

Kamiya agrees that Japan needs to address the 27% of plastic waste that is simply incinerated or buried in increasingly scarce landfill sites.

"We are looking at ways to deal with what's left over, but it's difficult to imagine at this stage that we'll get the recycling rate to 100%," he said. "But I think we do very well compared with other countries."

https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2011/dec/29/japan-leads-field-plastic-recycling

 

[ens189]

This is probably a good thing. The Rogan podcast with the kid trying to clean up the Pacific garbage patch scared the shit out of me.

 

[SleepyBoy]

How am I supposed to drink a milkshake?

Fuck this, not worth it.

 

[Ivaylo Ivanov]

Japan is an entirely different animal when it comes to waste management.

You know how most countries in the West are aiming to recycle 25% of their plastic waste annually? Japan's plastic recycling/reuse rate is already at 84%, making them #1 in the world BY FAR.

Here's the latest report from their national plastic recycling program:
http://www.pwmi.or.jp/ei/index.htm

Oh, and they're also reusing 98% of their paper and 96% of their glass products.

With that kind of extraordinary numbers, they've earned their rights to package their food however the hell they want, because most of it are recycled products and will be recycled again anyway.

You see, I have a problem with that line of thinking.
If you are capable of recycling your own waste, great!
But that doesnt give you the right to produce even more waste and not thinking about reducing use of paper for no reason at all.
And Japan still exports waste to China and other countries.

 

[Ivaylo Ivanov]

Japan illegally dumping 400,000 tones a year at the shores of Philippines:
http://www.ipsnews.net/2000/01/environment-japan-tokyo-trashed-over-waste-export-to-manila/
Japan waste and scrap export for Dec 2016:
http://www.seaisi.org/News/6125/Japans+MoF+releases+waste+and+scrap+export+statistics+for+2016
In 2010, Japan was the 3rd largest exporter of plastic waste to China (after Hong Kong and Thailand, right before Germany:
https://www.iswa.org/fileadmin/galleries/Task_Forces/TFGWM_Report_GRM_Plastic_China_LR.pdf

 

[Arkain2K]

Maybe these things should be thought about before the crap is made

What was the thinking in single-use disposable manufacturing? Apparently not much

"How can we maximize production of these stuff at the lowest cost?"

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Good for Europe (presuming they pass it).

 

[lifelessheap]

The leading pioneer in US recycling will be going to prison in about a week. Because Microsoft are fucking assholes.

The worst type of waste is eWaste. We are poisoning our environment and children with heavy metals and other garbage.

Even Tesla sucks at recycling. If a few cells in a car battery go bad they junk the whole battery even though there are thousands of cells that are perfectly healthy.

 

[Ivaylo Ivanov]

When you're a super high-tech society living on a mountainous island with a solutely no precious space for landfills, you can either ship all your trash off to some third-world countries and make it their problem, or you can decide to take recycling seriously.
...
The country has passed several recycling laws to address the disposal and treatment of plastic waste since 1997, when businesses and consumers were obliged to separate plastic waste for the first time.
...
Large quantities are shipped to China, Hong Kong and other parts of Asia, where it is used to make toys and games.

I didnt realize you edited your comment.
Will leave just a few remarks from it.

Japan not only ILLEGALLY dumps its trash in developing countries, they also drop it directly in the ocean.
I cannot say that dumping your trash at the neighbours door, without his knowledge, is very responsible and progressive way to dispose plastic waste, especially considering that large part of it is used syringes and other hazardous materials.

The link I posted, states domestic plastic garbage been just about 25% of the total plastic waste of Japan every year and only the waste they export to China, makes them the 3rd biggest plastic waste exporter in the world, before Germany and US!
Thats even after they recycle whatever % they claim they recycle (lived there for 18 years and know better than reading official statistics). Let that sink in.

The plastic waste separation is required only in specific regions, mostly Tokyo and some of the central Kansai parts. The rest of the country has no such regulations.

 

[Post 2 Decision]

Here in Vancouver we have ready decided to do this.

Take that Europe!

 

[Goonerview]

If the building material is fire-proof, storm-proof, water-proof, offer four times the strength of concrete, provide twice the insulation, and pass all regulatory safety standard testings for two-story houses, then what's the technical reason for you to oppose them as a fine choice to build low-cost housings for those who really need a sturdy roof over their heads?

Would it make you feel better if these proprietary formulated plastic bricks are called "composites" instead, like they often do in other industries?

On a related note: when we re-do our roof a few years from now, the old shingles probably will be replaced with Tesla's advance solar roof tiles. I don't particularly care that they are essential plastic, as long as they do the job they promise to do.

That's great.

So when are you moving in?

 

[HIMBOB]

It's incredible what we do to our environment.

My wife loves fresh coconut.

I can't find them anywhere except wrapped in foam then covered in clear plastic. It's a fucking coconut, they couldn't be much less fragile.

 

[Arkain2K]

Drinking through a straw is good for your teeth and can help prevent cavities if you are drinking cola/sprite etc.

Straws aren't the problem here, nor are they banned. Just the plastic ones.

Think of it this way: Abestos is banned, but that doesn't mean your house can't have insulations.

There are plenty of other types of straws in the market that aren't single-use plastic for you to choose from. If you are not familiar with them yet, you will be soon.

That's great.

So when are you moving in?

I don't have the space to build another house, but I can use a sturdy tool shed in my backyard, are you offering to pay for it?

 

[HIMBOB]

I don't agree with a ban. I prefer that the cost of disposal is included in the price. It encourages cleaner products via pricing. If you want plastic that's fine but instead of everyone paying for its disposal, the end user does.

 

[Anung Un Rama]

That sea turtle video was tough to watch. Glad to see these bans being enacted. I was literally thinking about what to do with all the waste we have in America and then I ran into that prefab house idea in this thread. I didn't think that was even possible. Thats amazing.

 

[MayhemMonkey]

Here in Vancouver we have ready decided to do this.

Take that Europe!

 

[Anung Un Rama]

I don't agree with a ban. I prefer that the cost of disposal is included in the price. It encourages cleaner products via pricing. If you want plastic that's fine but instead of everyone paying for its disposal, the end user does.

You raise the price of the straw and how does that effect how it gets disposed? The straw still gets thrown in the garbage with the rest of the garbage.

 

[JadeOwl]

Last year I went to a steakhouse in Atlanta where they used paper straws. Using those all the time would take some getting use to.

Their bison steak was good though.

 

[Rematch]

I've been telling people for a long time that the current recycling system is a con job. Something about it just didn't add up.