I envision a world where the waste packages are properly recycled and each country is responsible for its own waste.
Recalling the video Recycling Myth, I was a bit shocked about the fact that countries actually transport their garbage to other Asian countries, and clearly it is impacting the environment in those countries. It is just sad to see that. Furthermore I believe there is more vulnerability of dealing with waste in between, such as the company Terracycle, if we allow transporting waste between countries.
I also hope there could be expertise from some government departments that actively assess the process of recycling waste. Only the packages that got approved by them will have a sign on them, so that the customers will know those packages are reliable and recyclable.
Hi Anonymous Polar Bear. I love that you mentioned how big companies ship their waste to countries in Asia. It makes me think a lot about the social and economic inequities that 'poorer' countries face as climate change progresses. I feel like the shipment of waste to these countries speaks to a larger issue of how countries in the global north have exploited the resources and people of countries of the global south, controlled their economies, and continue to perpetuate the climate and pollution problems that we also pledge to help them resolve?? As if they inflicted these issues on themselves..:/
Hi Anonymous Polar Bear, I think that your idea of introducing government labelling is a very good step towards increasing awareness at the consumer level while increasing the responsibility and standards of corporations and policy makers. Great post!
You've brought up an intriguing point about waste transportation. It is quite sad. Perhaps we need an international accord that limits the amount of waste being transported, has restrictions for how the waste must be managed, etc. Improvements in the ability to recycle itself and plastic alternatives may also help mitigate this aspect of plastic pollution. Great post!
I dont think we need to ban the transportation of waste altogether. Hypothetically if a country becomes a world leader in recycling, perhaps other countries can sell what they cant recycle to them.
Hi there!
I think it would be very helpful if we have a dedicated department in the UN that looks at plastic waste and managing it. However, it is nearly impossible to micro-manage all of the countries in the world and many shady businesses will still occur. As much as the black market is illegal, black markets still exist and many illegal activities occur on the daily basis. I believe we have recently found a solution to plastic waste and it is to find a plastic alternative. Just like how people can't live without milk & milk alternatives nowadays, it will be impossible for people to stop using plastics.
Hi Anonymous Polar Bear!
Great suggestions! This is the first post I've seen that has touched on the issue of transporting garbage to other countries. I shared the same sadness you described when learning about this practice. It also reminded me of this recent dispute between Canada and the Philippines. Safe to say, the story doesn't paint the Canadian government or Canadian companies in a positive picture.
I agree with your principle that each country should be responsible for its own waste. However, it would be remiss of us to dismiss the potential for international collaboration on waste management. Perhaps experts from government departments, like those you mention above, could travel overseas to advise other governments on best practices for dealing with their own waste.