On Wed, Sep 20, 2006 at 12:28:02PM -0700, Tracy R Reed wrote: > William Eade wrote: > >Yeah - and the last update that I saw on prohibited items for the trash > >also included VCR tapes. I guess they consider ferric oxide (rust) a > >hazardous material too. > > I suspect VCR tapes are prohibited because they really should be > recycled instead. I know it's fun to talk about "those stupid > environmentalists who don't even know what rust is" but it's not realistic.
I've talked to a few alleged environmentalists who believe in symbolic gestures and in sacrifice for its own sake. They don't _care_ what rust is. I don't think they're typical, luckily. ... > It's all about thermal depolymerization. This technology could really > save us. I don't understand why it isn't being pursued more actively. ... I'm guessing that thermal depolymerization is much like making charcoal or metalurgical coke, but that the byproducts resembling natural gas, crude oil, and coal tar are somewhat less useful. While the process is probably a good idea, it might appeal neither to people who are environmentally sloppy and cheap, nor to people who have a visceral objection to anything resembling an oil refinery. If the process is done carelessly, I presume it is about as hazardous as a poorly run oil refinery, making objections much more than visceral. IMO, the task is to get a better result than by just throwing out the plastic and gaining dump space by hauling trash further and piling it higher. Stewart Strait -- [email protected] http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
