Guy McGowen when the cause and effect are separated and the scale is large the work goes on those whose are not the ones causing the problem. Kind of like sending local taxes to a central authority but no way to claw them back. I just got back from a meeting in Thailand, the plastic trash problem is montrous, the company i visited made it a requirement to do each week as you suggest, local pick up- it is not working, each week more and more trash, and the people who are throwing it away just get away. The locals suffer, but are not able to keep up with the volume. In vacation locations this approach is not working. If homeless wanted a job or to get money from collecting pet or recyclables they can do now, but they do not want to seem to do this job.  fyi- China announced in July that it will not buy certain types of paper and plastic scrap after this year because the material coming into their country is just too contaminated. This news has unnerved many in the recycling industry as well as environmentalists who want to stop plastic pollution. Last year, China imported half of the world’s plastic scrap, including $5.6 billion worth of scrap commodities from the United States. Losing our biggest customer is bringing changes and uncertainty. PET and HDPE plastic bottles (#1 and #2) are easily recycled and retain more value after use than other plastics. Much PET and HDPE stays in this country. Manufacturers here buy used PET bottles and turn them into new bottles, carpet and clothing. Recycled HDPE that stays in the U.S. turns into new containers, plastic decking and outdoor furniture. I hear you re no more "dictatorship" but without serious fines or bans does not seem to be working.

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Guy McGowen when the cause and effect are separated and the scale is large the work goes on those whose are not the ones causing the problem. Kind of like sending local taxes to a central authority but no way to claw them back. I just got back from a meeting in Thailand, the plastic trash problem is montrous, the company i visited made it a requirement to do each week as you suggest, local pick up- it is not working, each week more and more trash, and the people who are throwing it away just get away. The locals suffer, but are not able to keep up with the volume. In vacation locations this approach is not working. If homeless wanted a job or to get money from collecting pet or recyclables they can do now, but they do not want to seem to do this job. 

fyi-

China announced in July that it will not buy certain types of paper and plastic scrap after this year because the material coming into their country is just too contaminated. This news has unnerved many in the recycling industry as well as environmentalists who want to stop plastic pollution. Last year, China imported half of the world’s plastic scrap, including $5.6 billion worth of scrap commodities from the United States. Losing our biggest customer is bringing changes and uncertainty.

PET and HDPE plastic bottles (#1 and #2) are easily recycled and retain more value after use than other plastics. Much PET and HDPE stays in this country. Manufacturers here buy used PET bottles and turn them into new bottles, carpet and clothing. Recycled HDPE that stays in the U.S. turns into new containers, plastic decking and outdoor furniture.

I hear you re no more "dictatorship" but without serious fines or bans does not seem to be working.