Do you ever wonder...

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October 4th, 2016 at 1:10:23 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
What happens to staples once they're used up?

They're too small and inconsequential to be gathered in an office for recycling. So naturally they end up in the trash. But trash does get recycled sometimes. What happens to staples then?
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
October 4th, 2016 at 1:20:38 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
What I wonder about is why people
grieve about burying plastic bottles
in a landfill. We pull the oil from the
ground, make a bottle out of it, and
put it back in the ground where it
came from. This causes much hand
wringing for some reason.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
October 4th, 2016 at 1:25:02 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18631
I think it's the decay time for plastic. Plus I suppose it's cheaper to recycle plastic.

There's a guy who made a whole island out of plastic waste.
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
October 4th, 2016 at 1:47:35 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: rxwine
I think it's the decay time for plastic.


How long does it take crude oil to
decay. What's the difference if it
decays as a bottle or as oil.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
October 4th, 2016 at 1:53:56 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Come to think of it, we do recycle paper. Twice, in fact. first printed pages are used on the other side if it's blank (after running them through the copier to scrawl lines on the printed side; trust me, it's essential), and then one of the custodial staff takes the used up paper somewhere. The latter often includes staples, as pages stapled together aren't unstapled before being thrown in the bin (actually a cardboard box for old paper).

Since I've yet to see staples, or paper clips, embedded in recycled paper or cardboard, I assume they're removed before the paper is processed, maybe by using magnets? A large paper recycling plant could pick up several kilos of metal that way.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
October 4th, 2016 at 2:32:26 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: Nareed
I assume they're removed before the paper is processed, maybe by using magnets?


They use strong electro magnets in all
recycling to remove metal that a magnet
attracts. I've seen the operations in
person.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
October 4th, 2016 at 3:28:02 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: Evenbob
What I wonder about is why people
grieve about burying plastic bottles
in a landfill. We pull the oil from the
ground, make a bottle out of it, and
put it back in the ground where it
came from. This causes much hand
wringing for some reason.


For me it is the lack of frugality. Use a bottle once and dump it? Wasteful. I wish st least burn for the energy being thrown away.
The President is a fink.
October 4th, 2016 at 4:25:42 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18631
Plastic bottle island

https://youtu.be/GnLhWpy_nqI?t=58
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
October 5th, 2016 at 12:22:38 PM permalink
Dalex64
Member since: Mar 8, 2014
Threads: 3
Posts: 3687
Quote: Evenbob
They use strong electro magnets in all
recycling to remove metal that a magnet
attracts. I've seen the operations in
person.


They can also use an eddy current separator to remove non-ferrous metals.
"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Daniel Patrick Moynihan
October 5th, 2016 at 12:23:12 PM permalink
Dalex64
Member since: Mar 8, 2014
Threads: 3
Posts: 3687
a plastic bottle in the ground isn't particularly useful.
"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Daniel Patrick Moynihan
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