xkcd, I am disappoint

[Bigjake]

We should definitely emulate that bastion of productivity and forward thinking.

The Swiss said it was a thing,  who am I to argue. 

[lee n. field]

So the consumer is to stock pile their waste on their own property?

That's what burn barrels are for.

[cordex]

Sounds like there was more to that story.

[Perd Hapley]

That's what burn barrels are for.

I debated telling him that. We didn't burn plastic (at my childhood home), though, so it only worked for paper packaging in our case.

[charby]

I debated telling him that. We didn't burn plastic (at my childhood home), though, so it only worked for paper packaging in our case.

Burn barrels are against city code where I live and in many towns in the state I live in.

[Perd Hapley]

Burn barrels are against city code where I live and in many towns in the state I live in.

Those dang manufacturers again, I'll bet. 

[charby]

Those dang manufacturers again, I'll bet. 

All started here with people with breathing disorders complaining about the smoke at city council meetings. Started with fall leaf burning and went from there.

[RevDisk]

Local rules have loop holes for food and religious fires. So roast some marshmellows while skyclad, and you're good to go.   

[charby]

Local rules have loop holes for food and religious fires. So roast some marshmellows while skyclad, and you're good to go.   

Wood fires and charcoal grills are allowed in my town. Next county down wood fires are banned in city limits, unless from an interior fireplace or woodstove. Kind of silly if you ask me.

[Scout26]

Google being my friend, http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_management_in_Switzerland Looks like what the Swiss don't recycle, they burn.  Hmmm....

Also, from what I've read, it's not that manufacturers have all reduced packaging, it's that the Swiss simply make it an SEP, by leaving it at the stores for them to dispose of.  So it's not that there is a law, but a financial incentive for retailers to complain to the manufacturer's to reduce packaging.  Free market at work.  In fact, other than the "We're searching through your bags." aspect, it's mostly a free market solution.  The more you recycle the less you pay for garbage, and your garbage get burned to make electricity.   Sadly, the US  EPA will not allow garbage incinerators to operate.

[Marnoot]

Sadly, the US  EPA will not allow garbage incinerators to operate.

I don't think that's correct. I know for a fact there's a garbage incineration plant up by Hill Air Force Base here used to provide steam to the base.

[onions!]

  The more you recycle the less you pay for garbage, and your garbage get burned to make electricity.   Sadly, the US  EPA will not allow garbage incinerators to operate.

https://www.accesskent.com/Departments/DPW/waste_to_energy.htm

You're spot on about the recycling though.We get the recyclables picked up for free every other week.
I've only had "trash"picked up four times in 2014.$20 for six months waste removal.

[charby]

Google being my friend, http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_management_in_Switzerland Looks like what the Swiss don't recycle, they burn.  Hmmm....

Also, from what I've read, it's not that manufacturers have all reduced packaging, it's that the Swiss simply make it an SEP, by leaving it at the stores for them to dispose of.  So it's not that there is a law, but a financial incentive for retailers to complain to the manufacturer's to reduce packaging.  Free market at work.  In fact, other than the "We're searching through your bags." aspect, it's mostly a free market solution.  The more you recycle the less you pay for garbage, and your garbage get burned to make electricity.   Sadly, the US  EPA will not allow garbage incinerators to operate.

My electricity comes from a co-generation plant of trash and coal. Soon it will be a natural gas and trash co-gen plant.

[Scout26]

I don't think that's correct. I know for a fact there's a garbage incineration plant up by Hill Air Force Base here used to provide steam to the base.

DoD is able to exempt themselves from certain rules and regs, because national security.  Also, I'd bet it's been in operation for a long, long time.

https://www.accesskent.com/Departments/DPW/waste_to_energy.htm

The commercial operation began February 1, 1990, under a long term contract with Covanta Kent, Inc.

But if you read through what I posted:

[There are several environmental or waste management corporations that transport ultimately to an incinerator or cement kiln treatment center. Currently (2009), there are three main businesses that incinerate waste: Clean Harbours, WTI-Heritage, and Ross Incineration Services. Clean Harbours has acquired many of the smaller, independently run facilities, accumulating 5–7 incinerators in the process across the U.S. WTI-Heritage has one incinerator, located in the southeastern corner of Ohio (across the Ohio River from West Virginia).

Several old generation incinerators have been closed; of the 186 MSW incinerators in 1990, only 89 remained by 2007, and of the 6200 medical waste incinerators in 1988, only 115 remained in 2003.[59] No new incinerators were built between 1996 and 2007.

Several links I've found clearly state that no NEW incinerators have been built in the US since 1997.

Why?  NIMBY:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/health-threat-may-keep-incinerators-from-turning-trash-to-power/



P.S. Charby:

The Arnold O. Chantland Resource Recovery Plant (RRP) was the first municipally operated waste-to-energy facility in the nation and was built in 1975. The plant receives garbage/refuse from Ames and the surrounding communities in Story County. Private contractors are available to haul garbage/refuse, but citizens can do it themselves.

[Perd Hapley]

All started here with people with breathing disorders complaining about the smoke at city council meetings. Started with fall leaf burning and went from there.

That's exactly what they want you think. 

[Marnoot]

Political and popular opposition isn't the same thing as the EPA forbidding it. I'm still not seeing that there are any actual EPA regulations preventing the construction of new plants. In fact they have a page listing incentives for the construction of new plants including those that burn solid waste, only one of the federal incentives disallows municipal waste:

http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/wastemin/minimize/energyrec/rpsinc.htm

the incineration of municipal solid waste now qualifies as renewable energy

[onions!]

DoD is able to exempt themselves from certain rules and regs, because national security.  Also, I'd bet it's been in operation for a long, long time.



But if you read through what I posted:
Several links I've found clearly state that no NEW incinerators have been built in the US since 1997.

Why?  NIMBY:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/health-threat-may-keep-incinerators-from-turning-trash-to-power/



P.S. Charby:

I just went thru this thread back to front then front to back again.I confess,I didn't not find that post anywhere.
My response was to your last post.
Not doubting you,I just see no other post?[headscratcher]

[Scout26]

Sorry, my response was poorly worded.  It should have said "The EPA won't allow any new ones to be built."

And yes, while there is nothing that says "No incinerators."  The Air Quality Standards are such that it hard to meet now, but if they get their way, every coal fired plant will go off-line in a few years.  The problem with burning refuse, as opposed to coal, is an inconsistent product.  It's hard enough to meet the standards now, which is why very few try. 

[Marnoot]

Sorry, my response was poorly worded.  It should have said "The EPA won't allow any new ones to be built."

I don't think that's accurate either. As I posted above, the EPA's own website lists incentives and grants for building new ones.

[makattak]

I don't think that's accurate either. As I posted above, the EPA's own website lists incentives and grants for building new ones.

And yes, while there is nothing that says "No incinerators."  The Air Quality Standards are such that it hard to meet now, but if they get their way, every coal fired plant will go off-line in a few years.  The problem with burning refuse, as opposed to coal, is an inconsistent product.  It's hard enough to meet the standards now, which is why very few try.

Since you seemed to have somehow missed that part, I quoted it for you.

[Marnoot]

Since you seemed to have somehow missed that part, I quoted it for you.

Fair enough, thanks. Wouldn't said emissions standards apply to existing plants as well, though?

[Balog]

And today's strip is on gay marriage, because of course it is.

You know, I was just thinking that what my life needed was some random guy who draws a math comic to call me a racist for opposing gay marriage.

[roo_ster]

And today's strip is on gay marriage, because of course it is.

You know, I was just thinking that what my life needed was some random guy who draws a math comic to call me a racist for opposing gay marriage.

Well I am sure HE feels pretty good about it. 

[Perd Hapley]

I just want to know if he thinks policy should lead public opinion, or the reverse?