This is a reason Asian countries have recently been denying the import of our plastic waste lately. They literally have this shit clogging up their streets in some places unable to do anything with it.

Curb side collection: Is somewhat profitable for these companies to though. I work in the steel scrap industry and I often visit these trash company facilities. In my area we get a bend for recyclables which goes out every 2 weeks to the curb. In that tub goes our steel and aluminum cans along with paper and plastic. See where I'm going with this? This shit all gets sorted out at a facility. And you might be surprise how much steel gets tossed in peoples normal garbage tubs also. Every day of the week these companies are picking up a secondary commodity on top of their primary commodity that they can benefit from. We have 70 yard boxes at a couple of the largest facilities in my work area we do drops and pickups at on a weekly bases. It's big money for nationwide trash companies.

I was just at one yesterday as a matter of fact. This one also allows the public to bring in unwanted stuff. For a small price you can bring in electronics furniture etc. Spring and fall like clean up stuff, attic, garage, shed, you get the picture. You might be surprised how many will pay to get rid of steel objects rather than take them to a steel scrap yard like ours to get paid. The box I picked up had a lot of shit in it that was normally what I see people bring to our yards to get paid for.

We are such a wasteful country it's sad.

So the plastic keeps getting made and the oil industry keeps their sales. The government knows about this too yet makes recycling mandatory. So now you get fined if you don't do it, and you also have to buy clear plastic bags to put your recycling in for garbage pickup. It's a win all around.....except for the people. It doesn't fully help the environment, but it does help somewhat to recycle or at least take the garbage plastic and put it in a landfill. The government gets fine money and corporate kickbacks plus taxes from companies (however little taxes are actually enforced on companies), oil companies get profits and subsidies from taxpayers through the government, plastics being sold help other companies sales, and we get shit.

From the article:

"Industry analysts expect oil and gas demands from the chemicals industry will surpass the demand from the transport side in the coming decade. Plastic production overall is now expected to triple by 2050, and once again, the industry is spending money on ads and public relations to promote plastic and recycling."

Anyone remember hearing Biden say how he wants to try to have renewable clean energy by the year 2050?

He talks about how we need to take action NOW and that science tells us that how we act or fail to act within the next 12 years will determine the future...................then goes on to say they will fix it by 2050??????? Lol

It's all bullshit. It's all politics. They're using it to suit their agendas for election etc. They could have taken action when Hubbert was predicting oil crisis back in the 70s. They could take action right now to make it happen by 2030 probably, but they're going to milk this for all it's worth. Piece of shit bastards.

Another wonderful example of the inefficiency and disregard of the greater good inherent in capitalism.