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Toxic fire at a large recycling center in Indiana... 2

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JohnRBaker

JohnRBaker

Mechanical
Jun 1, 2006
37,230
It's being reported that this fire could burn for days:

Indiana recycling plant cited before massive fire caused evacuation orders, canceled school

The Indiana recycling plant fire forced more than 2,000 residents to evacuate the area


John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
 
It appears as if the building was red tagged 3+ years ago. Hoffco closed in 2009. Odd that they would mention the former tenant but not the one that ran the recycling facility.

Screenshot_20230412-120504_nalmls.png
 
[URL unfurl="true" said:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/us/richmond-indiana-recycling-plant-fire.html#:~:text=The%20plant%20is%20owned%20in,week%20for%20the%20first%20year.[/URL]]The plant is owned in part by the City of Richmond and in part by a private citizen, the Wayne County Emergency Management Agency confirmed on Wednesday.
Click to expand...

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
 
"Full of plastic, floor to ceiling, wall to wall" sounds like the recycling was inactive. Is this just a plastic storage building, abandoned by the operator?

I suspect there are a number of these around, disasters waiting to happen. Recyclers who found their business model didn't work.

 
We've been fed a lot of lies from the plastics industry over time; first, "It's disposable, don't worry about it," then "It's recyclable, don't worry about it." Neither were true.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list
 
I don't think it was the plastics industry that pushed recycling so much. That industry was bound to grow regardless. There was a parallel recycling industry that lived of subsidies and perceived benefit. Sorting your recycling? That was a lot like wearing a mask, it makes you feel like you're helping.

The electrification industry is the next example. The auto manufacturers don't want to do it, are being forced to, and will advertise whatever product they are allowed to sell. This makes it look like the auto manufacturers are pushing EV's which may or may not be the case depending manufacturer. We know Toyota is vocally against it.
 
TugboatEng said:
I don't think it was the plastics industry that pushed recycling so much.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that the plastics industry began lobbying for the adoption of standardized recycling symbols on plastic products, as a way to "greenwash" their products. At a time when people were starting to realize that plastic was a major environmental issue, the industry protected itself by duping the public to buy into plastic recycling as a viable concept. It was that conceptual framework that allow a "recycling" market to exist.
 
Good point. There was a plastics industry sponsor for the design.

The original recycling symbol was designed in 1970 by Gary Anderson, a senior at the University of Southern California as a submission to the International Design Conference as part of a nationwide contest for high school and college students sponsored by the Container Corporation of America.
Click to expand...

On the other hand, CCA has a long history of similar art promotions and was not necessarily working on behalf of the plastics industry.

 
I think all that happened prior to the plastics industry coopting it for their own purposes. Just happened to learn all about this recently on NPR or something, so it's somewhat fresh in my mind. Although what constitutes "fresh" in my mind these days is fuzzy at best.
 
There is no recycling symbol on single use plastic bags, for good reason. They are useless.
 
What could be greener than taking carbon out of the ground, using it in some form, and then burring it back into the ground? And people object about it in the name of carbon.
 
cranky... I've heard that the aluminum beer can will outlast the pyramids... this stuff may accumulate. I forgot to add... what about the stuff in the oceans? or for that matter, the microplastics in your bloodstream?


-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik
 
Aluminum cans have plastic liners.
 
The plastic lining may beak down over time... not so sure about the aluminum.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik
 
Aluminum is actually recyclable, and in the past they would actually pay you for it. No one takes it now, at least around here, and the homeless seem to empty trash cans looking for it.
I wonder where they sell it?
 
The stores in California are legally required to refund CRV but the fine for not doing it is only $500 or so and the stores simply pay the fine instead.

As for the homeless, they take the cans to dedicated metal recycling yards where they get paid by the pound.

Aluminum cans certainly degrade. Bury them in moist soil and they'll break down into aluminum oxide powder and microplastics within a few years.
 
Here in California, we pay a 'recycling fee' for each beverage/water bottle or soda can purchased. Now this is not exactly the same as the 'deposit' which is paid in other states like Michigan, where it's a dime per bottle/can, although simple bottled-water is not included whereas in California they are. Now a 'deposit' has to be refunded to you if you return the empty bottle/can to the market where you purchased it, but while stores in California are supposed to take back your bottles/cans, many don't. I take them to an actual recycling center and get paid for the value of the material. The last time I took any bottles/cans to the recycling center was in December and I was paid $1.65/LB for aluminum cans and $1.33/LB for PET bottles.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without
 
California Redemption Value. I've never heard anyone refer to it as a fee.
 
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