This week I passed this sad-looking stove that had been replaced and was waiting for the next day’s pick-up by the sanitation truck.
The thought of it just going to a landfill makes me cringe. On the other hand, I can’t fault the former owner, because there is no process in place to deal with durable goods recycling. Other countries and actually some parts of the U.S. have made progress in this area:
There’s an article in today’s New York Times that discusses the point that in order to us to make progress in durable goods recycling, changes have to be made at the design phase. Driven by recent and potential legislation, a few companies are now considering not only the early days of their products, but also what will happen to them when they have outlived their usefulness. BMW tried this on a small scale in 1988 when they introduced a limited edition of a roadster partially constructed with plastic panels that unfastened easily and could be recycled.
There are a few hurdles to be overcome. Often the variety of the different types of plastics used together in one product make recovery and recycling complex, as does a combination of both plastic and metal. However, more and more manufacturers, whether because of the carrot or the stick, are looking for ways to ensure that their products don’t end up at the bottom of a landfill.
