Comments for Flo-Bro

Comment on The surprising benefits of burning plastics by Benjamin

Benjamin — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 20:15:53 +0000

In reply to David.

Absolutely inane. The post you linked to cites only 2 downsides to municipal incineration of waste: carbon emissions and (I kid you not) racial equity concerns (in Europe, LOL). How is this “much more harmful” than recycling? Here are 2 papers from the last year which show how recycling is not only largely a sham, but also outright harmful to consumers’ health:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772416623000803
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352340923008090

Carbon emissions are a MUCH more tractable problem than plastic pollution, as we already have a million potential solutions (reforestation, regenerative grazing, renewable energy sources, public transit, among many others). However, the proliferation of plastics in the environment has NO available solution besides total conversion of environmental plastic into heat and non-volatile gases. What are we supposed to do, keep geometrically scaling plastic production & consumption forever, landfilling it, letting the 3rd world dump it in the ocean? Without any attempt to gather up the plastic in the environment and dispose of it responsibly?

The post’s OP has presented a great idea: simple, affordable, and effective devices which can be distributed to convert plastic into useful energy, burn off the volatile compounds that aren’t effectively caught by open firing of plastic, AND effectively incentivize a crowd-sourced solution to plastic pollution (the current status quo has every incentive going the opposite way: developing countries’ populations measurably do not give a shit about littering, they think it’s convenient: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/visualized-ocean-plastic-waste-pollution-by-country/).

With solutions like that proposed here, we could move the needle on plastic pollution for the first time since its invention. And you’re countersignaling it. What’s wrong with you?

Comment on Boat trip to Flores by DTS

DTS — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 07:38:38 +0000

It sounds like an incredible journey filled with unforgettable moments and breathtaking scenery.

Comment on Save the oceans, burn plastic by Radek Oborny

Radek Oborny — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 07:41:21 +0000

In reply to Mas Kodd. Hi there, thanks for the comment. Plastics that we do not recycle,unless they end up landfilled, are in fact often incinerated...and also very much loved by incinerator operators, since they are of such a high caloric value, as opposed to mixed organic waste. If your stove burns cleanly, just do what you researched is right :)

Comment on Save the oceans, burn plastic by Mas Kodd

Mas Kodd — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 07:29:18 +0000

Thank you for your article. I have often wondered why we dont burn plastics which we can or will not recycle. They are usually made out of oil which we have a ravenous appetite for burning, so why just put them in the ground after we are done with them?? Obviously, as you have mentioned, some thought as to how we burn them is required but that is nothing new to designers of fuel burners. As to why ignorant people are so opposed to burning some plastics, we appear to live in an age where fickle feelings determine right and wrong rather than evidence. So before I read your article, I was already burning LDPE in my wood burner during winter (HDPE is well recycled where I live). While these apparently biodegrade relatively easily and quickly, we generate so much of the stuff that I wanted to at least reduce my impact. Following your article I will also add PP and PET to my list where they are in a form that is not recycled locally.

Comment on Save the oceans, burn plastic by Radek Oborny

Radek Oborny — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 03:36:23 +0000

In reply to David S.. Hi, thanks for the comment. I think you're doing the right thing, especially by thinking about what you do critically!

Comment on Save the oceans, burn plastic by David S.

David S. — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 13:34:47 +0000

I often use polyethylene bags such as those which wrap bread as kindling. I place a layer of rolled newspaper. Then a couple of poly bags with some paper inside. Then dried orange peel, twigs & chopped wood. This is in a wood stove. I sometimes chuck thin contaminated plastics food packaging on a hot fire. There is never discernible residue in the ashes. The chimney sweep is complimentary too.

Comment on The surprising benefits of burning plastics by Jasmine

Jasmine — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 11:23:46 +0000

I’m from India…As mentioned in the article, most developing countries do not invest in any kind of systematic, comprehensive or meaningful waste management. I was born and brought up in a developed country where waste management was taken seriously, because of which I was appalled by how even the most scenic of tourist locations had plastic and even human waste littered.
Even today my neighborhood doesn’t have a transparent waste disposal system…I live in a flat in the city. Luckily I’ve a biogas plant for my food waste, which only I use…I also hv an incinerator for sanitary napkins…some plastic and paper waste are bought by vendors…but most of it, especially plastic covers from food and other packaging items, glass, aluminum foils, thermocol, used clothes, foot-wear etc. are stored and taken by me to my village. Luckily, my village panchayat has started a waste management program.
I was just trying to say, as I was exposed to waste management in my childhood, I take all that pain. Many ppl just litter and dump waste wherever they can. If waste management is a paid service, financially strained ppl try to get around that.
As noted by the author, waste management is a culturally ingrained and socio-economic phenomenon. Burning is a practice people in developed countries can readily practice, if the conditions mentioned by the author are available and the science behind burning is solid. I wish there was a better way. But until then….
If you have been in a country where littering is the norm (it makes you feel the world is hopeless!), and if you feel empathetic for the ocean life, this alternative is far better. Again only if the science behind it is solid.
Thanks for this article. I started reading more on the topic.

Comment on The surprising benefits of burning plastics by Radek Oborny

Radek Oborny — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:42:14 +0000

In reply to Angie. Hi, thanks for your tip. I think I chose the title on purpose like this.

Comment on The surprising benefits of burning plastics by Radek Oborny

Radek Oborny — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:41:25 +0000

In reply to Alison. Hi, in general, the best idea is burning it in a stove where you can use the heat for another purpose - for example cooking or energy generation. It is best to use it as an addition to other fuels such as wood. Make sure that everything you burn is first dry!

Comment on The surprising benefits of burning plastics by Alison

Alison — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 13:49:20 +0000

Hi, good article. I wondered if you had made any progress with your plastic combusted stoves since 2017. I live on an island on Lake Victoria, Uganda, setting up and implementing the country’s first protected area or fish breeding/growing area. The Fisheries Protection Unit capture a lot of illegal nets and burn them in the open, emitting poisonous toxins into our clean air.
Your stoves could be a good solution.