read in the newspaper that the city actually makes money from the recycle waste it gathers! (Aluminum, Paper and Glass)
Please consider this idea that could change every city and the way we deal with garbage and the people they have in jails.
Cities produces tons of garbage.
A lot of this garbage is recyclable or could be used to generate energy.
Our city has people jailed.
Imagine if a recycling plant and garbage dump could be co-joined with a jail. Prisoners (Volunteers who want to work and be paid for their work) could work at the plant to “sort” all of the garbage as it comes in (using robotics from inside enclosed cubicles to protect them from Hazmat) . The proceeds from recycle sales would finance the operation and provide prisoners some money upon the completion of their time. Energy generated could run the plant. Excess energy could be sold.
Now all we need is a city to lead the nation in this effort.
Thank you!
I agree
No opinion
I disagree
Add your comment
If the concept is viable and produces a profit why is it necessary to involve prison labor?
Here we have private garbage haulers. We have local laws requiring certain products (Glass, paper, cardboard, plastic, ferrous & nonferrous metals) to be recycled rather than go to the landfill. The private garbage haulers also handle the recycled goods and the recycling is subsidized by my tax dollars. Apparently there isn't enough profit for a private company to make a go of it. I suspect the same is true in other places.
Aluminum is generally recycled by each individual household as the infrastructure was developed long before the recyling of plastic and glass became even marginally feasable. That and 40 cents a pound is a good incentive to deal with aluminum on your own so people are reluctant to toss aluminum into the general recycling bin every Wednesday.
The profit largley depends on the government collection of funds as a sale-tax regressive tax on the consumption of cans & bottles. That does not make this a bad idea.
Using prison labor to sort the trash has a certain appeal, let the punishement fit the crime & all that... but I'm not sure it would work -- would they make trash-weapons?
Its worth thinking about.