As the US economy continues to slow, our demand for Chinese goods diminishes and China’s demand for the world's recyclables, used to produce some of these goods, has subsequently diminished. Now our trash is stuck on our shores!
Recyclable materials, such as cardboard and plastic, are sent to China to be used in the creation and packaging of Chinese goods. A particularly high demand resource, plastic is used to produce shoe insoles, wrap Chinese made products, and even to make the lining of coats. This was a profitable exchange: we profited by unloading our refuse, China profited from cheap raw materials, and the environment profited from the recycling.
Due to the present economic crisis across the globe, the demand for these Chinese goods has decreased. Huge piles of recyclable refuse from the US and other countries have no place to go. Chinese recyclers are losing money and cannot currently use or sell the recycled materials for a profit.
"You want to know why our prices are dropping?" says Zhang Zhongming, 43, who moved to the village 20 years ago from Henan. "It's because of the U.S. economic crisis. It's affecting the whole world. We're facing 50% losses."
The ripples from the economic crises in the US can have profound effects on parts of the globe many of us don’t even think about, not to mention the complex environmental effects. On the one hand we, as a global community, will be producing less, ultimately resulting in less waste. On the other hand, as we are seeing here, the demand for materials is less, which hurts the current recycling industry, in the short term leaving us with waste we don't know what to do with.
Another ripple to consider is that less production means less demand for energy and fossil fuels, which could mean less GHG emissions. On the other hand less demand for the fossil fuels have caused prices to drop which makes it more affordable to consume and reduces some of the incentives for cleaner, renewable energy technology.
This is a very complex system in which no one can predict exactly where things will end up, but hopefully, some lessons will be learned. Hopefully the concept of doing more with less and the integrated bottom line will prevail. Until the dust settles however, we need to be mindful of the dangers we still can't see.
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This being such a economically responsible site, I’m surprised you did not write about the inefficiencies of this arrangement. This is a centralized global system at it’s most extreme, and as such, is quite wasteful. (And to say that “the environment profited” is quite inaccurate.)
For the West to act as a giant store to China’s giant factory means a whole lot of unnecessary mileage. For the West to stop producing simply because it is being undercut by China is also central to why the collapse is happening in the first place.
Enough! This was an arrangement destined to fail. It is failing. It’s about time.
oops, I meant “environmentally responsible”…
As energy prices rise (despite this temporary downturn) and we become more aware of efficiencies in the supply chain the notion of shipping goods and waste around the globe will have less appeal.
Despite the brainwashing we’ve received as to the benefits of trade (which largely favor the major corporations as opposed to the citizens) there are many advantages to producing and recycling close to home.
I firmly believe that each state in the U.S must create and enforce new proper disposal laws by private as well as commercial sector’s.Once each state’s legislature sets the guidlines for the new law,then it will be up to each city,town and rural area to set up a system for everyone to follow no exceptions,those who do not comply will be fined as well as the refusal of their garbage being picked up. each resident or business who’s trash is refused by city workers,will be entered into a data base inwhich that person will be contacted by city officials about why they were refused at that point they will be fined say $50.00 for refusal to comply with city and state compliance code and will continue to be fined and additional $50.00 everytime they refuse to comply and an additional fines and penalties for the accumilation of refused trash pickup.Fines collected by officials will be used for staffing recycling centers, containers.Fined individuals will settle their accounts in a public municiple court system.Yes it has come to this,we have no other successful foreseable solutions at this time.
omg , what is in the boat.