[sdiy] Future SYNTH-DIY

[Metrophage]

Hi,
I am beginning to be of the opinion that "disposal" and "waste" are
illusory terms, all of these sorts of problems are a matter of resource
management. Of course, most people who are products of the 20th century
still seem to believe that the stuff just goes "away". The real
solution is *how to separate the materials* which have gone through the
manufactring processes. For example, the only recycling which is
popular where I am (New England) are paper, glass, and metals. This is
probably because of two things: a profitable volume to process, and the
relatively simple task of removing the impurities. Consider glass
bottles, you burn the paper or plastic labels and adhesives off, and
you are left with almost only glass. So how does one approach sorting
through the various substances which make up an old AT motherboard? It
is even too difficult for many to separate the compunds in various
kinds of molded plastic, never mind more complex things like laminates
and circuit boards.

If people are digging up more of a given thing, or synthesizing it,
then so far as I am concerned it can and should be reprocessed rather
than wasted. Unfortunately, it probably won't be easy enough for
practical use until each house has a dishwasher-like appliance with
swarms of nanobots to sort the molecules into bins. Then watch DIY take
off! Synthetics, laminates, composites, etc - were never intended to be
reused. It will be difficult.

CJ



--- drheqx <drheqx at heqx.com> wrote:
> "Dispose" is the problem after all. Safe waste systems are all about
> Reuse, and Recycle. If we were given much more opportunity to bring
> our
> toxic wastes to a HAZMAT station that would really help the process.
> Toxic waste management systems concentrate all of the poisons into a
> manageable package. So in the end we are left with 100% recycled
> products in the supermarket and 100% toxic waste in the landfills. We
> are surrounded by toxins and it would be impossible to remove them
> all
> without shutting down society as we know it. So it is convenient for
> the
> law makers to put a Band-Aid on a high profile industry and claim
> victory. 
>  
>  
> Reuse and Recycle Electronics. It has to be done as a cottage
> industry.
> So it can be unregulated. We would need a lot of people who are
> willing
> to strip boards and sell the parts as used. I doubt that anyone would
> be
> willing to donate their time to that cause. 
>  
>  
> heqx
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> [mailto:owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of Peng
> Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 11:44 PM
> To: SDIY
> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Future SYNTH-DIY
>  
> 
> "R. D. Davis" <rdd at rddavis.org> wrote:
> ... Of course, if they didn't sit there and eat it, there
> wouldn't have been much of a problem for them, doh! ...same with
> sticking bits of lead paint in their mouths, but no, it's the fault
> of the lead paint and the landlords.
>  
>   I  think that point of view is wrong-headed. Children go through
> stages and one of them is to put any and everything they can get
> their
> hands on in their mouth. Landlords are not always the quickest to
> repair/upkeep the apartments they rent. So, I agree that the lead
> paint
> is not to blame. I'm reluctant to blame children for doing what comes
> naturally. The landlord is to blame, but meticulous upkeep costs more
> money which equals more rent which is sometimes not possible for a
> tenent to pay. That's the reality. Maybe banning lead paint is based
> on
> such realities.
>  
>   And maybe RoHS is, too. If circuit boards/electronics in landfills
> contributes significantly to lead in the water, soil, ourselves, Then
> I
> would blame the individual for disposing of it improperly (myself
> included). Is there an alternative/environmentally sound way to
> dispose
> of junk electronics?
>  
> peng
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
> http://mail.yahoo.com 
> 

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com