INCINERATION IS NOT RECYCLING
(Revised: Dec. 2025)

Once again, politicians show that they are either naive, or fools, or corrupted by the large political contributions (payola) of big corporations. They created and passed a bill (Florida Statues 403.7032 - Recycling) that seems to be good for the environment (or good for nature). However, they failed to clearly indicate that "solid waste" been incinerated, to create energy, should NOT include recyclable materials such as;  aluminum, glass, and plastics labeled type 1 or type 2.

Florida's waste management companies, such as "Waste Pro", believe that the last sentence of paragraph 2 of FS-403.7032 gives them the right to incinerate "anything" they collect as solid waste. So they are collecting a mix of trash (real solid waste) and the recyclable materials that they used to collect, from the blue carts. And they are sending it all to incinerators.

Incinerating certain plastics, releases dioxin into the air. Dioxin is used in agent Orange and herbicides.

Definition of dioxin:
    Any of several toxic or carcinogenic hydrocarbons that occur as impurities in herbicides.

Are they doing this out of ignorance, stupidity, malice, greed, or "failure to communicate" (as "Cool Hand Luke" would have said)?. You be the judge!

Are they trying to redefine words?
Let's help them understand these important words.

RECYCLE - To reuse, to repeat a cycle, to use again after processing.

INCINERATION - The act of burning something completely; reducing it to ashes.

CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY - Solar, Hydroelectric, Wind, Geothermal.

DIRTY RENEWABLE ENERGY - Biodiesel, Ethanol, Landfill Gas, Wood waste, non-recyclable solid waste.

Why do I separate renewable energy into a clean and a dirty type?

Because, the dirty types deplete the Oxygen from the atmosphere (burning is fast oxidation) and release carbon compounds into the atmosphere, increasing the green house effect.

REFERENCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/renewable-sources/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incineration
Florida Status 403.7032

Here are the first two paragraphs of 403.7032



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