this post was submitted on 23 May 2025
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"reusable" in really big quotation marks
Nah, there are a lot of glass and plastic bottles that do get reused a couple of times. You can oftentimes even spot a characteristic ring of scratch marks from the machines that process, clean and refill the bottles.
Typical „Mehrwegflaschen“ are
There are multiple standardised types and sizes that are used by a multitude of brands. They are not recycled but reused. (Well, they do get recycled, once they are either broken or show heavy signs of use. The „Normbrunnenflasche“, the 0,7L standard bottle for water, for example, gets refilled about 100 times.)
And of course there is the „Pfand“ (deposit) system: Depending on the type of bottle, you usually pay a 8ct or 15ct deposit on the bottles. The system works pretty well.
Of course, there’s also a lot of one way bottles. Those usually have a 25ct deposit and are not reusable but get recycled instead. They’re usually also being brought back to the store, people want their 25ct back after all. (And yes, I know a lot of them aren’t actually recycled but end up at a landfill all the same).
And of course, there are also a lot of glass bottles that are not being reused and instead recycled by default like wine bottles or some non-standard types.
Really? Got a source on that? I know that we're still not that good in recycling plastics in general, But last time I checked the quota of PET recycling was quite high.
Thanks to the deposit-return system, recycling rates for PET bottles in Germany are indeed very high. Over 97% actually (which is quite awesome). Still leaves a few percent that aren’t, which is still a lot of plastic but we’re way above average.
In the USA for example, only about a third of PET bottles get actually recycled. The rest heads to the landfill or the burner.
For the yellow bag in Germany btw. (our trash system for plastic and compound packaging, tin cans, aluminium foil, etc.), the recycling rate is about two thirds in total.
I mean, they get collected, washed, and reused. Not sure why the sarcasm about it?
Well, here in California we've decided that most stores are mandated to provide "reusable" plastic shopping bags (at a cost of $0.10 each) which are more durable and made of a thicker plastic.
I don't know a single person that treats them as any less disposable than the thin plastic bags they replaced. There is little to no information or infrastructure supporting recycling them.
I'm just glad the stores around here give paper bags if you ask for them.
reusable plastic bags are perfect for small trash bags for little litter, the non reusable variant needs 2-3 to prevent leakage, paper just sucks.
Why do you mean? Am I missing some context? Or do you think I'm conflating recyclable with reusable?
They actually do have re-use programs where bottles are cleaned and refilled. Unfortunately they also have single use, that are only recycled, I'm not trying to hide that. But the re-use program seems good to me. I wish we had it in Switzerland.
https://www.nabu.de/umwelt-und-ressourcen/ressourcenschonung/einzelhandel-und-umwelt/mehrweg/nabumehrwegguide.html
Some PET bottles are reusable in Germany, and the scuff marks are a very clear sign some of these bottles have been used a good dozen times.
It's not all bottles though, many will be crushed and recycled (I hope).
you shouldnt cause recycling is a scam and wastes energy and material. The guilt was pushed upon the consumer by the plastic industry.
Real solution would be regulations on what materials are allowed for packaging, and making clear guidelines how a thing should be packaged so you dont get 20 fucking boxes filled with plastic bags and peanuts and foam for a pet rock.
Du you have any sources on the claim that recycling is a scam?
Dude, >98% of the Bottles in Germany get recycled, and thanks to the deposit system they get pure PET out of it which is well recyclable.
Plastic pollution is a big problem. PET Bottles in Western Europe aren't a part of it. Other plastics are
Dude, why are you spreading bullshit when it's quite obvious you have no clue?
There is no such thing as an indefinitely recyclable plastic. The best kind can only be recycled a few times.
Reusable is different than recyclable. They mentioned reusable plastic as in you make it out of a thicker material and only wash it in between uses so that by the time it’s actually damaged enough to be recycled it’s been used many times
You can do that if you want to eat a lot of microplastics
You're constantly moving Goalposts. Point is, "Mehrweg"-Bottles in Germany are getting refilled, and they are more environmentally friendly than the single use ones. The PET-Multiuse even more so because they have smaller transport emissions thanks to the smaller weight
That’s not where all our microplastics are coming from, the much bigger concern is driving cars which leaches a bunch of microplastics from the tires that end up in our waterways. By reusing the plastics you have less deliveries so less microplastics in your local water supply
Micro rubbers, I much prefer to believe we're just helping the microscopic life forms practice safe sex. It's the only way to stop viruses from spreading 🤷♀️