[LINK] packaging and rubish

Kim Holburn kim at holburn.net
Wed Aug 30 14:30:28 AEST 2006


Le 2006 Aug 30, à 11:17 AM, l'agent provocateur a écrit
> linkers, the cost of packaging relative to the costs of the goods  
> is minor,
> and the risk of damage to goods far outweighs savings from flimsy  
> packaging.
> so as usual the market is working fine.

Not really, it doesn't come into the equation until governments make  
it.  Just like lots of things that the government makes companies do  
that they wouldn't do anyway like sell goods of merchantable quality,  
sell safe goods etc.

> what we are seeing here is that some people value the environment
> disproportionately and apply that value to packaging. in this context
> packaging is seen a a problem in need of a solution. from the  
> viewpoint
> of the packager, packaging is seen in the correct context: it is a
> solution to a problem.

No what we see is that economics and commerce don't factor in the  
cost to the environment and business treats it as a free resource.

> to suggest suppliers be forced to take packaging back is lanutic  
> asylum
> material. the logistics of this would be simply unrealistic.

Already happens with rechargeable batteries.

> further to suggest that supplier be taxed for the disposal of the  
> packaging is
> equally nonsensical. currently packaging forms the input to the
> recycling business. that basically means that the supply industry  
> would
> not only pay for the materials that are input into the recycling  
> business but
> actually then on top pay for its operations.

I'm sure it could be worked out.  Basically the recycling "industry"  
is largely supported by governments because it's not really viable in  
the current economic climate.  A disposal tax could make it work.

> few ideas could be more absurd.

To someone who has a stake in the status quo.

> the problems here are simply that the costs are already taken into
> consideration in the supply chain and recycling chains and the  
> overvaluing
> of packaging as a problem is the real issue.

Except the costs to the environment are not taken into account.


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Kim Holburn
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