Re: I divide recycling into three types
Also sometimes we recycle when re-use or dumping is better.
Glass:
We are NEVER going to run out of sand etc.
It is no harm to fill a hole in the ground.
It may take more oil etc to recycle than make new glass.
If colours are mixed in the waste glass it's a problem.
Reuse can save energy.
Paper may also be problematical. It's interesting that you have to now pay paper factories to take old paper. Also there are different kinds of paper made:
Kleenex / Kotex type stuff isn't really paper
Wood pulp based paper
Rag based (presumably it matters if Cotton, Linen, Wool etc and if a mix)
Paper with surface finishes (glossy magazines, inkjet photo paper).
I presume this why unsorted waste paper has negative value.
It makes sense to recycle Lead Car & Truck batteries. Possibly in recycling Lithium batteries (but primary are 4 technologies and rechargeable are different). But is there really value in recycling an unsorted mix of Layer, Alkaline, Zinc Carbon, Zinc Chloride and Zinc Air batteries?
I don't know but I'm suspicious.