Garbage In, Garden Out

摘要

Of course we know that enlightened readers such as yourself separate your paper, plastic, and glass. But someone out there sure doesn't- more than 63 million tons of US recyclables end up in landfills every year. Global Renew-ables might be able to shrink that number. The Australia-based company built a facility in Sydney that combines every trash-sorting technology imaginable-wind sifters, optical scanners, magnets, electrical currents. It diverts 75 percent of the city's waste stream to recycling, conservi ng landfill space and cutting down on greenhouse gases. Rotting garbage gives off methane, so less landfill equals less climatic apocalypse. On the strength of its Sydney plant, Global Renewables just got $627 million to construct two similar facilities i n the UK. Here's how they separate the treasure from the trash.