On: 50 Years Ago, Sugar Industry Paid Scientists to Po...

[AceyMan]

I've been wanting to post an Ask HN on this: What's to stop us from going back to steel, paper and glass? You know, packaging we can actually recycle.

[Pasorrijer → AceyMan]

Last three years I've been in the Netherlands, all pop was glass bottles, similar with most water

[matthewdgreen → AceyMan]

And more importantly, how much of a tax would it take to make single-use plastic bottles uneconomical? Are we talking 20 cents?

[vpribish → AceyMan]

close the externality with a carbon tax

[Ma8ee → AceyMan]

Not very much. I rarely buy beverages in anything else than aluminium, glass or cardboard. For some food stuff, like meat, cheese and some vegetables I think it is hard to get rid of plastics completely, but you can easily reduce the amount by 80%-90%.

[marcosdumay → AceyMan]

Making those things emits a lot more pollution than plastics. And costs a lot more too.

[Ma8ee → marcosdumay]

Why do you think so?

[nick3443 → AceyMan]

Profits

[apothegm → AceyMan]

Cost differences and price sensitivity.

[namdnay → AceyMan]

Convenience