I remember a few years ago at a place I was working, I asked the guy who picked up the trash why he was NOT separating the bags. He told me it doesn't matter as they all end up in the dump anyway!

For all forms of plastics the answer is easy -- burn it. It is made from oil, basically. Put it in a hot enough furnace and it burns really well -- making a lot of heat.

@bobbo666 Refining the "plastics" stream sufficiently to burn with a surplus of energy is as costly as the energy required to burn it without refining. There is no free lunch. Assuming a net positive energy from burning plastics lacks the facts.

@TimTuolomne I don't need a net positive. Just get rid of the stuff. Any leftover energy is gravy. And, you don't have to spend the energy many EU countries are expending shipping it all to 3rd world countries where it is piled up -- like the western US used to do when they shipped all sorts of crappola to China.

@bobbo666 You don't have to sell me on it. You have to sell the American public on the increased cost to do it. Look into it. You'll see what I mean.