But the extra cost of picking the stuff up separately is more than they can charge for it. Today, however, paper is 40 percent of all municipal waste, and landfill space is scarce. Slowly, social incentives may be shifting. In 100 years, this stuff will still be around. Liz thought that was hilarious.
Ocean dumping is now illegal, and so is uncontrolled incineration.
Both battles lasted a hundred years. Elise Hancock is the magazine's senior editor. Send EMail to Johns Hopkins Magazine Return to table of contents.