Your March 18 [Page 1] story “Electronics to carry fee for recycling” reports that the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and Californians Against Waste have problems with plastic waste, in particular burning and disposal of vinyl.
As most of your readers probably know, vinyl and other plastics can be disposed of safely and effectively like any other municipal or construction waste in conventional facilities.
These materials can also be — are being — recycled.
Plastics should not be disposed of in open burn barrels. Nor should any other material.
Open burning of anything creates all manner of pollutants.
As noted above, these points are probably well-known to most of your readers, although they may be news to the Toxics Coalition or Californians Against Waste.
Tim Burns
Vinyl Institute
Arlington, Va.
