Works in Progress essay argues landfill often beats recycling on cost and environment

Writers Alex Chalmers and Rob Wiblin make the case that landfilling waste, when done properly, is frequently cheaper, cleaner, and more environmentally sound than recycling or reusing materials. They point to plastic bags versus cotton totes as a key example: plastic bags require a fraction of the energy to produce and dispose of compared to the water- and energy-intensive process of making reusable cotton alternatives.