# What really happens to your recycling

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv21y8ug001gif06how7cpg2
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 14 steps across 2 layers
- Persona: You, Collection truck, Buyers of materials
- Technology / systems: Sorting plant

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **Turn it into new products** (What really happens to your recycling; painful): Many plastics are not worth recycling at today's prices

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## What really happens to your recycling

Lanes:
- You: person / role (id `you`)
- Collection truck: person / role (id `truck`)
- Sorting plant: technology / system (id `plant`)
- Buyers of materials: person / role (id `market`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Rinse and drop items in the bin** [start; You; id `r1`]
   - then Collect and haul it to the plant
2. **Collect and haul it to the plant** [task; Collection truck; id `r2`]
   - then Machines separate paper, metal, glass and plastic
3. **Machines separate paper, metal, glass and plastic** [subprocess; Sorting plant; id `r3`], opens the detail layer "How the plant sorts"
   - then Is the load too dirty or mixed?
4. **Is the load too dirty or mixed?** [decision; Sorting plant; id `r4`]
   - if "Yes" go to It goes to landfill; if "No" go to Bale each material
5. **It goes to landfill** [end; Sorting plant; id `r5`]
6. **Bale each material** [task; Sorting plant; id `r6`]
   - then Mills buy paper, metal and glass
7. **Mills buy paper, metal and glass** [task; Buyers of materials; id `r7`]
   - then Is there a buyer for plastic?
8. **Is there a buyer for plastic?** [decision; Buyers of materials; id `r8`]
   - if "Yes" go to Turn it into new products; if "No" go to It goes to landfill
9. **Turn it into new products** [task; Buyers of materials; id `r9`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (painful): Many plastics are not worth recycling at today's prices
   - then Buy products made with recycled material
10. **Buy products made with recycled material** [end; You; id `r10`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_you["You"]
    n_r1(["Rinse and drop items in the bin"])
    n_r10(["Buy products made with recycled material"])
  end
  subgraph l_truck["Collection truck"]
    n_r2["Collect and haul it to the plant"]
  end
  subgraph l_plant["Sorting plant"]
    n_r3[["Machines separate paper, metal, glass and plastic"]]
    n_r4{"Is the load too dirty or mixed?"}
    n_r5(["It goes to landfill"])
    n_r6["Bale each material"]
  end
  subgraph l_market["Buyers of materials"]
    n_r7["Mills buy paper, metal and glass"]
    n_r8{"Is there a buyer for plastic?"}
    n_r9["Turn it into new products"]
  end
  n_r1 --> n_r2
  n_r2 --> n_r3
  n_r3 --> n_r4
  n_r4 -->|"Yes"| n_r5
  n_r4 -->|"No"| n_r6
  n_r6 --> n_r7
  n_r7 --> n_r8
  n_r8 -->|"Yes"| n_r9
  n_r8 -->|"No"| n_r5
  n_r9 --> n_r10
```

### How the plant sorts (detail of step "Machines separate paper, metal, glass and plastic")

Lanes:
- Sorting plant: technology / system (id `plant`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Screens separate flat and round items** [start; Sorting plant; id `s1`]
   - then Magnets pull steel cans
2. **Magnets pull steel cans** [task; Sorting plant; id `s2`]
   - then Eddy currents push out aluminum
3. **Eddy currents push out aluminum** [task; Sorting plant; id `s3`]
   - then Optical scanners blow plastics into bins
4. **Optical scanners blow plastics into bins** [end; Sorting plant; id `s4`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_plant["Sorting plant"]
    n_s1(["Screens separate flat and round items"])
    n_s2["Magnets pull steel cans"]
    n_s3["Eddy currents push out aluminum"]
    n_s4(["Optical scanners blow plastics into bins"])
  end
  n_s1 --> n_s2
  n_s2 --> n_s3
  n_s3 --> n_s4
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "What really happens to your recycling",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "you",
          "name": "You",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "truck",
          "name": "Collection truck",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "plant",
          "name": "Sorting plant",
          "type": "system"
        },
        {
          "id": "market",
          "name": "Buyers of materials",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "r1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Rinse and drop items in the bin"
        },
        {
          "id": "r2",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "truck",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Collect and haul it to the plant"
        },
        {
          "id": "r3",
          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "plant",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r4"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "child": "m_sort",
          "label": "Machines separate paper, metal, glass and plastic"
        },
        {
          "id": "r4",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "plant",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r5",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "r6",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Is the load too dirty or mixed?"
        },
        {
          "id": "r5",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "plant",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "It goes to landfill"
        },
        {
          "id": "r6",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "plant",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Bale each material"
        },
        {
          "id": "r7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "market",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r8"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Mills buy paper, metal and glass"
        },
        {
          "id": "r8",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "market",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r9",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "r5",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Is there a buyer for plastic?"
        },
        {
          "id": "r9",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "market",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "r10"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Many plastics are not worth recycling at today's prices",
            "level": 2
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Turn it into new products"
        },
        {
          "id": "r10",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Buy products made with recycled material"
        }
      ],
      "title": "What really happens to your recycling",
      "parent": null
    },
    "m_sort": {
      "id": "m_sort",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "plant",
          "name": "Sorting plant",
          "type": "system"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "s1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "plant",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "s2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Screens separate flat and round items"
        },
        {
          "id": "s2",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "plant",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "s3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Magnets pull steel cans"
        },
        {
          "id": "s3",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "plant",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "s4"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Eddy currents push out aluminum"
        },
        {
          "id": "s4",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "plant",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Optical scanners blow plastics into bins"
        }
      ],
      "title": "How the plant sorts",
      "parent": {
        "map": "m_root",
        "step": "r3"
      }
    }
  }
}
```