Recycle WHY??. or why not?

[kalakoa]

Corporates see recyling as a liability issue -- you could hurt yourself scavenging, or you could sue later when your reuse of materials somehow results in injury. Cheaper to just throw everything away.

Plastic can be processed into construction material, commonly used for park benches and playground equipment, these can be seen in various places on-island, but the processing involves two more trips across the ocean when it should be happening locally (thinking "solar furnace in Kau", direct-fired via mirror array). Glass is even easier.