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This.

I've since learnt "recycling" meant more on the line of "collect+transport+sort+ship it out of sight". It was a business like any other, when it was profitable everything chugged along just fine.. as soon as money stopped flowing things gets ugly.

I wonder if there's any opportunity in this. or is it basically wait for some other country to pick up the demand.

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a dozen years ago, e-waste (electronics recycling) got a lot of attention, when the EU passed their version of the guidelines.. currently, with all things considered, its just an economic cost. There is no "opportunity" .. if that means make money.. many well-intentioned people (and some not well-intentioned) went broke attempting to make electronics recycling work. Plastics has all the burden and none of the value, compared to the electronics waste stream.

Then crank the cost until it is an opportunity. A failed half-measure means we need a whole measure, not to abandon the idea. We only have one world.

Recycling is very much labour intensive which is expensive in Europe. And you have to deal with all kinds of toxic stuff.

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