Hey there!
You're correct, the statement "always recycle" can indeed be an oversimplification in certain contexts. Here's why:
1 ) Technology Maturity: If a technology hasn't fully achieved its level one unity, it might not be efficient or effective enough to recycle certain materials. This could result in more harm than good, such as increased energy consumption or pollution.
2) Energy and Material Intensity: The process of recycling can sometimes be more energy-intensive or material-intensive than extracting raw materials. For instance, recycling certain types of plastic can require more energy than producing new plastic from petroleum.
3) Landfill Availability : If there is still ample landfill space available, it might be more cost-effective and less energy-intensive to dispose of certain waste materials in a landfill rather than recycling them. However, this needs to be balanced with the environmental impact of landfills.
4) Resource Availability: If there are plenty of certain resources available, it might be more efficient and less harmful to the environment to extract new materials rather than recycling old ones. This is particularly true for abundant resources like sand or certain types of metal ores.