Standing among bales of crushed plastic bottles and piles of books waiting to be recycled, Lau says that one kilogram of waste paper would have gotten about 18 cents this time last year.

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The art is their plastic toys, swimming trophies, pictures, books and hideous horse and fairy ornaments.

WSJ: Silly Parent, Good Design Is for Kids | Living Well by Rita Konig

Books are hounded from the shelves, replaced by row upon row of silver discs in plastic cases.

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