Trash \ Water Pollution New Challanges

[Factory Overlord]

While Factorio has "Pollution" it doesn't seem to give it a more "physical" representation.
I think this could allow more technology trees to appear and give the player new challenges.

Metals -> Slag
Wood -> Chips ( crates )
Production Process -> Toxic Waste ( Barrels )

So when you are in early phases - you produce a lot of waste.
As you progress in technology tree - you can upgrade your machines to produce less and refine more
You will also be able to refine the waste into other useful materials increasing the efficiency of your machines more.

Early on you will need to Dump waste into Open areas.
These "Waste Areas" attract aliens, which use it as food to get stronger and more numbers.
Toxic Waste Mutates them - meaning you need to be careful where you dump it.

Which means you could dump waste in the center of your base, but then you take up valuable space for your machines.
Dumping near water has a chance to pollute the water resource, meaning you will have to now create a water purifier which can delay production because of its output it low.


PROs
Adds more diversity instead of just - new materials new machines.
Still gives new machines but those machines are based to solve problems you make
Gives Aliens a more focus on killing you and getting stronger

CONs
Adds to micromanagement

[Ranakastrasz]

Reminds me of Super Energy Apocalypse Recycled.

And as long as you can't just put it in chests then shoot the chests, this seems like it could be interesting.

[Factory Overlord]

I am thinking they would be indestructible but moveable \ material for further items.

For example you designate an area as a "trash heap"

Conveyor belt drops all the trash in that area, the more the trash the more aliens come there to grab some and steal it back to the hive.
Hive grows as it steals more trash. ( Which also reduces the amount of trash in the area but makes aliens stronger )

There is a limit to the amount of trash per tile.
You can then use a "Compactor" to compact the trash even more - allowing you to store more trash in an area ( again compacted trash is even more nutritious to aliens )

So essentially you need to defend your trash against aliens.

You eventually can get a recycler \ sorter \ smelter - which can melt some trash into useful metal and more refined slag.
The Super Slag + Toxic Waste can be combined into high tech ammo to fight Aliens.

[JimBarracus]

And as long as you can't just put it in chests then shoot the chests, this seems like it could be interesting.

Just this.
Items should be indestructable.
destroyed chest -> items all over the place
destroyed building -> rubble
destroyed car/power pole etc -> steel wreck

Should be possible that destroyed entities drop items. Spawners could do that.
Not sure about the chests. (they need to drop the content)

[Factory Overlord]

I think it would be better if trash can't be added into chests at all.
But only can be added to designated "landfills"

If you destroy belt with trash on it, it doesn't "disappear" but "contaiminates" the ground.
Any machine touching the "contamination" reduces effieceny by 50%
and attracts waves of aliens until the player cleans the contamination.

[darkfrei]

Should be possible that destroyed entities drop items. Spawners could do that.
Not sure about the chests. (they need to drop the content)

That is what the Looting Remnants do.

I'm sure that someone has already done the mod with chest item dropping, the same for all inventories of all another entities.