Recycling Essay

5 October 2019

Government Regulations on Recycling

Recycling has many benefits, unfortunately, many states do not force people to recycle. Some states, Alaska for example, have zero systems in place to get people to recycle; other states, however, do provide recycling bins or charge a refundable fee on aluminum cans, this is not enough. States have undermined the problems the US have been facing when it comes to recycling for over 70 years. Since we can’t leave it to just a few volunteer agencies that offer recycling benefits and accessibility, then ultimately it should just be enforced by the federal government. Unless States or the federal government take action nothing will change, landfills will continue to grow and the environment will worsen. Recycling should be strictly enforced by the government and people should be penalized for not following regulations. This would increase revenue and create jobs that would ultimately boost the economy. But, in order for these things to take place the US government would have to regulate the several harmful single use plastic companies that have been thriving on the sales of their products for decades without being held accountable for the impact they’re leaving on the economy and the planet.

In order to understand why recycling needs to be strictly enforced by some form of the government you first need to understand the benefits of recycling. Reducing waste has several beneficial factors; like the ability to decrease the carbon footprint that we’re leaving for our children and future generations. Second those harmful single use goods like aluminum cans or beverage plastics can end up being re-used, to decrease the amount of waste in landfills polluting the soil and potentially the under-ground water system; or in the oceans where they are for sure devastating the very delicate eco-system that drives life on our planet. “More plastic has been created the past decade than the past 100 years.” (Susan Freinkel). By the government enforcing recycling that number can be brought down. Recycling can also increase jobs within our own country which would inevitably increase our way of life by living in a cleaner environment in which to raise a family, or boost the American economy.

The problem is that even if recycling bins are provided there is nothing stopping people from throwing away recyclable goods. If there was a law that penalized people for putting cans or plastics in the proper bin this would cause people to be more aware of their actions. It sounds harsh but if people are not going to help take care of their country with keeping it clean and trash free then it may just be a necessary evil. This could be enforced from spot checks on bins looking for recyclable material and the owner would be ticketed for not complying. Another issue is that recyclable material is contaminated. Several items like single use plastic water bottles, fast food straws and aluminum cans begin emitting potentially harmful toxins when exposed to direct sunlight or water. This could change by households cleaning off what they are putting in the bin and making sure they are not cross contaminating; and use the same type of fine penalty. In an article from the weekly states; “It's estimated that about 25 percent of American recyclables are contaminated with food waste and non-recyclable materials, according to the National Waste & Recycling Association trade group.” (The recycling crisis). Once a recyclable good is contaminated it can no longer be recycled and then turns to waste. Creating a new law could have an impact on not contaminating recyclable goods.

In the home is where recycling starts, and many households do not make a conscious effort to recycle. This problem is mostly the lack of education. Americans feel that if they put all their garbage; glass, plastics, bio-degradable items, anything they want, into a plastic bag and take that plastic bag to the end of their driveway into their trash bins and the trash is collected and taken away then the problem disappears. This mindset is what has created this enormous problem that we could’ve fixed if only we were more educated on the subject. In a study by the National Waste and Recycling Association said that ’’One third of Americans are not sure what can be recycled.” (Allan Gerlat). Very little information on the benefits of recycling are available to the public. If the state or federal government emplaced laws at the household level recycling would increase.

Recycling really could make an enormous difference but before it can be enforced it must be made available. This is one way to make the recycling crisis go away, is if state or federal governments actually made programs available to those who actually want to make a difference by recycling and creating a beret and cleaner country in which to live in. A cleaner waste free country has enormous benefits for the environment. Education is going to have the best impact for people to change their ways and government enforced programs is the only way to make this work because what current systems that are in place are not working.

Work Cited

Gerlat, Allan. “Americans Can Benefit from More Recycling Education – Study.” Waste360, 22 Apr. 2014, https://www.waste360.com/research-and-statistics/americans-can-benefit-more-recycling-education-study.

Staff, The Week. “The Recycling Crisis.” Image, The Week, 30 Mar. 2019, https://theweek.com/articles/831864/recycling-crisis.

Freinkel, Susan. Plastic: a Toxic Love Story. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), 2011.

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