The Ugly Truth About Recycling
It was the fall of 2005.
Like any other Tuesday, I went to pick up my recycling bin that I had left by the curb.
Much to my surprise, the bin was still full with a nasty note attached stating I was in violation of a municipal code regarding what I tried to recycle.
Although everything in the bin had a recycling symbol on it, no specifics were mentioned about exactly why my recycling contents were rejected.
Instead, much to my horror, I saw a list of potential fines I would incur for repeated offenses.
Although the town kept a low profile on their reasons for not recycling certain items, word through the grapevine was that they don't like recycling plastic food containers because they believe it attracts rodents at the recycling center.
Even though I always put my used frozen food containers in the dishwasher and even pre-rinsed to make sure they were 100% clean, this apparently was not enough for the town.
Rather than sending out a warning to people who were putting dirty food containers in their recycling, the township decided it was better to regard these items as trash.
In a city with 80,000 plus residents, this meant that thousands of frozen food containers, plastic cups and other items bearing the recycling symbol could potentially end up as trash each day.
In response to the threats, many people stopped recycling altogether.
Realizing their error, the town quickly reversed its policy of playing hardball but stuck to its guns about not accepting certain items.
In a perfect world, everything that contains the recycling symbol would be recycled.
The reality is that many items are disregarded at recycling centers all over the country.
Although some municipalities and states have taken great initiatives to end this wastefulness, until there are federal guidelines to prevent towns from not recycling what they don't want to recycle, millions of tons of debris will end up in landfills annually that could have been prevented.
What can we do? Aside from supporting new legislation that bans wasteful practices, education is key.
Spreading the word about biodegradable alternatives such as corn starch utensils, sugar cane cups/bowls/plates and biodegradable peanuts (packaging material) and biodegradable/compostable trash bags can help.
Another way to make a difference is to abstain from buying products whenever possible that contain non-recyclable materials.
Straws for example, are unnecessary for hydration and outside of hospitals, probably should be banned.
Knowing the proper procedures for how to recycle and what your town will accept can also help.
Although we still have a long way to go before every recyclable item is given a second chance, the first step to fixing a problem is knowing that it exists.
The future of our planet and the legacy we leave behind is up to us now.
We can pretend there is no problem until our landfills are overfilled, our taxes increase and pristine environments are destroyed or we can take an active stand now and resolve to end this wastefulness while there is still time.
Like any other Tuesday, I went to pick up my recycling bin that I had left by the curb.
Much to my surprise, the bin was still full with a nasty note attached stating I was in violation of a municipal code regarding what I tried to recycle.
Although everything in the bin had a recycling symbol on it, no specifics were mentioned about exactly why my recycling contents were rejected.
Instead, much to my horror, I saw a list of potential fines I would incur for repeated offenses.
Although the town kept a low profile on their reasons for not recycling certain items, word through the grapevine was that they don't like recycling plastic food containers because they believe it attracts rodents at the recycling center.
Even though I always put my used frozen food containers in the dishwasher and even pre-rinsed to make sure they were 100% clean, this apparently was not enough for the town.
Rather than sending out a warning to people who were putting dirty food containers in their recycling, the township decided it was better to regard these items as trash.
In a city with 80,000 plus residents, this meant that thousands of frozen food containers, plastic cups and other items bearing the recycling symbol could potentially end up as trash each day.
In response to the threats, many people stopped recycling altogether.
Realizing their error, the town quickly reversed its policy of playing hardball but stuck to its guns about not accepting certain items.
In a perfect world, everything that contains the recycling symbol would be recycled.
The reality is that many items are disregarded at recycling centers all over the country.
Although some municipalities and states have taken great initiatives to end this wastefulness, until there are federal guidelines to prevent towns from not recycling what they don't want to recycle, millions of tons of debris will end up in landfills annually that could have been prevented.
What can we do? Aside from supporting new legislation that bans wasteful practices, education is key.
Spreading the word about biodegradable alternatives such as corn starch utensils, sugar cane cups/bowls/plates and biodegradable peanuts (packaging material) and biodegradable/compostable trash bags can help.
Another way to make a difference is to abstain from buying products whenever possible that contain non-recyclable materials.
Straws for example, are unnecessary for hydration and outside of hospitals, probably should be banned.
Knowing the proper procedures for how to recycle and what your town will accept can also help.
Although we still have a long way to go before every recyclable item is given a second chance, the first step to fixing a problem is knowing that it exists.
The future of our planet and the legacy we leave behind is up to us now.
We can pretend there is no problem until our landfills are overfilled, our taxes increase and pristine environments are destroyed or we can take an active stand now and resolve to end this wastefulness while there is still time.
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