Challenges in Recycling
The United States is facing a recycling crisis. Recycling rates are low compared to other developed countries. It is cheaper to use landfills than invest in recycling infrastructure. China banned imports of much US waste. There is a lack of education on what is recyclable. Recycling systems are not streamlined across the country. The US lacks a domestic market for recyclable materials. Viable solutions like new legislation are gaining support. Investing in recycling infrastructure could boost US manufacturing.
Accessibility and Misconceptions
The top reason Americans say they don’t recycle regularly is a lack of convenient access. Then there’s the fact that items put in recycling aren’t always recycled. Only 5% to 6% of plastic waste generated annually in the U.S. gets recycled. The American recycling industry is worth an estimated $200 billion and creates more jobs than landfills and other related industries. However, even communities where recycling is a deep commitment are paying a premium to do it.
Contamination and Education
Contamination can prevent large batches of material from being recycled. Americans’ lack of recycling knowledge is the biggest barrier to being green. A survey revealed that 62 percent worry that a lack of knowledge is causing them to recycle incorrectly, and many respondents struggled when quizzed on whether or not different materials could be recycled.
System Revamp Needed
The whole recycling ecosystem needs to be revamped, with only half of Americans being able to recycle at home as easily as they can throw something away. In 2018, 292.4 million tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) were generated. About 94 million tons were recycled and composted, resulting in a 32.1 percent recycling rate.
The recycling rate in the US has increased over time, but it still only accounts for materials that are actually recycled. Access to recycling programs varies widely, with some cities reaching high recycling rates and others falling below the national average. The recycling industry struggles to reprocess all collected recyclables, and contamination is a huge problem. A lack of domestic demand and infrastructure to handle increased recycling volumes is apparent, and experts argue that the US system needs revamping to make recycling accessible and effective nationwide. The goal should be to create closed-loop systems and reduce single-use plastics.