Recycling in the United States

Some cities, such as Seattle, and states like Connecticut,[7] have created mandatory recycling laws that may fine citizens who throw away a certain percentage of recyclable materials in their garbage waste. Vermont also employed a landfill ban of recyclable materials, food and yard waste, and wood.[8] There are also voluntary programs and educational programs to increase recycling where it is not mandated by law.

Disposal of recyclables in the garbage is not allowed from households, businesses, and apartments. For businesses, that would include prohibiting discarding cardboard, paper, and yard waste in the trash. For apartments and houses, disposal of glass, paper, cardboard, aluminum, and plastic in the garbage would not be allowed. With businesses and apartments, if garbage collectors find more than 10 percent of the container filled with recyclables, they will leave a tag. After a third instance, the business or apartment tenants will receive a $50 fine. However, households do not face the risk of being fined. If trash collectors find over 10 percent of their garbage contains recyclables, they will leave a tag asking the household to separate the garbage and recyclables for collection the following week.[9]

In a 1996 article in The New York Times, John Tierney claimed that government mandated recycling wastes more resources than it saves.[10] Tierney's article received a referenced critique from the Environmental Defense Fund, which noted that "the article relied heavily on quotes and information supplied by a group of consultants and think tanks that have strong ideological objections to recycling or a vested financial interest in opposing it".[11]

In 2003, Daniel K. Benjamin (a professor of economics at Clemson University) published a paper through the Property and Environment Research Center that reiterated many of the points brought up in the New York Times article,[10] backing them up with a detailed inquiry into the recycling industry of the US.[12] In 2010, he followed up on that with an updated look into the recycling policies of the US, finding that not much has changed.[13] After the government of China restricted imports of U.S. waste in 2017, prices fell. The Atlantic reports, for example, that one town which in the early 2000's could break even on recycling by selling it for $6/ton found that 15 years later it had to pay $125 a ton to recycle, versus $68 a ton to incinerate.[14]

[15]

• 251 million – tons of trash
• 82 million – tons of materials recycled
• 53.4 – percentage of all paper products recycled
• 32.5 – percentage of total waste that is recycled
• 100 – approximate percentage of increase in total recycling during the past decade
• 8,660 – number of curbside recycling programs in 2006
• 8,875 – number of curbside recycling programs in 2003
• 95 – percentage of energy saved by recycling an aluminum can, compared with manufacturing a new one
• 4.6 – pounds of trash per person per day (most in the world)
• 1.5 – pounds of recycled materials per person per day

Recycling materials waiting to be barged away on the Chicago River

Trash and recycle bin at George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Recycling statistics (ca. 2014)[16] with similar numbers as of 2015[17]

• An average of approximately 258 million tons of trash is generated by the United States in 2014
  • 34.6% was recycled
  • 12.8% was combusted for energy recovery
  • 52.6% was landfilled
• 4.4 pounds (2.0 kg) of trash is generated per capita per day in the United States

The New York Times reported in May 2018 that in some cases, 25% of all recyclables collected are sent to landfill.[18] Contamination can occur from unwashed plastics and greasy cardboard or paper items. If materials are not clean they are sent to landfills.

Recycling rates vary by material and product type. According the EPA in 2014:[16]

• 64.7% of Paper
• 33.0% of Steel
• 26.0% of Glass
• 19.8% of Aluminum
• 9.5% of Plastics

Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal are also considered e-waste. Informal processing of e-waste in developing countries can lead to adverse human health effects and environmental pollution.

Electronic scrap components, such as CPUs, contain potentially harmful components such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame retardants. Recycling and disposal of e-waste may involve significant risk to workers and communities in developed countries[19] and great care must be taken to avoid unsafe exposure in recycling operations and leaking of materials such as heavy metals from landfills and incinerator ashes.[20]

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is important to dispose of electronics via recycling because,"Electronic products are made from valuable resources and materials, including metals, plastics, and glass, all of which require energy to mine and manufacture. Donating or recycling consumer electronics conserves our natural resources and avoids air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing virgin materials."[21] Consumer recycling options include donating equipment directly to organizations in need, sending devices directly back to their original manufacturers, or getting components to a convenient recycler or refurbisher.[22]

The Environmental Protection Agency reports 290 million scrap tires were generated in 2003.[23] Of the 290 million, 45 million of these scrap tires were used to make automotive and truck tire re-treads.[24] In 2017, 287 million were generated, 38 million reused and 249 million scrapped.[25] With landfills minimizing their acceptance of whole tires and the health and environmental risks of stockpiling tires, many new markets have been created for scrap tires. Growing markets exist for a majority of scrap tires produced every year, supported by state and local government. Tires are also often recycled for use on basketball courts and new shoe products.

Tires are not desired at landfills, due to their large volumes and 75% void space, which quickly consumes valuable space. As of 2017, 40 states banned whole tires from landfills, 38 allowed shredded tires, 24 allowed processed tires in mono-fills. Fees are collected by 37 states.[25]

In 2017, 81.4% of scrapped tires were marketed for some beneficial use, down from 87.9% in 2015. Of the 3,411 thousand tons of marketed scrap tires, 50.8% were used as fuel, 29.6% as ground rubber. Of the tires used as fuel, 46% were consumed in cement kilns, 29% in pulp and paper mills and 25% in electric utility boilers.[25]

The United States has decreased the number of waste tires in storage from about 1 billion in 1992, down to 60 million tires in 2017, primarily due to state scrap management programs. Most of the remaining stockpiles are in Colorado and Texas.[25]

Local government

US state laws and regulations dealing with scrap tires are currently enacted in 48 states. Here are some common features of state programs that deal with scrap tires: source of funding for the program; licensing or registration of scrap tire haulers, processors, and end users; manifests for scrap tire shipments; limitations on who may handle scrap tires; financial assurance requirements for scrap tire handlers; and market development activities.[26] Some state programs are now supported by fees charged to the consumer at purchase or disposal of each tire. These fees, sometimes called “tipping fees”, help to support recycling costs. When the disposal rates charged to consumers are set high, this, in turn, discourages landfill disposal, a simple solution encouraging more affordable tire recycling programs.

America Recycles Day(ARD) is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products. ARD is celebrated annually on November 15. The World Recycling Day is celebrated in most countries, though falls on July 8. Thousands of events are held across the U.S. to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and to encourage Americans to sign personal pledges to recycle and buy products made from recycled materials.[42][43]

Started by the recycling sector organization National Recycling Coalition in 1997, America Recycles Day has been a program of the national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful since 2009. As the managing entity of America Recycles Day, Keep America Beautiful provides promotional and marketing support and resources to a network of local event organizers. It is sponsored by private and public entities and the EPA.

Although America may not enjoy much of a reputation for environmentalism on the global stage, in some US cities, recycling levels are much higher than, for example, in the UK.[42]