Recycling in the U.S. is far from perfect: our current recycling rate for plastics is less than 5% while Americans generate more plastic than any other nation in the world at 285lbs/person/year.  To satiate consumer demand the plastic industry is making 300 million tons of new plastic annually, 50% of which is single use! This far exceeds capacity in the lagging recycling infrastructure. 

Early 20th century “recycling” consisted of Repair, Repurpose and Reuse. However, after WWII, there was movement away from these concepts as increased productivity led to demand for convenience and “time saving” products, coinciding with improvements in manufacturing and distribution. The era of single use was born; paper towels, paper and plastic serveware and disposable packaging all ended up in landfill. Then, as U.S. landfills started to reach capacity in the 1980’s, the environmental movement found a solution: recycling. 

Through most of the 21st century, China was the main destination for recycled materials including paper, glass, scrap materials and (importantly) plastic. American recycling practices shifted from separating recycling (dual stream) to single stream (where it all goes in the bin together) to reduce costs. Recycled materials were gathered, baled and shipped off to China who was (and remains) the largest producer of plastic goods. China’s inexpensive labor, efficient recycling systems and need for these resources made the world’s offcast recyclable items valuable.  Furthermore, their tolerance for contamination was high – bad recycling habits were developing around the world.  At its peak, the U.S. was estimated to export 70% of its plastic to China, however, only about 9% of that was being recycled. The remainder was landfilled or found its way into waterways and the ocean.

In 2018, in response to a burgeoning environmental crisis, China passed the “National Sword”. This legislation banned many scrap materials and imposed strict restrictions on all other recyclables. The import of plastic in China immediately dropped by 99%. The U.S. shifted exports of recycled materials to other countries until many instituted similar bans (although we still export an average of 1 million metric tons of plastic per year, 20-70% of which is estimated to be unusable and ends up in landfill).

China’s refusal to accept our recyclables set the U.S. municipalities scrambling. There was virtually no domestic infrastructure for recycling with massive supply and diminished demand. Suddenly, American communities were required to pay for their recycling.  Up until recently, recycling has not been federally regulated or mandated; divergent interests between recyclers, haulers, manufacturers, consumers and communities have led to widespread confusion, frustration and failure at every level.  Prior to National Sword, the U.S. was generating up to $20/ton for our unsorted, baled, single stream recycling.  In contrast, in 2021 Westport SPENT $55/ton to have our recycling processed. 

If It’s not perfect, Why Recycle? It  is still part of the solution to waste and has benefits, including:

• Saving energy – recycled materials almost always use less energy to produce than new (paper/plastic/glass)
• Conserving natural resources – extract less from the Earth and protect natural resources such as trees, oil water and metals
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Creating jobs
• Decreasing landfill dependency 

So, where are we now?

In 2021, the EPA announced a Recycling Strategy with a goal to achieve a 50% national recycling rate by 2030 (up from the current rate of 32% ).  The EPA defines recycling as “a series of activities that includes collecting materials that would otherwise be considered waste, and sorting and processing recyclables into raw materials such as fibers, and manufacturing raw materials into new products.” Specific objectives of the EPA Recycling Strategy included improving markets for recyclables, increasing and improving collection, enhancing policies and programs to support recycling and contamination reduction through outreach and education. 

Beyond these objectives and perhaps, more importantly, is the “Circular Economy” approach that the EPA plans to implement.  Recycling addresses a product only at the end of its life, whereas a Circular Economy considers the sustainability of a product at all stages from the beginning to end (“cradle to grave”).  It aims to reduce material use, redesign materials, product, and services to be less resource intensive, and recapture “waste” as a resource to manufacture new products.  The circular economy ensures that materials are in use for as long as possible, resulting in the most minimal waste. 

As part of the Infrastructure Bill, the EPA allocated 375 million dollars for recycling infrastructure and recycling education program grants. The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant program will provide funds to states, territories and tribal governments for projects like municipal recycling program improvement and upgrades to local waste management systems including plastic recycling. Funding to recipients will commence in the spring of 2023. 

Moving Forward:

What can you do as an individual consumer while recycling infrastructure and educational programs catch up with our current and excessive production of items?

1 – REFUSE. Say no to excess and unnecessary waste. Say no to the condiments and service wear when you order take out if you are eating at home. Say no to individual plastic bottles and bring your own reusable water bottles & mugs. 

2 – REUSE. There are a MULTITUDE of options to reuse/repurpose everything from glass jars to old textiles. A quick google search will yield another life for almost any item you can think of. Consider repairing what you have already to make it work again. If you reuse and repurpose items that already exist, you are creating less waste.

3 – REDUCE. Be thoughtful in your purchasing. Reduce dependency on harmful, wasteful, non-recyclable products. Can you use less disposable paper towels if you also incorporate some reusable, washable ones in your home? 

And lastly, BUY RECYCLED.  In most cases, the biggest environmental benefit of recycling comes not from avoiding incineration and landfilling but from substituting recycled materials for virgin resources in production,” said Reid Lifset, an industrial environmental management expert at the Yale School of the Environment.

Buying recycled products:

• Creates demand (and therefore a market) for materials collected in residential and business recycling programs, increasing their value and strengthening the loop of continuous recovery
• Reduces the need for additional disposal capacity
• Air and water pollution is reduced and natural resources, including water, are conserved
• Energy is saved
• Greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming are reduced
• Supports the development of green technologies