The real issue with recycling.

As an insider looking at the state of recycling and all the pitches at trying to "fix it" I am left scratching my head. Sure, there is plenty that can still be done to tweak and improve recycling. There is absolutely no negative impact of a stronger focus on a complete environmental approach as companies push towards a circular economy and true product recyclability. Those are all wonderful things. 

A recycling bin which is clearly labeled "No Bags and No Metal other than alum/tin cans" in the bin you'll see MANY bags and a metal charcoal grill (complete with charcoal). Recycling with care? 

All those great changes won't do much though unless we focus on the real recycling issue. I just can't help feeling like we are trying to put a band-aid on a toe while we have lost both legs. The real issue with recycling is us. Consumers, residents, the recyclers are doing a terrible job and most just don't care. They say they care; they say that recycling matters but when it comes right down to it, they refuse to put in the minimal effort needed to make it work. 

They have reasons why: 

1. Confusion - we don't know how to do it right, everywhere has different rules.

2. Poor bin labeling - the bins/program don't show us what they want or how to do it right. 

They have plenty of blame to pass around: 

1. Manufacturers aren't labeling packages correctly.

2. Recycling isn't real, not everything I place in my recycling becomes something new. 

3. Manufacturers are using material that doesn't recycle itself. (Okay, that one may have been a snarky add on) 

The real reason recycling continues to have issues despite being a no-brainer is that people just refuse to cooperate and that is what the focus needs to be. You cannot place complete garbage in a recycling bin and complain that your recyclables aren't really being recycled. You cannot throw your fully recyclable bottle in the garbage or litter it on the ground and then blame the company that made it, because YOU are the problem with recycling. It doesn't matter how many changes bottlers and manufacturers make, how many laws are passed; if we don't change our mindset about recycling and start doing it with care, recycling will continue to suffer (and so will our planet). 

 

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