Summary of "U.S. cities have nowhere to put their recycling"
U.S. cities are currently facing a recycling crisis, as highlighted by the nonprofit Ecology Center. This issue has arisen after China, which previously accepted a significant amount of American recycling, imposed strict restrictions on imports, leading to a lack of clear destinations for recyclable materials such as plastic, paper, and scrap metal. The dependency on China for recycling was due to its acceptance of lower-quality materials, but with tightened contamination standards, many U.S. cities are now struggling to manage their recycling programs.
As a result, some cities have begun to scale back or entirely end their recycling initiatives. The rising costs associated with recycling have contributed to this trend, with cities like Berkeley experiencing a significant drop in revenue from recycling materials. For instance, the price received for scrap cardboard has plummeted from $100 to $20 per ton. In many rural areas, it has become cheaper to send waste to landfills rather than recycle it.
The discussion also touched on the potential need for a cultural shift in how recycling is perceived, with suggestions to raise awareness about waste and promote reuse rather than reliance on recycling. There is a call for innovative solutions and long-term strategies to address this growing problem.
Presenters/Contributors:
- Irena Imanova (CBS News MoneyWatch Reporter)
Category
News and Commentary
