Recycling Laws: Eco-Unfriendly?

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Out of all the growing problems in the world, the massive accumulation of garbage seems to be the least of the people’s worries. Countless landfills are being satiated by trash of all shapes, sizes and composition; many now being paved over to serve as foundation for housing, airports, businesses, etc. If the situation were as simple to resolve as paving over the putrescent landfills, then there wouldn’t be debates or research about the environmental effects of pollution associated with improper discarding of waste materials. A majority of the types of waste can be recycled, but at what cost? Many will argue that recycling is the only way to eliminate such landfills and protect the environment from further damage. Several environmentalists groups and politicians seek to make recycling a legal responsibility, while the technology for recycling has progressed in recent years, the ratio of cost to practicality has remained essentially the same. If recycling were to be mandated, then there would have to be a paradigm shift in the circulation of products, from creation to redistribution, in order to make regulations practical.

In previous generations, recycling was very limited in its capabilities and effectiveness. Several studies from the time period actually support the claim that more trash was produced than salvaged. The collection of a stack of papers left behind mounds of gloves, trash bags, food wrappers and water bottles that couldn’t be used. With that in mind, it is completely understandable as to why groups of people in the past were against salvaging materials. Since then, the ability to process raw or reused materials has increased tenfold. Now, almost everything from wastewater to the toughest polymers can be recycl...

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...law wrapped around them. Without the combined contributions of all three of these major groups, the system will continue to be flawed, while money, resources and time, shall continue to be wasted trying to salvage from an ever growing junk pile. If any laws need to be emplaced then they should be limited to an initiating push, much like the ignition on a vehicle. Once the trifecta begins to pick up speed, any regulations used to propel the movement should be immediately relinquished and replaced with maintenance and education in order to promote a self-perpetuating behavior.

Works Cited

Esterl, Mike. “Plastic Recycling Falls Short as Too Few Do It.” Wall Street Journal. 19 Aug

2011: B.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 01 Apr 2012.

Koch, Wendy. “Cities Turn Deeper Shades of Green.” USA TODAY. 30 Jun 2011: A.3. SIRS

Issue Researcher. Web. 06 Mar 2012.

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