Should recycling be made mandatory nationally?

Question

Many areas in the United States are shipping their garbage into other states because there just isn't enough space at the landfills anymore. Would creating a mandatory recycling program be a good idea?

This question has nothing to do with a free society or not. It has everything to do with fixing a growing problem in the United States.

Answer 1

I pay for trash pick up just like everyone else but mostly what I dispose of can be recycled. Have found several great ways to reuse/recycle through our business and by donating to a local charity but am disgusted because recycling should be mandatory. Military bases do it effectively, all over the U.S., why can't everyone else?
Since we have no recycling centers available locally, here's what we do and these suggestions may be of some help.
freecycle.org=organization nationwide-can donate anything of use or receive anything free, the items to donate and receive are limitless. Our group is just beginning but I'm hopeful because I see: bricks, stepping stones, fencing, barbecue grills, lumber, furniture, appliances.........items that end up in landfills, normally. Once an item is gone, it says on the site, ITEM TAKEN.
Here are other suggestions: Look for a local Internet swap site to give away moving boxes.
Charities like homeless shelters recycle clean unwearable clothing by selling for rags, copper, aluminum cans, and take donations of nearly anything clean and usable. Lots of charities take cars in any condition as donations now. Check appliance stores for free appliance pick up or removal. Stores can also recommend people who haul them to be recycled or who recycle and reuse the freon.

Answer 2

I think recycling should be mandatory, it only makes sense. I also think over packaging of products should not be allowed. If we want to recycle here we actually have to pay an additional trash pick up fee which makes no sense to me. Our alternative here is a twice monthly drop off site for basic recycling. The local environmental group is trying to get a permanent drop off site established but are still fighting through the red tape.

Answer 3

Yes, I think it should be mandatory for all states w/in the USA, nationally. Recycling is a great idea, but we do not exercise it enough, for example, we do not have a recycling program in the state of West Virginia. There is a lot of cardboard, paper, plastic bottles, paper clips, glass products, etc. that could be recycled; instead we just bury the stuff in the ground, what a catastrophe! What a loss of income and products for future use.

Answer 4

Absolutely. I live on a military base and we get one tiny trash can for our garbage - but 2 huge trash can sized bins for recycling - and they take just about everything. While there is no law or rule on base that families have to recycle the recyclables, it forces us to recycle voluntarily, because if we didn't we wouldn't be able to fit all our trash in our garbage can. If all municipal garbage collectors did that, people would recycle a lot more.

Answer 5

Yes, but the simple answer may not be the best solution. How would you enforce mandatory recycling in a shopping center or apartment complex? 1,000 people and 1,000 opportunities to do the right/wrong thing. You must also have an outlet for your recyclables. I have an electric knife that burned out. I will take it to hazardous waste, but what will they do with it? Do I care what they do with it? Where do you recycle foliage that is full of pesticides/poisons. It is more than a simple mandate to do a thing. It is what you will do with it when it is recycled and how it will be enforced.

Answer 6

Great idea-lousy in practice. First off studies would be done at great cost and probably would take 5 years to complete.
Many cities already have mandatory recycling and are passing the expense on to citizens. When folks can't afford it they let the junk pile up and that leads to a multitude of health/environmental issues. So when Granny can't afford to recycle are we going to imprison her or impose another fine she obviously can't afford. It all comes back to the almighty dollar and I don't think it's likely to be resolved at the federal level.

Answer 7

I've heard that nearly one third of all the United States recycling waste ends up in rural villages in China destroying water sources, nearby rivers, land water sources, etc.
We need to be more aware of our waste, recyclable or not, and collectively come up with a new, innovative solution. The mentality of 'out of sight, out of mind' must be brought to an end.

Answer 8

I think it would be difficult to institute mandatory recyling. However, it would be nice to see more public information on the benefits of recycling and ways to reduce, what you can recycle, etc. Also, I think it would be great to institute recycling motivation programs. For example, if the county donates a certain amount of money for schools who recycle a certain amount of paper. Of course, it always easy to conceptionalize something if you're not the person who has to set it up and enforce it.

Answer 9

What should be done is the thrash should be recycled at the dump nationally. I used to live in an area that did that and it was great. Did you know in Michigan thrash gets imported from Canada?

Answer 10

Yes.

Every year we throw enough trash in landfills to cover the size of Montana - we need to stop it.

I drive by a landfill every day and it's disgusting and horrible for the earth.