The Effects of Recycling Trash
People have been led to believe recycling is good and it saves the environment, but there are some critics who say there is always a downside to an upside. Let's look at municipal recycling closer.
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Function
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Cities and towns recycle trash to save money associated with moving trucks, trains or boatloads of trash around the world. By separating cans, paper and glass into the pail, you can help keep the environment cleaner.
Significance
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If a company cleans and reuses a can or newspaper someone took out of the trash, it saves the world's supply of virgin resources such as aluminum or trees.
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Warning
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As long as virgin resources are cheap, it is more environmentally friendly to make objects out of new materials rather than recycle, according to Richard Porter, author of The Economics of Waste.
Misconceptions
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Recycling is much more expensive than the price governments receive for recycled material. Metals can usually be sold for a profit, paper varies. Governments generally eat the cost of recycling other stuff or cut back programs in tough economic times.
Considerations
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The value of recycling is linked closely to business. If governments cannot sell the items at a reasonable price, the cans, papers and glass may wind up in a landfill.
Theories/Speculation
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Critics, such as economist Daniel Benjamin, claim recycling creates pollution when used items are cleaned and new products created.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit National Recycling Coalition
