National Recycling Centers

Recycling benefits communities locally and nationally.

Recycling centers serve local communities and regions. While materials recycled are similar across the country and world, each recycling center has the ability to determine what materials it accepts for recycling. While the standards may differ from community to community, the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) works with recycling centers, businesses, the government and individuals to maintain a U.S. recycling system committed to the conservation of natural resources.

Principles

Recycling is not waste management or a way to dispose of unwanted materials. Rather it is a way to manage natural resources. It is a shared responsibility involving businesses, the government and each citizen. As such, recycling centers and programs should be easily accessible for all residential, business and institutional settings. By thinking globally but acting locally, localities are able to utilize the practices that best enable their areas to enact policies that will be beneficial to the whole.

Vision

The vision of the NRC is to reduce waste and establish sound management practices for natural resources. By doing so, North America will be able to employ an environmentally sustainable economy.

Members

The NRC represents and advocates every sector of the recycling industry across the country. It is the voice for a membership encouraging greater recycling practices across the nation's communities. Members are provided the tools and resources to develop the relationships that will result in changes in the way the country uses, manages and recycles natural resources. Currently, the states affiliated with the NRC include California, Michigan, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Connecticut and Utah.

Joining

Any individual residing in a state affiliated with the NRC may join the organization for free. Individuals in non-affiliated states are required to pay $200 to join the organization. By joining the NRC or encouraging a state to become affiliated with the organization, recycling procedures, practices and laws can be further streamlined in accordance with what is best for all the nation's recycling centers.

References

• National Recycling Coalition