Why does recycling seem so expensive?In some communities, it’s more expensive to have the recycling collected than it is to have the trash collected. Recycled goods have to be transported, cleaned, and processed before being reused, which can cost a lot. However, the relative costs of recyclables and trash pickup should not be compared at face value. Local taxes often go to the companies that collect and transport trash as well as to landfill maintenance, so communities are paying for trash collection in ways that aren’t obvious. The differences in cost for recycling and throwing trash away are not as large as they first appear.
|
Recycling as an investmentIn addition to costing less than it seems, recycling is an investment:
|
WARMWant to know more about the impact of recycling? The EPA has created the Waste Reduction Model (WARM) to compare different waste management strategies. You can access WARM here.
|