Recycling Regulators – Too Many Rules?

Is recycling over-regulated? Stanley Fish comments on this issue in his article and I think his point is an interesting one to consider.

Recently, the DPW and Conservation Committee in my hometown have been encouraging "single stream recycling." Single stream recycling is fairly effortless: throw all of your recyclables in a 64-gallon cart and haul it out to the curb – no sorting or folding necessary. That is unless you happen to leave your recycling cart less than three feet from your solid waste cart.

As Fish mentioned in his piece, the regulations for recycling have definitely intensified. And if you break the rules, you’re going to pay. Forgot to leave more than three feet of space between your trash bins and recycling cart? Don’t expect WM to collect the recycling of a rule-breaker. Not curbside by 6 a.m. on collection day? Looks like you’ll be stuck with a full cart. Refuse to invest $30 in a green and yellow Waste Management bin? You’re a disgrace to the neighborhood. Kidding aside, it seems that even with the elimination of sorting, folding, and cutting, such rules could undermine the overall objective of reduction.

Many counties see the benefits of a single stream system, however. A plus to the new system is that only one truck (garbage) is needed to haul both recycling and waste. Garbage trucks can haul about 5 tons more/trip than the standard recycling truck, ultimately saving gas and money. The elimination of guesswork also gives people more of an incentive to recycle, since everything can be put in just one bin. If you’re interested, the link to the article where I found this information is below:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92913195

Overall, I agree with Fish: recycling is good, single stream or mainstream. Recycling certainly won't solve every environmental problem, but practicing it is a good alternative to throwing everything in the waste bin. As long as you pay attention to the rules.
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Also, if you get a chance you should check out this picture posted on The Age’s website on Friday; satellite view of Gustav, Hanna, Ike, and Josephine.

http://www.theage.com.au/world/more-on-the-way-as-caribbean-feels-hannas-hammer-20080905-4aps.html


See you in class!

Laura