Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Do the Benefits of Recycling Outweigh the Costs?

Two of the nation's most influential environmental organizations each issued reports detailing the benefits of recycling and showing how it reduces pollution and decreases the amount of garbage and the need for landfill space and how it's all for less, not more, than the cost of regular garbage pick-up and disposal. But the director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste weighed in on the benefits of recycling. It can cost anywhere from $50 to more than $150 per ton. Trash collection and disposal cost anywhere from $70 to $200 per ton. In 2002 a recycling pioneer found out that their program was losing money so they eliminated glass and plastic recycling. According to them recycling glass and plastic outweighed by the price, recycling cost twice as much as disposal.
I feel that no matter the price at least by recycling we're trying to help the Earth out and be one step closer to being greener. It will all help out in the long run! I don't exactly know if the benefits outweigh the costs but i personally think so.

1 comment:

  1. Wait I'm confused by your wording..."It can cost anywhere from $50 to more than $150 per ton. Trash collection and disposal cost anywhere from $70 to $200 per ton." This says that recycling is cheaper and the rest of your article says it's more expensive.....?

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