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Waste Management and Recycling Progress In The US

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The recycling industry in the U.S has come a long way. Around 251 million tons of garbage were created in the United States in 2012, of which 87 million tonnes (34.5 percent) were recycled.

Only 15 million tonnes of garbage were recycled in the United States in 1980 when the country was in its infancy. To put it another way, in 2012 we saved 168 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions by recycling enough trash to remove 33 million cars from the road for an entire year. During the year 2012, the average American created 4.38 pounds of rubbish & recycled 1.51 pounds of waste.

Dumpster Rentals

There has been a lot of progress made in this sector in the United States in the last few decades, including dumpster rental offers. Although, there is still plenty of room for expansion. It is important to remember that there is no federal law making recycling of any form of material necessary, leaving local and state governments to establish a variety of recycling rules and laws.

The United States Has Some Of The Most Stringent Recycling Laws In The World.

According to the CEO of Chicago Dumpster Rental Now, recycling and trash management regulations in the United States have long been the responsibility of local and state governments. Recycling targets and landfill bans are the two most common types of state and municipal government restrictions.

Enumerated commodities including oil, yard waste, and other easily collected things are prohibited from being disposed of in landfills. There are currently bans for places in North Carolina, Michigan, Minneapolis, & Wisconsin.

Recycling and Junk Disposal

Goals for recycling initiatives are pursued by other states like California and Illinois. Bypassing a bill, some states simply encourage the recycling of certain materials, such as plastic bottles.

Currently, 25 states have implemented laws making electronic trash recycling mandatory in their respective jurisdictions. More than two-thirds of the United States’ population lives in these 25 states. First came California in 2003, and last came Utah in 2011, both states enacted e-waste recycling laws.

There are no national recycling regulations in the United States. EPA is in charge of trash management and recycling in the United States, as required by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. By recovering, recycling, and reusing, RCRA aims to conserve energy and natural resources while protecting the public from the dangers of hazardous waste disposal.

Recycling In The United States: An Early History

The very first recycling mill in the United States was erected in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, in 1972. Recycling was initially mandated in Woodbury, New Jersey, in the early 1970s. The first curbside recycling programs were established in 1973, and by 2006, there were many more than 8,000 programs across the country.

America’s Day Of Recycling

America Recycles Days (ARD) is an annual event that began in 1997 to promote recycling and the usage of recycled products. It’s a national day dedicated to educating people about recycling’s positive impact on the environment and economy.

Businesses And Organizations Dedicated To Recycling

The recycling business in the United States is represented by a slew of national and regional organizations. More than 6,000 recycling businesses from across the United States are members of the National Recycle Coalition (NRC). A listing of local industry organizations is provided below.

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc., two major international recycling industry associations, are both members of major recycling companies (ISRI).

Rates Of Recycled Materials

The United States recovered 87 million tonnes of garbage in a single year in 2012, through dumpster rentals and other means. Paper and paperboard comprised 51% of the total, followed by yard trimmings at 22%, metal at 9%, food waste at 4%, glass at 4%, plastic at 3%, and wood at 6%. In 2012, the EPA found that 70% of paper and paperboard, as well as 58% of yard waste, could be recycled.

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