Do they have a recycling program in the USA?

Question

I asked a question about water bottles and people were answering as though there was no recycling program. In Canada we have a garbage program and a recycling program that both collect on the same day.

Answer 1

It depends upon where in the US you're asking about.  While many local governments have varying types of recycling programs, there's no requirement for them at the national level, and participation is very spotty.  Although private industry does a good job of making recycling opportunities available for the most profitable types of recyclables in many areas, their range tends to be very limited, often just handling aluminum cans.  Plastics are collected to some extent in most major urban areas, but seldom in rural locales.  Paper can be easily recycled in more areas than plastics or glass, but it is often necessary to take the various materials to different locations to drop them off.  Regular curbside recycling pickup is available to far less than half of the city dwellers in the US as a whole.

Answer 2

It depends on the area in which we live. In some areas it is mandatory to recycle and in others it is not. Everyone has the opportunity to recycle by either having it picked up like the garbage or having to drive it to a recycling facility.

Answer 3

Alot of cities have curbside recycling, but sometimes they do not pick up all recycalable materials. However, there are ususally recycling centers located in central areas where people can drop off their recycling that the services don't pick up or all of it if their area doesn't have curbside recycling.

Answer 4

yes in most citys we now have 2 smoke spewing trucks picking up garbage (1 trash truck,1 recycling truck) instead of only one.

Answer 5

We have recycling centers in Oklahoma and Texas so I am sure these aren't the only two states. Pasadena, Texas also picks up the recyclables at the curb. Even though we do not have this service, we take our recycled items to a center.

Answer 6

Yes, we have recycling in many many areas in the US. Problem with water bottles is that many of them are made of a material that is not recycleable.

Answer 7

Every city is incharge of the their own program (which most cities have). Or there are private companies, for smaller towns. There are plenty of both private and public recycling opertunities in the states

Answer 8

Yes, we recycle here, but it is usually done locally, not by the federal government.

By the way, when I see bottles thrown on the side of the road here, it is more often for bottled water than any other beverage.  I don't know why that is.  Maybe bottled water drinkers think they're better than everyone else.

We Americans think we're normal, but we are a weird bunch.  I find that a lot of people here will refuse to do something sensible just so they can say that no one can tell them what to do.  It's like shooting yourself in the foot to prove that your gun still works.

This might have something to do with it.  Some people think they have to prove that they're superior, so they only drink bottled water, throw the bottle in the bushes, then drive off in their SUV.  It makes no sense to me, but some people insist on it.

Answer 9

In the U.S. it is handled on the local level.  The federal government doesn't mandate recycling.

In my area we have curbside recycling, yard debris and garbage.

We have also had bottle recycling for a very long time- with deposits charged on soda and beer at the store.