Why can't we recycle plastic packaging in the US?

Question

When I was living in Japan, they collected light plastic wrapping containers and bags every Tuesday. But in the US they are not picked up for recycling, and I can't figure out why. It's frustrating, because when I could recycle the stuff, I only had to take out the garbage every other week (and that's with a small bag). I eat a diet that doesn't leave any food waste left behind, so all of my trash ends up being plastic wrapping, bags, or unrecycleable containers.

Answer 1

Hmmm ... I would be frustrated, too! Our town has a place for plastic bags & other plastics to be recycled. For Maine, this town is really good about recycling and enabling us to do so easily. (including being open all day saturday - hoorah!)

I must agree with you, its amazing how much space is saved when even a 1 person home recycles :)

Visit earth911.org to find centers near you that accept plastics, I know around here I could also go to walmart or hannaford and place my plastic bags in a bin to be recycled.

Sure do hope this helps you! Its refreshing to see someone else that is conscious of this!! :)

Answer 2

In our community in Oregon, our recycling is co-mingled, meaning we do not separate any recyclables except for glass.

We get plastic bags because we are able to recycle them.

For those that do not have those resources available in their community, often the stores have containers near the front door for the recycling of plastic bags. Perhaps if  you were charged a 5 cent deposit for each bag until such time as it were returned, there would be more interest in recycling them. The bottle bill works wonderfully in our state, interesting to see the same thing regarding plastic bags.

Answer 3

It's not that we CAN'T recycle plastic packaging, it's that we don't. And the reason why we don't is that there is not enough of a market for such items. Essentially, the costs of sorting, collecting, distributing, and processing are higher than what would be gained by those doing the recycling. It doesn't have to be this way though, and eventually when the costs of land filling become higher than recycling, and petroleum prices rise, a market will be created that will support all types of (what we currently consider) wastes. Also, if industry has more incentives to create products from the get-go that are more amenable to recycling, the system will be more efficient, producing less products that are more economical to land fill than to recycle.

Answer 4

It's because plastic bags are harder to break down and recycle.

Answer 5

i'm from massachusetts and different towns have different recycling programs in place.  for my friends that live in towns with no recycling program they save up their recycles for a few weeks at a time and then drive to a recycling center in another town and drop everything off.  if you don't have a car you could always talk to a neighbor that does and see if they want to join in on your recycling cause. you can find recycling centers either on your state website on in your phonebook.

Answer 6

thanks for responding to my question. this is a good question. I live in the UK. and some places do collect them but mostly at household waste sites.however, on the american military base, the recycling center will not take them and will not collect bins with plastic bags in them becuase they claim to break machines.  I watched a show on 60 minutes i believe and it said something how most plastic bagsget shipped to china in little factories where they are eventually recycled. but cuased great harm to the surrounding environment and to the workers due to the chemicals in the bags themselves. it might have something to due with the different kind of technology between both countries ( i think japan is far more advanced) or just what it costs for the us to ship those bags to china compared to what it costs for japan to do the same?

Answer 7

You need to move to a country where resources are less abundant like mine. We can recycle plastic bottles here. However the density of plastic bottles very low so you need to collect a very large volume of them. This is not economical in a country where there is plenty of land to dump trash in and where the raw materials are still relatively cheap.

And if your diet leaves no waste, then I would guess that you are eating an unhealthy diet of of processed food. Most fresh food will have peelings, seeds, cores, skins etc. to dispose of.

Answer 8

Different cities have different recycling capabilities.  Where I live, we can recycle plastic packaging.

Answer 9

because it isn't profitable.