Why don't ALL state recycle? and if You don't why. I?

Question

I ask this because I live in Michigan where recycling is fairly big. But my daughter just came back from Vegas, who's in early 20's and said they don't even recycle pop bottles. Can't they send the to nearby recycle state. Why doesn't Vegas has recycling for 1 example. Also, she was funny as she saw her friends the 1st time throwing out bottles? Dude! That's a lot of dimes!

Answer 1

I only started recycling a few months ago because I switched to a cheaper trash service that includes free recycling.  My previous trash service charged $3 extra for recycling, so I just threw everything in the trash and saved the $3.  If recycling isn't economically viable, it doesn't make sense for me to voluntarily subsidize it.

The economy of Las Vegas is based on gambling.  It is in their financial interest to make everyone feel like a "high roller."  When they are trying to get hundreds or thousands of dollars of a customer's money to flow like water, it would be completely counterproductive from a psychological standpoint to offer a $0.10 deposit refund for an aluminum can.  They want their customers to feel like they are being treated like a king or queen, without a care in the world, and they have plenty of desert in which to build landfills to dispose of the waste generated by the carefree, disposable lifestyles they encourage in order to keep the gambling money flowing.

As another answerer noted, there are regional sociological differences with recycling.  As noted, in Los Angeles, people don't generally worry much about recycling, as there is no convenient way to recover the can and bottle deposits.  Rather, people simply throw their bottles and cans in the trash, knowing that some homeless dude will be digging through their trash at 4 a.m. to recover all the recyclables to earn a few bucks to buy more cigarettes and malt liquor.

Answer 2

Las Vegas' gambling has little to nothing to do with their "lack" of recycling.

Las Vegas, in fact, has several recycling programs, and several businesses involved in recycling. I believe you may be referring to the fact that the "bottle bill"(placing a returnable fee on bottles) is not active in Las Vegas. Businesses (especially the large hotels) participate in recycling, and glass recycling is active in the residetial sector.

The "bottle bill" is a great money-maker for the beverage bottlers. Ever wonder where the money from unclaimed money goes? In most states, it returns to the bottlers.  California, Massachusetts and Michigan collect 100% of the unclaimed deposits, although the mechanism for retaining these deposits varies. In California and Hawaii, the state collects the deposits from distributors when the beverages are sold to retailers. The bottler or distributor pays the deposit directly into a state-managed fund and collects the deposit from the retailer. The retailer then collects the deposit from the consumer. Any unclaimed deposits simply remain within this state-managed fund.In Massachusetts, distributors and bottlers are required to turn over all unclaimed deposits to the state. The unclaimed deposits are said to “escheat” to the state. Michigan escheats 75% of unclaimed deposits, and allows retailers to keep the other 25% as a way to offset their handling costs. In all other deposit states, distributors and bottlers keep all of the abandoned deposits. In 2000, abandoned deposits amounted to $84.7 million in New York, $28.5 million in Massachusetts, and $23.5 million in Michigan. Caliifornia recently voted  to increase payments to bottlers, due to complaints about increasing costs.

Often the bottlers are allowed to keep the interest on  bottle deposits, even in cases where the bottlers are required to turn over the unclaimed deposits to the state. This amounts to quite a sum of money!!

Even the most optomistic studies find the compliance rates for the bottle bill are about 70%.

In states where there is curbside recycling, the bottle bill is redundant. Rather than going through the hassle of returning bottles, most consumers place them in curbside bins (increasing the amount of unclaimed deposit money).

The amount of energy wasted in returning bottles to redemption centers negates any savings of energy gained from recycling. Think about how much of a hassle it is to return these bottles-and the amount of water expended in washing them out!

The bottle bill is a "feel-good"  measure at best, and a money-maker for the bottlers. In states where the local  government keeps the unclaimed deposits, it is in essence a tax. It is not a  "green" alternative, as it uses more energy than it  conserves. Stick with curbside recycling.

Answer 3

I moved from NY to NJ and the recycling is really 2 different worlds.  in NY you recycle EVERYTHING! you can even get a garbage ticket for throwing recyclables in the trash.  (yes, they inspect your garbage!) in NJ they only recycle bottles, cans & newspaper.  SO much of this stuff would have been saved from the dumps in NY.

Answer 4

It's because they do not pay me for what I save like they do there.  I try to do what I can but do not go out of my way.  I once saved almost 1000 cans and got 20 bucks I laughed and now I throw them in the trash.

Answer 5

why.. they have no need ya know... gambling income

Answer 6

Just because the state doenst pay you to recylce doenst mean you shouldnt do it or that there arent recyclung programs. Louisiana doesn't but we have recylcing containers all over..

Answer 7

I don't understand it either. I like NY's mandatory recycling law, I think all states should do that. You shouldn't do it just to make money, you should do it since it's good for the environment.

Answer 8

I will recycle if it is easy, cheap, and a short process.  

In San Francisco, I did it all the time.  In Los Angeles, it is NOt like in SF.  If I am in a good mood with time, I take care of it.  They do not encourage or make it easy here though. So, I see both sides.