25% Of Americans Don’t Recycle

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2007/08/28/25-of-americans-dont-recycle/

Aug 28 2007

While three-quarters of American adults recycle something in their own home, 23 percent still recycle nothing at all. One may think that the younger generation is the one most likely to recycle, but this is not the case. Three in ten ”Echo Boomers” (those aged 18 to 30) recycle nothing, compared to 19 percent of “Matures” (those aged 62 and older).



There is also a regional difference in who recycles and who does not, according to a new Harris Poll. Those in the East and West are more likely to recycle (88 percent and 86 percent respectively). Thirty-two percent of those in the South as well as 30 percent of those in the Midwest, however, say they recycle nothing.

When it comes to recycling, 67 percent of adults say they recycle aluminum or metal cans, while 59 percent recycle paper and 57 percent recycle plastic. Just over half of adults recycle glass. While those in the South are recycling less than the other regions in general, this is especially true with regard to some of these items. Just half of Southerners are recycling paper while under half (46 percent) of Southerners recycle plastic and just 39 percent recycle glass.

Among those who do not recycle, the reasons are very varied. One in six say they do not recycle because it is not available in their area while 12 percent each say it takes too much effort and it costs more to recycle where they live. Just 11 percent say they do not recycle because they don’t believe it makes a difference while six percent say they are too busy and five percent say it is too difficult.

Southerners might be more inclined to recycle if it was cheaper and actually available. One in five of those who live in the South do not recycle because it isn’t available in their area, while an additional 14 percent say it is because it costs more where they live. For those in the East who do not recycle, laziness may be the reason. One-quarter of Easterners say they do not recycle because it takes too much effort.

Companies have a way to market eco-friendly attitudes on recycling by teaming up with RecycleBank, a company that tries to get households to recycle by offering coupons from businesses like Starbucks, Bed, Bath & beyond, and Staples.

[slor]

1. Wow...I am...

surprised that it is so many that do!

[Sherman A1]

2. Interesting

I am lucky to live in a community that has a great recycling drop off center. Paper, some plastics, metal cans & glass. Having that available and nearby means that I can recycle a bunch and do so. It cut my trash from one large can each week to one small bag. I am able to do some at work as well as we can recycle paper and some plastics. It's a shame that more opportunities are not available.

[Delphinus]

3. Just on my little block,

sixteen houses, where we have CURBSIDE recycling, only FIVE of us recycle.

Where in the world they come up with 75% of Americans recycling, I don't know, but I don't believe it.

[Tafiti]

13. I thought it was high too.

When I lived in Indiana, rumor had it that the recycling went right in with the garbage after it was collected. I believed it.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. In my apartment building there is a six-bin recycling unit right

next to the dumpster - paper, plastic, aluminum, and green, clear and brown glass.

And every day I hear people dumping their beer bottles into the dumpster instead of dropping them in the recycle bin 10 feet away.

There is a guy who recycles the aluminum out of the dumpster, though. It's a full time job for him, and he drops by about every other day to go dumpster diving. Of course, he also cleans out the aluminum from the recycling bin as well, hauls it down to the aluminum recycler for cash.

It's sad no matter how you look at it.

[XemaSab]

6. We've got the same deal

only it's ONE BIN for all recycling. Like, how no brainer can you get?

The other day I went down to the bins and there were about 10 beer bottles, soda cans, and water bottles JUST SITTING on all the trash in the dumpster. :(

I dug them out and put them in the recycle bin. :)

[kestrel91316]

5. I may hate living in a big city, but here's one BIG upside to it:

Los Angeles has GREAT curbside recycling! The trash trucks are of three types: garbage (black bin), recycling (blue bin), and yard trimmings (green bin). It's included with the trash/sewer/water bill.

Here's what we can recycle:
http://www.lacitysan.org/solid_resources/recycling/what_is_recyclable.htm

[Nimrod2005]

7. Yard stuffs get recycled? I never knew that? What do they turn it into?

to make what?

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. It can be divided between compost and mulch.

Used by the City Parks department and highway department for greenways and flower gardens and stuff.

Very commonly done around these parts where we get trees downed by hurricanes are a regular basis. But, like all recycling, it varies from one community to the next.

[Nimrod2005]

10. Make sense, we use them down here in South Florida, mine are filled every week!

Good to know...Thanks.

[kestrel91316]

11. They shred it and sell it as mulch and or compost.

Here ya go:
http://www.apwa.net/documents/meetings/congress/2005/handouts/1439.pdf
They make mulch and lumber. 280 tons of tree trimmings and yard trimmings A DAY. Los Angeles is a BIG city.

[Nimrod2005]

8. We got our green and blue bins today!!!

:bounce:

[yewberry]

12. Wow. If there are recyclables in the garbage here

the garbage pickup won't take it.

It doesn't make sense not to recycle in Seattle anyway, because the garbage cans we get are little and if you have more garbage than will fit in the can (called a microcan) they charge you extra to take it.

The mixed-use recycling containers are like three times as big as the microcans.

It seems strange that there are so many communities that don't support recycling. Why isn't that a priority?