Economic Factors Kick Recycling to Curb

Published January 13, 2015

It’s a mixed bag for recycling (search) these days.

The National Recycling Coalition reports more newspapers, glass, aluminum (search) and steel cans are being recycled than in the past, but that is only because Americans are using more of those products. In fact, the recycling rate is on the decline.

The recycling downturn can be attributed to economics and the falling prices offered for those turned in bottles, cans and papers. In the last decade the use of plastic bottles has increased, but the demand for the recycled product has decreased dramatically.

Economic factors might force communities to can their recycling programs.

“I think we'll see a drop-off in participation of recycling programs because many recycling programs are moving towards doing only what's profitable,” said Ken Dunn, founder of the Resource Center Chicago (search).

Click on the video box above for a complete report by FOX News' Steve Brown.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/story/economic-factors-kick-recycling-to-curb