Why Is It So Hard To Recycle?

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*Article first published on forbes.com

In honor of Earth Day 2021 which took place last April 22nd, we’re posting a short series devoted to issues of business and the environment.

Trash is simple—you throw an item away, it gets picked up by the trash company and sent to the landfill. 

Recycling, on the other hand, is anything but simple. 

Recycling programs vary greatly across the country, and the inconsistency hurts the environment. Not only that, it’s confusing and overwhelming for consumers to know what can be recycled and how to recycle it. Consumers want to be responsible with their trash. But governments and companies aren’t stepping up. 

Unequal Access And Programs

Access to recycling depends on where a person lives. Some people may only be able to recycle certain types of items, or they may not have curbside recycling pickup at all. 

In Georgia, where my mom lives, they don’t recycle glass. 

In California, where I live, I take plastic bags to recycle to the grocery store.

The U.S. doesn’t have a federal recycling program and instead leaves it up to individual communities to make their own decisions and run their own programs. The result is a disjointed system with uneven access and unequal services, which is frustrating people and hurting the environment. 

Although 94% of the U.S. population has some type of recycling program, the programs vary dramatically and are especially lacking for low-income and rural communities. Not all facilities can process every type of recycled material, which is part of the reason why some communities don’t offer certain types of recycling, like glass. 

Recycling Confusion

Research has found that 94% of Americans support recycling and 74% say it should be a top priority. But only about 35% of people actually recycle. Why the disconnect? It often comes down to confusion and inconvenience. People don’t know how to recycle, what can be recycled or what to do with it. The top reason Americans say they don’t recycle regularly is a lack of convenient access. 

Then there’s the fact that items put in recycling aren’t always recycled. It’s common for recyclables to get contaminated by dirty or improperly sorted items, which can ruin the entire load. Because consumers don’t fully understand what can actually be recycled, they end up recycling items like plastic straws and takeout containers that aren’t recyclable. These items most often end up being burned or put in the landfill. 

A consistent recycling program could lessen the confusion and reduce waste. Varying standards, even within cities and counties, leave consumers to make their best guesses about what’s best for the environment.

Companies Make Customers Work To Recycle

Governments aren’t stepping up, which shifts the weight to companies. In many cases, it seems like companies only promote and encourage recycling as far as it improves their image and makes them look environmentally responsible. But the actions are surface-level and often make things difficult for well-meaning consumers. Many companies pride themselves on delivering items and packaging they say can be recycled, but it often requires dismantling the packaging and making trips to various recycling centers. Talk about putting customers in a bad mood. 

In many cases, companies put the burden on customers to manage their enormous packaging footprints. Take Amazon for example, which provides a website to find a drop-off location for some of its mailers. But although Amazon mailers claim to be recyclable, many are notorious for gumming up recycling sorting machines.

Companies and governments need to realize that people want to do their part to help the environment. But they need the framework and guidance to make recycling happen.  

A Problem That’s Only Getting Worse

The recycling industry was hit hard in 2018 when China stopped buying U.S. recycling. I get it—recycling is expensive and requires significant resources to collect, sort, break down and reuse items. But investing in recycling is well worth it to help the environment. 

Americans produce a ridiculous amount of garbage, and it’s only getting worse. In 1960, the average American generated 2.68 pounds of garbage per day, but by 2017 that number was up to 4.51 pounds a day. 

What’s the solution to the overwhelming recycling issue? Someone needs to step up. Consumers want clear communication and consistent guidelines about recycling. They want to know that their efforts are really paying off and making a difference in the world. 

Recycling has the potential to have a huge impact on the environment. Consumers are on board—now it’s time to get the government and businesses on board, too.

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Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and the author of the bestselling book The Customer Of The Future. 

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