I don’t have much to add to the article in the url link below—it speaks for itself. It is an example of a proactive, progressive policy on re-cycling introduced by the city of Seattle that I find hard to believe is not replicated throughout the US (Issues: Environmental Sustainability, p171):
“Seattle now recycles 44 percent of its trash, compared with the national average of around 30 percent, which makes it a major player in big-city waste recovery. Its goal, city waste management officials said, is to reach 60 percent by 2012 and 72 percent by 2025.”
Importantly, according to the article, there is a strong business case to be made for such policies at present re-cycle prices:
“Waste paper is now commanding about $90 a ton throughout the United States, which makes it possible to turn a profit by loading it onto ships instead of dumping it into landfills. Not to sell it ''would be like burying money,'' said Chaz Miller of the Environmental Industry Associations, which represents the private waste service industry.”
Luckily, those who should know are hopeful:
“Jerry Powell, who publishes Resource Recycling magazine, based in Portland, Ore., and is considered one of the nation's experts on the subject, is bullish on the industry's prospects. ''This decade is the best for recycling markets ever,'' Mr. Powell said. ''If you can't make money recycling, you should go elsewhere.'' By his count, more recycling legislation was passed in 2006 than in any year of the previous 10.”
Take care
Dave
Bill Werther & David Chandler
Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility
© Sage Publications, 2006
http://www.sagepub.com/Werther
Seattle's Recycling Success Is Being Measured in Scraps
By J. MICHAEL KENNEDY
1072 words
10 October 2007
The New York Times
Late Edition - Final
14
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/us/10recycle.html
