Recycling

Living on a college campus, where recycling is broken down at almost every trash area to plastic, different kinds of glass, paper, and aluminum cans, I tend to think that most people will take the time to recycle. Unfortunately, this process is not available to everyone in the country, and it shows in a recent study by the EPA. I guess you might be wondering, like I did, what product is recycled most. Well, sadly it is not the aluminum cans or plastic bottles that seem to flood the stores as the primary devices to transport beverages. To my surprise, lead acid batteries are the most recycled products in the country. In fact, 99 percent of these batteries end up being recycled. This number is so high because battery retailers are required to take the used car batteries from customers who purchase new ones. This number is great for the country, but the numbers for aluminum cans and office paper are not quite as high. Only half of all aluminum and 70% of office paper is recycled today. These numbers are way to low, and like excessive drug usage, can only be bettered if recycling is pushed on the next generation of americans from the time they start school. For the older generations, the only way that we can ensure that recyclable products are saved from the trash is for people to get incentives for recycling. This process is already established in many states with cash deposits for recycling, but I believe that the companies that sell products in recyclable containers should be responsible for ensuring that their products do not get thrown in the trash can.