Does Recycling Harm the Environment?

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Analysis
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Recycling various types of waste today is one of the most pressing issues in ecology. It is no secret that every person consciously or unconsciously contributes to pollution and environmental purification. Unfortunately, household and industrial garbage is inevitable and causes irreparable ecological harm. Recycling is better than landfilling or burning unsorted garbage (Guillot 1). Recycling aluminum cans or corrugated cardboard can be helpful, but in most cases, this action is harmful to the planet (Munger 1). Moreover, there is a high probability that this process can contribute to additional consumption and waste (Guillot 1). Recycling is the activity that causes the most damage to the environment.

Analysis

Recycling makes false promises and has nothing to do with the technical process. The idea is that by putting materials in trash cans and buying products made from recycled materials, people are saving the planet and fighting pollution. Nevertheless, this approach could be more efficient since the United States generates about 250 million tons of waste yearly (Li 1). Recycling convinces people that it is possible to be irresponsible in other areas and encourages consumption instead of finding ways to reduce consumption in general.

Recycling waste thrown into one trash can is inefficient. There needs to be a solution with the predominance of quantity over quality (Humes 1). Waste recycling centers operating under the new systems are concentrating on speed, which is already causing additional pollution problems (“The 10 Biggest Problems” 1). The demand for the most processed products is growing too fast. For example, recycled aluminum soda cans will not be able to provide the proper quality for the structure of the aircraft or even for use in electrical outlets.

It should be recognized that current recycling methods could be more effective. Most waste management programs are a waste of time, money, and resources; they are unsustainable and associated mainly with fraud (Clark 1). For example, plastic is a difficult material to recycle, but to be quite precise, individuals still do not understand what to do with it. Less than one percent of the cellophane bags given to people in stores go for recycling, which may be a consequence of the fact that the processing will cost a considerable amount (“How many plastic bags” 1). Most types of plastic cannot be recycled, and even worse, plastic is automatically sorted at recycling plants, but this process is far from ideal. Chemicals such as Bisphenol A can be found in plastic, which should be relatively clean (Shoemaker and Petre 1). Some wrong types of plastic slip into bundles with plastic suitable for recycling where they should not be.

Furthermore, pollution is one of the biggest obstacles in the recycling industry. If there are impurities or toxins in the original material – for example, lead paint on an aluminum can, it usually easily survives the processing process and turns out to be part of a new product, which may, for instance, turn out to be a can for carbonated water. The worst thing is that people sometimes do not know that something is contaminated, and they find out about it when it is too late (Cho 1). Indeed, today, there are many reasons why recycling can be considered a process that harms the environment. However, the above arguments are sufficient to compile a complete picture of the situation concerning a specific activity. People talk about recycling as if it is the solution to all problems. Reusing old materials is a great way to reduce environmental pollution, but if everything works out fine (Sherman 1). Sometimes, in theory, everything sounds much better than it is applied in practice.

Conclusion

Summarizing the above, it is necessary to state that waste recycling has a negative connotation in relation to nature and the environment. This system currently works incorrectly, which causes even more environmental problems. At least, not every material can be recycled, and the process itself could be more efficient. Recycling is still better than landfilling or burning, but it still poses a threat to the planet and life on it.

Works Cited

Clark, Jonathan. “Everything You Know About Recycling is Wrong. Well, Most Everything.” Medium, Web.

Cho, Renee. “Recycling in the U.S. Is Broken. How Do We Fix It?” State of the Planet, Web.

Guillot, Louise. “How Recycling Is Killing the Planet.” Politico, Web.

Humes, Edward. “The US Recycling System Is Garbage.” Sierra, Web.

“How Many Plastic Bags Are Used Each Year?” The World Counts, Web.

Li, Rina. “Scrap Collector: Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Zero Waste Act Billed as ‘Key Part’ of Green New Deal.” Wastedive, Web.

Munger, Michael. “For Most Things, Recycling Harms the Environment.” AIER, Web.

Shoemaker, SaVanna, and Alina Petre. “What Is BPA? Should I Be Concerned About It?” Healthline, Web.

Sherman, Rhonda. “Before You Recycle, Choose to Reuse: Water Quality & Waste Management.” NC State Extension, Web.

“The 10 Biggest Problems Facing the Waste / Recycling Industry — And How to Solve Them” Leadpoint USA, Web.

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Does Recycling Harm the Environment?

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