Myth:
The modern recycling movement is a product of a false crisis in landfill space created by the media and environmentalists.
Fact:
Concentrating on landfill space misses the point. The greatest environmental benefits of recycling occur in reducing natural resource damage and pollution that arise when extracting virgin raw materials and manufacturing new products.
Myth:
Landfills are innocuous.
Fact:
Landfills can be major sources of water and air pollution.
Myth:
Landfill space is cheap and abundant.
Fact:
Landfill space is a commodity, priced according to supply and demand. The majority of the growth of recycling in the United States has occurred in populated regions where landfills are expensive relative to the U.S. average.
Myth:
Recycling should pay for itself.
Fact:
We do not expect landfills or incinerators to pay for themselves, nor should we expect this of recycling. The real issue is how recycling costs adds to the system over the long term compared to those of alternative methods of waste management. Taking an accounting snap shot of recycling costs early in the life of existing programs is misleading, because of substantial efficiencies being gained as these programs innovate and mature. Current experience shows well-run community recycling programs can be cost-competitive with disposal options, as are the vast majority of commercial recycling programs.
Myth:
There are no markets for recyclable materials.
Fact:
Recycling is not just an alternative to traditional solid waste disposal, it is the foundation for large, robust manufacturing industries in the United States which use recyclable materials. These businesses are an important part of our economy and provide the market foundation for the entire recycling process. The volume of the major scrap materials sold in domestic and global markets is growing steadily. As with all commodities, prices fluctuate over time.
Myth:
Recycling doesn't save trees because we are growing at least as many trees as we cut specifically to make paper.
Fact:
Recycling reduces the pressure to turn natural forests into tree farms, creating substantial environmental and economic benefits. This effect is even more pronounced when paper recycling is viewed on a global level.
Myth:
Stringent U.S. regulations ensure the environmental harms of manufacturing and using products are incorporated into their prices.
Fact:
Many of the costs which arise from environmental impacts of virgin materials extraction, manufacturing, consumption and disposal are not included in prices paid when products are bought and sold.
Myth:
Misguided laws and regulations compel manufacturers to make costly changes in their packaging and products.
Fact:
The asserted influence of legislation on the character of production processes, products and packaging is grossly overstated. The vast majority of environmental improvements manufacturers have made in products and packaging are cost-cutting measures or voluntary responses to customer demand.
Myth:
Recycling is nearing its maximum potential.
Fact:
There remains enormous room for growth in recycling even for the most-recycled materials. Composting also holds strong potential, and we're just getting started on waste reduction, the most important step of all.
Myth:
Recycling is a time-consuming burden on the American public.
Fact:
Convenient, well-designed recycling programs allow Americans to take action in their daily lives to reduce the environmental impact of the products they consume. Informing citizens of the costs of their own consumption and disposal activities through pay as you throw user fees makes economic and environmental sense but only if viable recycling and composting programs are in place.