For many years I felt like I was doing my part, contributing to Mother Earth by way of recycling. I recycled anything that was paper, glass, or plastic, making sure to separate the glass from the other two. Until a few weeks ago, I was corrected by my co-worker while in search of a recycling bin to recycle a few things. “You know that can’t be recycled right? The bottles with the necks are fine but the plastic cutlery cannot go in the bin” she said. I looked at the items in my hand and then at her. I felt like my whole life had flashed before my eyes. “ Really ?” I said. “Yes”, she said. “ North Carolina has specific recycling regulations. Here at this store we only recycle certain things , others go to a recycling facility.”
I had been living in Charlotte, North Carolina for the past seven months and had been recycling on a consistent basis. Then while living in Boston, MA, I recycled there too. Later after work that day, I went home to do some research. I couldn’t believe that I had been recycling all wrong.
According to Harmony Enterprises Inc, (a third-generation, family-owned
manufacturer of recycling balers and waste compactors), different states have different recycling laws.
“Individual states and cities can create recycling
goals or landfill bans of recyclable materials. Some states that have landfill
bans include Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and North Carolina. Some cities
even have a plastic bag ban.” Recycling
Laws are Different in Every State. Harmony. https://harmony1.com/recycling-laws/. In addition to this, some cities and
states have even implemented (or are in the process of putting into effect), mandatory
recycling laws. This means that people and corporations can be fined for not recycling.
Some of these cities and states include Minnesota, Seattle, and California. To
avoid paying fines and even having our recycled pile go to the landfill, it is
important that we recycle correctly.
For more information on recycling laws for your city and state, check out the link here, from berecycled.org. All that you have to do is enter your zip code. Their website will link you to local recycling information to everything from recycling schedules, what can and can’t be recycled curbside, disposable/ recycling centers, and more. Let’s aim to recycle, correctly. Mother Earth, needs it.
Be
Encouraged,
Noelani
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