1. Why has recycling become more popular and widespread?
2. What are some of the issues hindering businesses and organizations from offering further recycling services?
3. What are some of the solutions companies are developing to help cut down on waste and to recycle more?

In the United States, the amount of consumer and industrial waste has been increasing regularly. It was estimated that by the year 2010, total municipal solid waste reached 250 million tons. Ecological authorities frequently tout recycling as a means of slowing down waste and the need for landfill space. Biodegradable products, those which decompose, are also recommended.

As more companies strive to be ecologically responsible as well as appeal to consumers by offering “green” products, many have come to believe the evidence that such programs may actually be economically profitable. Many companies now offer “green” versions of their traditional products as the proof mounts that many consumers favor these products. Organizations such as Walmart are reducing pollution and waste in anticipation of future federal regulatory mandates. 3M offers toilet-bowl brushes made from the leftover plastic fibers from is Scotch-Brite cleaning cloths. Similarly, Recycline offers toothbrushes and other household and personal grooming products made from recycled Stonyfield Farm yogurt containers.

Many large retailers offer recycling centers for paper, plastics, and aluminum. Best Buy even offers electronics recycling at many of its stores. Large grocery chains frequently give consumers discounts on their purchases if they bring their own bags with them. While recycling has become increasingly widespread, recycling centers can be problematic for two reasons: (1) the lack of a market for recycled products in some areas and (2) the cost of maintaining the recycling centers. For example, one manager of a major retailing firm pointed out that people used the recycling bins to dispose of all kinds of unwanted trash and garbage, disregarding the specific types of materials to be placed in the bins. Every morning, employees had to clean the parking lot of debris from the recycling bins. People would toss in glass, metal, cloth, and garbage in plastic sacks—materials not to be deposited in the recycling bins.

 Many cities in the United States, concerned about the declining amount of landfill space, have introduced recycling for trash and garbage pickup. Those municipalities, as in the case of individual business firms, need an outlet for materials saved for recycling. Sorting is a requirement for municipal recycling—whether done by each household or by specialized sorting equipment.

Two trends may lead to increased recycling by consumers and business firms. One trend is charging for nonrecyclable garbage. For example, some municipalities refuse to pick up nonrecycled trash and garbage, forcing households to hire private firms to pick up nonrecycled items. Another trend is through regulation that requires recycling, such as the German Green Point Law, which requires manufacturers to assume responsibility for the disposal of their packaging.

When consumers and business firms find it is in their economic interests to recycle, then perhaps producers will find ways to use recycled products. For example, Pitney Bowes of Canada Ltd. is one of many companies that now sells copiers that take reusable toner cartridges. Thermo Tech Technologies Inc., another Canadian company, uses a patented technology to turn organic wastes into animal feed supplements or fertilizers.