Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

A Different Way to Look at Waste: Creating a Source for Renewable Products

Renewable Energy World: LOS ANGELES - Data suggests that, in spite of the urgent need to increase recycling rates, the majority of recycling programs in the U.S. and most countries around the world have not proven to be very effective. Japan and several European countries are notable exceptions. It is not unheard of to see recycling recovery rates of 14 percent to 20 percent or lower in some jurisdictions.

A recent World Economic Forum and Ellen MacArthur Foundation report states that 72 percent of plastic packaging is not recovered at all. Many reasons abound for the lack of good results — not the least the wide variation in community policies and programs (is it better to have two or three recycling bins?). The taxpayer, who is the stakeholder and participant in the recycling effort, often suffers from a lack of clear, specific communications detailing the programs' goal, process and expectation.

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