Could Global Challenges End Recycling as We Know It?

Could this be the beginning of the end for recycling as we know it? Some experts say it’s possible, unless things change.

Ever since China placed a ban on much of the recyclable solid waste that is sent from the United States earlier this year, recyclables are piling up at centers across the U.S.

According to a study published earlier this year in Scientific Advances, an estimated 122.4 million tons of plastic waste will be displaced by 2030 as a result of China's ban, The Weather Channel reported. And now, numerous cities across the nation are either imposing higher recycling fees or considering abandoning recycling altogether

The Weather Channel has more details:

Signs are pointing to a recycling crisis that could eventually lead to the end of recycling as we know it, experts say.

For years, the United States exported much of its recyclables because it was a cheaper solution and cities could actually turn a profit by selling to China. Between 1988 and 2016, some 26.7 million tons of recyclables were sent abroad, NPR reported.

Earlier this year, China imposed a ban on the import of recyclable waste from Western countries, including the U.S. Now that China has eliminated or reduced the recyclables it will accept, paper, plastic, glass and other solid wastes are piling up at centers across the nation.

Related:Tackling Contamination in the Era of E-commerce, China’s Import Ban

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