Why Recycling Should be Mandatory

Recycling has been a major goal for environmentalists and those who want to make a difference. Getting everyone else on board with recycling requires more than a mere suggestion. Recycling is vital and should be mandatory, and the result would be financial gains in addition to environmental benefits.

Recycling programs can result in hugely positive benefits. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a recently enacted recycling program at Penn State’s football stadium resulted in the recycling of 122 tons of waste, the sale of which amounted to $54,000 after an initial cost of $9000 for the program (Recycling at Penn State's Beaver Stadium). This is a great example that recycling programs can be created inexpensively, resulting in huge financial gains as well as environmental benefits.

Organic waste management should be addressed as well, though many people don’t consider it a component of recycling. Organic waste should be composted because it needs to be recycled as well. Composting is an extremely cost-effective way to recycle organic waste that would normally go to a landfill (Breidenbach).

A handbook called The Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste shows the affordability of recycling programs and offers cheap and viable ways that that waste can be recycled (The United States Environmental Protection Agency). The varying methods would give a mandatory recycling program many options that could be tailored to its participants and offers twelve ways to recycle.

Unfortunately, voluntary action is not enough. If it was, more people would recycle. This is why there should be a law that requires people to recycle all of their waste appropriately. It could mean the difference between a healthy future environment and an inevitable environmental disaster.

Works Cited

Breidenbach, Andrew. Environmental Protection Agency. Composting of Municipal Solid Wastes in the United States. Washington: GPO, 1971. ERIC. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. Recycling at Penn State's Beaver Stadium. "Recycle on the Go" Success Story. Washington: GPO, n.d. ERIC. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Solid Waste. The Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste. Washington: GPO, 1992. ERIC. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.