New recycling program might not reduce garbage
Posted May 3, 2013 11:11 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – One year from now, the way we recycle will be radically different, with retailers and manufacturers taking on responsibility for recycling the packaging that comes with the items we buy.
But there is some doubt over whether the new system will have its intended outcome.
It’s thought that once producers have to recycle all that paper, plastic and Styrofoam, they’re going to reduce that packaging.
But Nicole Stefenelli with Urban Impact Recycling says that wrapping has a lot to do with what we buy.
“Our retail choices are dictated by appeal. Will the consumer buy something if it’s less appealing? That’s why I’m skeptical.”
One study in the States says producer-responsible recycling doesn’t prompt changes in packaging design and selection.
Stefenelli says another question is whether the new system will be more efficient than the one we have now which largely involves municipalities taking recyclables to private processors.
