The Recycling Crisis Unveiled

This chapter explores the profound recycling crisis in the U.S., triggered by the suspension of curbside programs and China's 2018 import ban on recyclables. It examines the systemic inefficiencies of plastic recycling, revealing alarmingly low recycling rates and the environmental ramifications of contaminated and improperly sorted materials. The narrative challenges the notion that recycling is always beneficial, asking whether its environmental costs outweigh the perceived benefits.