One of the things that always depresses me about coming back to the UK is the ridiculous level of bureaucracy surrounding recycling. I know it is different in different parts of the country, but here in Darkest Somerset there are all sorts of complex rules about what you can and cannot recycle, what has to be separated from what, and so on. According to my mother if you get any of this wrong the council will simply refuse to collect your recycling. And they are now talking about fining people for not recycling properly.
Back in California all of our recycling goes into a single bin (together with that of our neighbors, so there’s no possibility of fining individual households). It ll gets collected. But that’s nothing compared to what goes on in San Francisco. According to the Chronicle, not only is everything collected, but there is a thriving business in theft of recycled materials. The stuff is now so valuable that there are organized gangs who go around at night stealing it before the council can pick it up. Here’s why:
Prices for aluminum run more than $3,700 per ton, glass $210, plastic $180 and cardboard $130, according to Sunset Scavenger, a division of giant Norcal Waste Systems Inc.
Prices for metal in particular are only going to go up. So why is recycling still such a problem here? (I have some ideas, but I’m interested in hearing yours.)
It varies hugely from council to council in the UK. My council only requires 2 recycling crates, one for paper & card, one for metal and plastic. Up in the North East my parents just have the one into which they stick all their recyclables. On the other hand I recall talking to a fan living in New Jersey (can’t recall which city) who had a seperate container for everything.