Ball survey declares US recycling system “broken” despite widespread public support

01 Apr 2021 --- The US recycling system is “broken,” with only 25 percent of waste recycled, according to a new survey by Ball and environmental consultancy agency Eunomia. 

The research also reveals widespread public support for improved recycling systems and reduced packaging waste and ranks all 50 US states by their recycling performance.

The “first-of-its-kind” report is intended to set a baseline in each state that can be leveraged to inform policy, design programs and assess infrastructure proposals and improvements. 

Using 2018 data sourced from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US states, counties, municipalities, sorting facilities and material processors, the study looked at recycling for standard containers and packaging materials. 

This includes PET bottles and trays, glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans, steel cans, cardboard, and boxboard. 

“If we are willing to recapitalize our antiquated recycling system by taking a fresh look at the way we create incentives, invest in adequate infrastructure and change behaviors to drive real recycling, we can lead the country toward a more circular and sustainable future,” says Ball chairman and CEO John Hayes.

State rankings 
The study found the ten US states with the highest recycling rate for common containers and packaging materials (CCPM) (excluding cardboard and boxboard) in 2018 were:

• Maine (72 percent) 
• Vermont (62 percent) 
• Massachusetts (55 percent) 
• Oregon (55 percent) 
• Connecticut (52 percent)
• New York (51 percent)
• Minnesota (49 percent)
• Michigan (48 percent)
• New Jersey (46 percent)
• Iowa (44 percent)

The 10 states with the lowest recycling rate for CCPM (excluding cardboard and boxboard) in 2018 were:

• New Mexico (13 percent)
• Texas (13 percent)
• Alabama (11 percent)
• Oklahoma (10 percent)
• Mississippi (8 percent)
• South Carolina (8 percent)
• Tennessee (7 percent) 
• Alaska (6 percent)
• Louisiana (4 percent)
• West Virginia (2 percent)

DRS drives up recycling rates
Of the top ten recycling states, seven had good data quality, availability and state reporting systems. Eight were reported to have a Deposit Return System (DRS) or “bottle bill.” Eight also had higher landfill disposal costs on a per ton basis.

The report calls for a nationwide DRS.Moreover, nine of the top ten states with the highest recycling rates for PET bottles and aluminum cans were states with a DRS and curbside recycling infrastructure, with 3.5 times more PET and three times more aluminum recycled in DRS states than in non-DRS states.

Recycling one ton of aluminum has triple the GHG reduction benefit compared to recycling one ton of cardboard, the report also found. 

More effective waste management policies could reduce global CO2 emissions by up to 5 percent – the equivalent of grounding all commercial flights globally and taking 65 percent of cars off the road for a year, it flags. 

Public opinion 
In coordination with the new report’s publication, Ball released findings from a national survey of 4,000 US adults conducted March 6-15, 2021, showing strong support for policies that would improve recycling and reduce packaging pollution. 

Ninety percent of respondents agreed companies should use easily reused or recycled packaging.

Moreover, 84 percent agreed “investing in expanding and improving our nation’s recycling infrastructure should be a higher priority.”

“Understanding the current state of our recycling system is crucial to designing policies, infrastructure and products that support true circularity in our communities,” says Keefe Harrison, The Recycling Partnership CEO. Aluminum is infinitely recyclable and has triple the GHG reduction compared to cardboard.

Eighty-four percent agreed “the US should create a nationwide beverage container refund program to encourage recycling, where consumers get back a small fee for returning empty glass jars, aluminum cans and plastic bottles.”

Another 81 percent agreed that difficult or impossible to recycle packaging materials should be phased out to reduce pollution, and 67 percent agreed companies that manufacture food and beverage containers should be responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling their products after people discard them.

“This report demonstrates that no one thing will heal recycling’s challenge alone. The key is addressing the system holistically to drive real and meaningful change,” concludes Harrison.

Ball says the report’s findings should be used to inform debates surrounding the proposed Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, a bill currently under scrutiny in the US. 

Edited by Louis Gore-Langton

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