Create Recycling Programs That Work

Controlling contamination and processes that can help the facility comply with changing recycling initiatives

Not to date myself too much, but I grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons in the 1970s. This time period happened to correspond with a general increased awareness of the environment, and a heightened concern for the impact our collective activities were having on it. In addition to the famous “Crying Indian” commercial created by the Keep America Beautiful organization, there were various public service announcements in both print and televised media which began to shape perspectives and attitudes about what everyday citizens could and should be able to do to help out.

During this time period, I remember our school district initiating several aluminum can drives, where students were encouraged to collect as many cans as they could find and bring them in. By the end of our drives, our school was able to generate huge mounds of cans, which we proudly presented to the local recycling facility.

I would imagine that there are many cleaning managers who can relate and likely recount similar stories.

Underneath all of these commercials, public service announcements and school can drives, there was the central premise that littering is bad and recycling is good. To this day, most people would probably agree that recycling is the right thing to do.

Recycling is the right thing to do, right? I mean, recycling is on the list of things everyone agrees we should do — right up there with starting an exercise routine, making regular contributions to your IRA account, and going to the dentist twice a year.

If that is indeed the case, then why is the recycling industry experiencing such a crisis?

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The History Of Recycling