An Exploration into the Necessary Transparency Needed in the Recycling Culture

Abstract

The lack of education and transparency in the industry and the culture around recycling has led to misunderstanding and misinformation in regard to the status of recycled materials and their environmental impact which will continue to lead to environmental harm in the future. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in 2018 only 8.7% of all plastics were recycled. According to a more recent report published by Greenpeace, that percentage has decreased to only 5% in the year 2020. Yet plastic is still pronounced as a 'recyclable' material with little regard for the more complex and wider context. Many people still are under the illusion that all or at least most plastic is easily recyclable with no material strength degradation but that is not the case. Plastic is just one material in which we can see the impact of the lack of transparency and education. We see these issues of recycling and landfill management impact minority communities at a much higher rate than those of the majority community. 

While it may seem small and insignificant, these issues impact a variety of environmental aspects like soil and air quality which play a larger role in both mental and physical health. Our research and mission will consider both local and larger elements like industry, policy, and culture to create a possible proposal and steps to address the issues of transparency and education in regard to the larger recycling industry and culture with ways to mitigate the issue at hand. By taking a look at both the global and local scale we will be able to quantify the possibility of success with each potential proposal in order to figure out what will work best for Englewood and create a framework for other minority communities. Elements of transparency will be addressed by furthering education in regard to how the recycling process goes, the policy in play, and the role that the recycling industrial complex impacts.