Is Curbside Recycling a Scam?

Aug 28, 2023

The Skeptics May Have a Point..

As the Western World seeks to explore recycling of ever more complex materials (lithium-ion batteries, anyone?), it may be worthwhile asking how we’re doing on just the simple materials.

Where did the scam idea come from? Many skeptics repeat this, which implies that they have also given up and thrown recyclables in the trash: right where they say it goes anyway. To their point, grim stats suggest we could be better at recycling (EPA Stats) paired with the time and effort involved in the voluntary process of recycling every material, which makes for a system bound with inefficiencies.

Regarding the effort, rules are pretty strict at each user point- and there are many. Berkeley Heights also takes some electronics, some polystyrene (Styrofoam for us Americans), and thin film plastics.

Don’t dare put the thin film at Single Stream Curbside; the township contractor won’t take it. The county has collection services with its own rules, dates, and finally, private recyclers such as Reboot Electronic Recyclers take electronics for free. Home Depot, Best Buy- all take certain materials such as batteries, bulbs, and sometimes thin film plastics.

Calling it a scam might not be the correct terminology as scams usually make me think of new iPads advertised for $100 or finding the 88 among the grid of 68s to claim your new Toyota Prius.

“Lacking”, “inefficient”, “burdening”, or “complicated” might be words that describe the total of 21st-century recycling in the Western world.

Current programs allow people to go only as far as they are willing to minimize waste. And in a society with all the comforts and ease in life, recycling needs to catch up. Outdated. That lack of a simple and single point of recycling all materials means the rest goes to the garbage and to spring bulk pickup, where everything (after pickers) goes to landfill. Many believe the effort is worth it, but that sentiment is not universal, and the busy pace of the suburbia lifestyle means many materials go into the first bin available.

Curbside is probably the answer since it is the simplest solution for the customer. But we won’t get too far until some more competition forces collectors to improve their services. Last time the township updated our contract with Giordano, they seemed to be the only contractor responding to bid. In response, something would need to open the field for more competitors, which could slow or reverse costs to the township or increase materials the collectors could accept.

Not too surprising; no New Jersey bills are noted that would help. Many proposals increase restrictions to try to address waste issues.

One bill worthy of some notice might be AR148 – requesting that the Governor “reignite” a council on solid waste. As fun as that sounds, the council is supposed to meet regularly to address waste and recycling issues. Since China has stopped accepting many of our materials, it has made the need for the council much more critical. According to the bill dated June 2022, the council has been inactive for over a decade.