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June, 2025

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Recycle programs in the U.S.

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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
Alright, so last time I went on a trip down to the States it was two winters ago and it was spent in Montana and Idaho. I can't remember exactly what Montana was doing, but Idaho's recycle program was horrible. When I finished a can of beer I was told to just throw it in the garbage because that's all they can do. (Salmon, Idaho to be exact). Well, me being a nice Canadian I obviously held onto all my empties and other recyclables till I got back into Canada to dispose of them properly. Hell, we even get money back from any bottle or can that had a beverage in it. I think every single town in Canada has a good recycle program with pick up with the garbage and usually a central recycle center in town. Even major cities have recycle centers set up in parking lots across the city.

So, I'm curious - what kind of system do you have set up down in the States to recycle. What options do you have, where do you have to go, and what can you recycle there?
17 years ago
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HenniferLopez
Posts: 1319 - Karma: 136
that's funny I was just talking to my friend who goes to school in California right now about this. We're from mt and our recycling here SUCKS..we can't even recycle glass here! I think the other major problem here in mt is peoples mindsets about recycling. they just think that someone else will do it and that it's not up to them. WRONG. I recycle as much as I can. My friend who is in california said they do a lot to recycle there..similar to the stuff you mentioned happens in canada. WE NEED TO GET ON THE WAGON!
17 years ago
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grapecrush
Posts: 131 - Karma: 12

no kidding jen!!

every house here recycles, and at work we have a compactor JUST for plastic cardboard and cans,

pretymuch everything gets recycled and even like all out electronics and computers and stuff go to a place called syrotech and they dismantle everythign and strip what they can salvage and then scrap the rest, like taking all the plastic components and seperating everything so everything can be used to its full potential.

17 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
old electronics is one of the biggest problems we have to deal with right now. As it is right now in most places, you usually have to pay to properly dispose of your old computer, tv, etc... Problem is, a lot of people don't want to PAY to get rid of stuff so they find other means. Most of the time this means the computers and whatnot end up in the "black market" where the stuff is shipped off to Asia and Africa. There, the poor take it apart for the small amounts of copper and other valuable metals... it is a very toxic and harmful practice, both to the people doing it, and the land around them.

I heard though that the price of metals such as copper dropped a lot since the whole economy crash, so maybe the illegal market will become unprofitable and stop? highly unlikely.
17 years ago
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spqr
Posts: 182 - Karma: 141
My small town in western PA actually has a pretty decent recycling program. It accepts all recyclables (plastics 1-7, metals, paper products) comingled. Also, we have a free electronics recyling program where we can drop off old TVs/computers/etc for free and they will be recycled. One nice thing about this is you can take stuff if you want it, so I have gotten some decent speakers and other electronics for free.

Although with the economy crash, and drop in raw material prices, we are having issues getting a company to take our recycleables now.


17 years ago
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skithe49th
Posts: 2487 - Karma: 14
alaska doesnt really have one, i believe its because its too expensive to ship all that stuff down. I mean we put all our newspapers in this big container behind a grocery store but i donno what happens to em.
17 years ago
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 373
same
17 years ago
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YT.SKEEZE
Posts: 609 - Karma: 17
Yeah we did some stuff on that in environmental science. The sad thing is that alot of the companies that you pay to take your tv, pc etc. actually sell it into the "black market" to be stripped of its metal and the rest is still thrown out as garbage even though the majority of it can be recycled.
17 years ago
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49566738265
Posts: 0 - Karma: 7,705
Recycling is expensive, and it isn't really integrated into US programs.  Germany had a very nice recycling system, but it cost a bit to run it.
17 years ago
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eheath
Posts: 61968 - Karma: 126,910
I throw away most to all recyclable. We try to recycle cardboard and cans though, its hard when out recycle can is full of trash.
17 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
bump.

because i can, and i want to hear from more people. (say what state you're from as well so we know, ya know?)
17 years ago
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philipc
Posts: 6651 - Karma: 1,286
maine has a real good one because we can get $$ for our bottles at redemption centres.... also our schools have good ones. anywhere out of new england i hear doesnt really have a recycling programme
17 years ago
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