Introduction
Recently, the media has been actively praising all recycling efforts, emphasizing its importance to the environment, society, and even commercial organizations. Humanity produces nearly 1.3 billion tons of waste annually, and recycling is one of the most effective methods to minimize environmental damage (Geiger et al. 78). However, some experts argue that an irresponsible approach to this problem only worsens the situation, and there is an extensive number of drawbacks to recycling (Waldrop par. 7). This discussion begs the broad question, “Do the benefits of recycling outweigh its disadvantages?” To answer this question, it is essential to analyze the problem and associated factors in great detail. The current essay proposes that although recycling is imperfect, its benefits to the environment and society significantly outweigh its disadvantages.
Overview of Recycling Benefits
First, it is crucial to examine the direct benefits of recycling to understand how vital this process is to the environment. The most significant advantage is the reduction of waste globally. Every year, humanity produces more and more waste, polluting the environment (Rosenbaum par. 3). It is particularly noticeable in the example of global petrochemical corporations. A recent study shows that companies that provide packaging solutions account for nearly 55% of plastic waste (Rosenbaum par. 3). It is a highly pressing concern precisely because plastic is detrimental to the environment, and recycling options for this material are limited (Thiounn and Smith 1347). Nevertheless, plastic does not go away by itself, and humanity needs to find a way to solve this problem. Therefore, the primary benefit of recycling is that it enables new opportunities and solutions regarding global pollution.
Moreover, there are other advantages to recycling that concern both the environment and society. These benefits include energy preservation, more jobs, local manufacturing, and potential profits for businesses (Geiger et al. 79). In other words, recycling is not only the most logical solution to protect the environment, but it also provides immediate benefits for ordinary people. It could help change the consumer culture and attract more attention to global problems that concern every person on the planet. Ultimately, recycling is a crucial instrument that enables effective waste management and can help people preserve the environment.
Overview of Recycling Disadvantages
Nevertheless, despite the evident benefits, many experts consider that recycling disadvantages are more relevant. The second minor question of this analytical paper is, “What are the disadvantages of recycling?” In this discussion, people generally refer to how unprofitable and potentially dangerous recycling is (Waldrop par. 1). The former primarily concerns global corporations and businesses that might lose money if they invest in recycling solutions. For instance, Tom Szaky – an expert in recycling economics – reports that the packaging industry is one of the main challenges in this problem (Rosenbaum par. 15). Plastic packages are becoming more light-weight according to the customers’ needs and preferences, making their recycling much more complicated (Rosenbaum par. 16). However, if they stop advancing their research to make products more attractive, they will potentially lose profits. Since earning money is the primary objective of businesses, it is essential that customers change their buying habits to stop the packaging industry from ruining the environment.
The second crucial disadvantage is the danger of contamination during recycling. At present, many landfills with recyclable waste present significant health risks to workers, the environment, and people living nearby. The primary cause of this problem concerns the inappropriate recycling habits of people who do not understand the dangers of contamination (Ferris par. 1). For example, food, beverage, electronics, and other materials can quickly degrade a recyclable batch of products. In such cases, the workers must send all items to a nearby landfill to ensure the safety of the recycled goods. However, this approach presents additional risks as well since people working in landfills are constantly exposed to health dangers.
The mentioned two disadvantages directly relate to human factors since people generally prefer an easier way to make money or fail to understand the health risks of inappropriate recycling habits. Geiger et al. (79) state that individual factors significantly impact the problem. For instance, social norms, knowledge about recycling, and attitude toward the environment can predict how likely a person can adopt recycling habits (Geiger et al. 80). However, it does not solve the general issues of recycling, and it is crucial to examine the main obstacles in this problem.
Modern State of Technology or Recycling Challenges
The third question of a narrower scale in this discussion is, “What are the challenges to recycling?” As seen from the passages above, the primary disadvantages of recycling relate to imperfect technologies and human factors. For instance, mechanical recycling might cause harmful plastic degradation processes that present an immediate danger to people and the environment (Thiounn and Smith 1347). Thiounn and Smith (1347) state, “The imperative to access new technologies for recycling and repurposing plastics is clear given their unsustainable origins and dogged environmental persistence in the oceans and on land.” Moreover, since packaging industries keep developing harmful materials for new product options, the recycling industry needs to innovate its methods as well. In their paper, Thiounn and Smith (1350) propose the idea of the chemical recycling of plastic which has a lesser negative impact on the environment. It shows that innovative ideas might propose effective solutions to recycling challenges.
The second significant obstacle concerns human factors and buying habits. Tom Szaky explains that consumer habits in most societies are very harmful to the recycling industry (Rosenbaum par. 31). Namely, people are buying more and more goods each year, and many of these products have unrecyclable packaging. Tom Szaky suggests that “consuming less” is one of the potentially best options, but changing consumer habits is a difficult task (Rosenbaum par. 32). It is particularly challenging because companies constantly invent new and attractive products for consumption, regardless of their effects on the environment. At present, the trend for sustainability and recycling is growing stronger, but it is still not sufficient to change buying habits of customers.
Discussion and Reflection
The previous paragraphs have demonstrated that recycling has unique benefits, disadvantages, and challenges. Each of the narrower questions has provided insights into the problem, and it is essential to reflect on them to draw a conclusion. Namely, it is clear that recycling disadvantages are relevant – some older technologies pose significant health risks, and companies lose profits if they focus on recycling. Moreover, people are frequently reluctant to change their buying habits or recycle since it takes additional effort. These disadvantages and challenges pose significant concerns for the recycling industry.
However, the current essay proposes that recycling is a necessity for humanity. As mentioned in the first chapter, the amount of waste is growing rapidly, with billions of tons of trash polluting the environment. It has immediate negative effects on people, and it will have even more serious consequences on the world in the long term. Recycling is one of the most effective and affordable solutions to this problem. Most experts agree that, with additional research and improved public awareness, recycling can address the challenging aspects of environmental damage. It is particularly true for plastic which has multiple adverse effects on oceans, land, and wildlife. Innovations in recycling might mitigate these risks and address the needs of the packaging industry. Therefore, even though there are multiple drawbacks to the approach, the current paper defends the position that recycling is necessary to preserve the world and that its benefits outweigh its disadvantages.
Conclusion
At present, recycling is not a perfectly adopted strategy, but it is the necessary solution to reduce environmental damage. The current analytical essay has revealed an extensive number of relevant disadvantages and challenges which make recycling a less attractive option. Nevertheless, despite these drawbacks, the academic research supports the idea that recycling is necessary if humanity wants to revert environmental damage. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to invent new recycling technologies with lower risks of contamination and change consumers’ buying habits. If people acknowledge environmental risks, the companies will have to adjust to the new marketing realities and make their products safer for the environment. Unfortunately, businesses will always prioritize their profits first, so it is vital to start the positive change by raising customers’ awareness of environmental risks and the importance of recycling.
Works Cited
Ferris, Brian. “What is Recycling Contamination?” Road Runner: Smarter Recycling, 2022.
Geiger, Josefine L., et al. “A Meta-Analysis of Factors Related to Recycling.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 64, 2019, pp. 78-97.
Rosenbaum, Eric. “Is Recycling a Waste? Here’s the Answer from a Plastics Expert before you Ditch the Effort.” CNBC, 2021.
Thiounn, Timmy, and Rhett C. Smith. “Advances and Approaches for Chemical Recycling of Plastic Waste.” Journal of Polymer Science, vol. 58, 2020, pp. 1347-1364.
Waldrop, Mitchell. “Recycling meets reality.” Knowable Magazine, 2020.