One Planet: How To Fix The Worsening Waste And Recycling Crisis - KALW

On this edition of Your Call’s One Planet Series, we discuss ways to fix the recycling system and plastic pollution in the US. Recently, Maine and Oregon enacted first state laws requiring companies that create consumer packaging to pay for the costs of recycling it too. Several other states, including New York, Maryland, are considering similar legislation. According to the EPA, of the 267.8 million tons of municipal solid waste generated by Americans in 2017, only 94.2 million tons were recycled or composted. Only about 9 percent of all plastics are recycled in the US annually- What does it take to fix the broken recycling system and reduce plastic waste in the US?

Guests:

Judith Enck, visiting professor at Bennington College and the President of Beyond Plastics

Graham Forbes, Greenpeace's Plastics Global Project Leader.

Web Resources:

Beyond Plastics

GREENPEACE: The Climate Emergency Unpacked

Daily Democrat: Sweeping recycling, plastics bills await the green light from Gov. Gavin Newsom

Grist: Corporations tried to blame you for the plastic crisis. Now states are turning the tables.

The Conversation: Packaging generates a lot of waste – now Maine and Oregon want manufacturers to foot the bill for getting rid of it

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