Chandler Earl

English-2010

Research Paper

We have all seen the blue containers around our schools and businesses that are placed

by the trash usually and are filled with paper or plastic. An issue that is on-going in todays

communities, businesses, households and public agencies is recycling and the lack thereof.

Some might not think this is an issue and it is really not that big of a deal, but how do local

governments feel about it and inhibit interest in the communities and these businesses to

recycle? How does recycling even benefit me? Businesses and households all around our

communities have no recycling programs in place and they need that incentive to actually do it

and our local governments are the only ones who can.

Basic Information

Recycling plays a major role on our economy in our communities. The EPAs web archive Tools

for Local Government Recycling Programs discusses that recycling has significant economic

benefits in that it prevents the emissions of greenhouse gases, reduces pollutants, saves

energy, conserves resources and reduces the need for new landfills and combustors. Local

governments have a major impact on how our solid waste is disposed through laws,

regulations, policies and taxes. The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989

challenges local governments to rethink incentives in place for one-way disposal, and to

redesign the system to reward and encourage waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and

composting (Block 45).

Referring to the graph above, paper is most peoples biggest waste contributor here in America.

All this paper going into our garbages is mainly coming from our businesses we have in our

communities, so as you can see businesses are local governments main target to get to recycle.

With all the people these businesses hold on a daily basis and all the trash it accumulates the

government has to come up with incentives for these businesses to actually be interested in

recycling.

Business Incentives

Any business looking to go green are sometimes eligible to receive help from state

governments as well as Federal Agencies like the IRS. The main incentives for businesses is

rebates, and tax credits. The Internal Revenue Service gives businesses a tax break for eligible
businesses when they recycle (Sanders). Although the Environmental Protection Agency does

not give offer any direct rebates or credits, it does keep a list of the state programs that do.

Delaware gives $500 towards equipment costs to companies that are buying recycling

equipment. Also, many states offer tax exemptions on recycling equipment and credits on

hiring people from their recycling process. Although many states offer tax incentives, and

credits to businesses so they can save money, other government programs penalize companies

for too much emissions (Sanders). Along with The California Integrated Waste Management

Act, it also established Recycling Market Development Zones that would provide low-interest

loans and assistance to businesses that recycled in one of the zones (Block 45). Those zones

have since grown from 12 to 40 zones and it also it struck up an agreement with major power

producers which reduces electricity rates for eligible businesses. States like Washington and

Connecticut, have created a mandatory law that may fine citizens for throwing away certain

recycling materials. The town of Oyster Bay in New York has a government program SORT

(Separate Oyster Bays Recyclables Today) and the program issues a 20 gallon can to all the

residents to deposit metal, plastic and glass recyclables and then they have waste collection

vehicles to collect recyclables twice a week (Block 47). There are also many technical assistance

programs like the Waste Wise program, which aids businesses in your community to prevent

waste, and incentive programs in their area(Tools). Varying by state there are many more

incentive programs in place by the local governments to inhibit interest in this issue and better

the community.
Community Recycling

For households in our community it is very hard to recycle because some people simply dont

care enough or we forget. The EPA discusses how starting up a community recycling program is

a very wise investment, and is good for our economy and can create relationships within our

communities. Local governments have instilled a pay as you throw program in some

communities which residents are charged for the amount of municipal solid waste in their

household garbage can (Tools). This generates an economic incentive to recycle more and

generate less waste, so basically the less waste you throw away, the less money you have to

pay. Another community program that has had tremendous success is in Vancouver, where

newspapers are collected in heavy-duty reusable blue plastic bags and is sponsored by a local

newspaper. Programs like these that are public subsidies are very easy to start up and they

reduce municipal costs and reinforces the concept that the publisher has a responsibility for

recycling newspapers. The pay as you throw program is really the only effective program the

government can use to control the communities waste and so other communities have to take

it upon themselves to start up a recycling program in their community or just their household.

Government Effectiveness

The government program pay as you throw in communities is one of the more effective

programs some local governments have. According to the EPA, on average, this program helps

communities reduce their waste from 14 percent to 27 percent and increase recycling from 32

percent to 59 percent. For businesses to go green, like all businesses want to make sure they

are making money out of it. Most tax-based incentives are sometimes too minimal and dont
really intrigue companies as much. Seeing as recycling is not the most important issue in

todays world, it is hard for state governments to give out more incentives and get businesses

to actually be passionate about it.

The local governments have programs and incentives in place for our businesses and

households but they prove to be somewhat minimal and less glamorous for people to jump on

them. Although these government programs and regulations are minimal and not as big of

issues in some states there is always room for voluntary programs and educational programs

that we can start up to increase recycling interest into our communities where it is not

mandated by law.
 Works Cited

Tools for Local Government Recycling Programs. Environmental Protection Agency. January

2016. https://archive.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/tools/localgov/web/html/index.html

Tax Benefits to a Company that Recycles. Hearst Newspapers.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/tax-benefits-company-recycles-18031.html

Block, Dave. Government Financing and Expertise Boost Recycling Businesses. BioCycle vol. 40

Issue 2 1999, pp. 45-48. Academic Search Premier.

http://search.ebscohost.com.libprox1.slcc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=15

70959&site=ehost-live