Mandatory Recycling and Bottle Bills

Greenhouse gases and air pollution have reached such alarming levels that it has become imperative that everyone par takes in recycling. Recycling is the process by which an item is re-used beyond its original intent. The issue over whether there should be a federal mandate to recycle has been a highly debated issue of late. Supporters of mandating recycling believe it should be required to recycle because it reduces wastes in landfills, creates a healthier environment, and reduces greenhouse gases. However, opponents to the mandate believe recycling is too expensive, and that it is an intrusion of personal liberty. Likewise, there are “bottle bills” that consists of a deposit refund system in which consumers have the opportunity to get a refund on the deposits they pay the retailers to encourage recycling. However, many times large corporations such as Coca-Cola spend large amounts of money to make sure bills like this do not happen. Our government should pass a federal mandate that individuals in all states have to recycle. Although at first it may seem as though that would require too much government intervention, the larger more important picture is that it would significantly reduce pollution in the environment, and result in heath benefits for everyone.

Far too many people opt out of recycling; therefore initiatives should not be solely voluntary. Landfills are becoming more full, and air pollution has reached such high levels that there needs to be government mandates to address these serious and on-going issues. Cities such as San Francisco, Pittsburg, San Diego, Seattle, New York, Philadelphia, Connecticut, Florida and Honolulu have enacted mandatory recycling laws mainly due to difficulties in land fillings and dispos...

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...nues. None of these arguments actually being true. Bottle bills are a great way to promote recycling and it gives individuals some incentive to help decrease our air pollution and help the environment.

As a nation our pollution levels and green house gas emissions have become so drastic that more government intervention in the federal mandate of recycling needs to occur. Landfills are only going to keep filling up, and the government should take control and not rely on voluntary recycling. Mandating recycling may seem to violate your personal liberty in a sense, however, by doing so it is for the betterment of society and environment. It is not so much to ask to make sure you put your recyclables in one bin and your garbage in the other. We should all be required to recycle because of all of the potential benefits that can arise from mandated recycling programs.