FIX RECYCLING NOW.
Legislate the society-wide standardized bin labels to protect the public and the environment from conflicts of interest, and finally make it possible
for the public to recycle and compost correctly wherever they go.
WATCH THE SOLUTION IN USE AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THE PROBLEM
For more than 40 years, America's recycling system has been crippled by a fragmented "Design-It-Yourself" bin labeling approach, which has been encouraged by industries that profit more when recycling fails. This lack of uniformity for bin labeling has created tens of thousands of inconsistent and ineffective labels on recycling and compost bins, carts, and dumpsters, leading to widespread public confusion and costly contamination, which has prevented closed-loop manufacturing and environmental progress.
confusing and inconsistent labeling on bins creates public confusion
destroying the viability of recycling and closed loop manufacturing
and stalling much needed environmental progress
THE FIX
In 2008, the nonprofit Recycle Across America launched the first-and-only society-wide standardized labeling system for recycling, compost, and trash bins, dumpsters, and residential carts to end the public confusion at the bin. It is the most effective solution available today to fix recycling and closed-loop manufacturing, once and for all
society-wide standardized labels for recycling, compost, and trash bins
fix recycling at the source ... at the bin
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THE IMPACT
Today, nearly 15 million standardized labels are now successfully displayed on bins across U.S. airports, schools, stadiums, businesses, hospitals, residential programs, and municipalities—proving to be the single most effective solution to fix U.S. recycling and finally allow closed-loop manufacturing to thrive. (Click to view case studies)
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THE GOAL
Legislate the society-wide standardized bin-labeling solution to make it possible for the public to recycle and compost properly, wherever they go even if the recycling rules differ from location to location. And finally allow recycling and closed-loop manufacturing to live up to its environmental, societal, and economic potential. (Bill language for the society-wide standardized bin labels)
detailed standardized labels on residential carts
STOP THE DYSFUNCTION NOW..
When you look at how recycling has been presented to the public for decades, you can see that it was designed to fail.
Inconsistent design-it-yourself labels on recycling and compost bins
do not work.​​
Education campaigns with inconsistent labels for residential recycling programs
do not work.​
Branding wars on bins and allowing industries to oversee public communications for recycling
does not work.
IT'S NO SURPRISE ...
that the public is confused, apathetic, and skeptical about recycling. It's literally impossible for the public to recycle properly or to even take it seriously.
THE DOMINO EFFECT OF CONFUSION
When the public is confused at the bin, they throw trash in the recycling bin, which drives up the cost of processing the recyclables and it descreases the quality of the materials. As a result, the manufacturers continue to choose virgin materials over recycled materials, and the recyclables end up in the landfill. This dysfunction generates more revenue for the landfill companies, virgin plastics companies, and fossil fuel companies, which are the very industries that have the most influence over U.S. recycling.
EPR WILL NOT FIX IT
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs will not work without fixing
the public's experience at the bin with society-wide standardized labels.
Without society-wide standardized bin labels, EPR won't serve its intended purpose, and in the end, consumers will pay more for packaging to cover the cost of dysfunctional EPR recycling programs. (Article about EPR)
​U.S. RECYCLING IS RIDDLED
WITH CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
In U.S., the most influential industries in recycling (the landfill,virgin plastics, fossil fuel and the nonprofits they fund)
make more money when the public is confused at the recycling and compost bin.
THE TRAFFIC SIGNS ANALOGY
We would never go back to a Design-it-Yourself road sign system because it doesn't work. And we would never let the tow-truck industry, the autobody repair industry, the new car industry and the casket makers to be in control of road saftey. Society-wide standardized road signs were adopted by every state and federally legislated to solve the dysfunction and safety issues on roads due to confusing and inconsistent signs. This is exactly what we are asking policy makers to do with recycling signage and labels on bins ... legislate society-wide standardized labels on bin to end the confusion and end the influence over public communication from the industries that have conflicts-of-interest.
Imagine the confusion and chaos on the roads if speed limit signs were still Design-it-Yourself.
This is an example of the same speed limit, but inconsistent formats.
Thanks to society-wide standardized road signs, even when rules change from road to raod, the information is presented in a society-wide format that allows us and hundreds of millions of other drivers
to instantly change our behavior
THE SOLUTION IS FOR EVERY UNIQUE RECYCLING AND COMPOST PROGRAM
IN THE U.S.
Much like speed limits change from road to road, recycling and compost rules are often different from location to location. And just like society-wide standardized speed limit signs help drivers instantly adjust their speeds, the society-wide standardized labels on bin also help the public recycle properly when the rules change, because the information is presented in a standardized format.
FIX RECYCING NOW
NOW
BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION AT THE BIN, THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF RECYCLING ARE WASTED, MONEY IS WASTED, THE PUBLIC'S GOOD INTENTIONS ARE WASTED,
AND THE TIME TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE IS WASTED.
