[OKRA] The Global Face of Recycling

[Shields, Susie]

The Global Face of Recycling
by Brandy Norleen <http://earth911.com/blog/author/oinc7/> 
Many of us are aware of how the U.S. approaches recycling, but have we
ever taken the time to consider how the world approaches it?
We are often so comfortable in our own surroundings, that sometimes we
don't have the opportunity to see how other countries approach the same
daily concerns.  Here is a glance at some different parts of the world
and how seriously they take recycling.
 <<Picture (Device Independent Bitmap)>> 
The village of Dharavi in the heart of Mumbai is also a recycling
emporium. The majority of the one million plus inhabitants gathering
waste from all over the city, transforming old, used and unwanted trash
into new products. Photo: Daylife.com
India
*	In Dharavi, India, many people make a living by creating their
own recycling factories. It is estimated that the self-made recycling
industry employs roughly 200,000 people. It's not merely taking care of
waste, but a way of life and a source of income. 
*	India recycles roughly 40 percent of their e-waste a year. This
includes such items as broken or unwanted electrical appliances. 
Europe
*	Austria takes the cake by recycling roughly 60 percent of its
waste. 
*	The United Kingdom recycles roughly 17.7 percent of its waste.
Ireland, Italy, and Portugal are around the same percentage. 
*	The majority of recycling in the United Kingdom is handled by
authorities. They institute incentives in order to encourage recycling.
For example, a landfill tax is charged on top of normal landfill fees to
encourage business and local authorities to recycle, reduce, and reuse. 
*	Many of the products the United Kingdom recycles include, but
are not limited to, paper (including cards), glass, clothes, shoes and
aluminum cans. 
Japan and China
*	In China, recycling isn't just a citizen responsibility; it's
now considered second nature. Citizens and government alike in China are
taking steps to encourage recycling. This has also become a profit
machine. The citizens who diligently collect recyclables off the street
are numbered around 2.5 million people. These scrap collectors earn the
equivalent of $150 a month which is roughly half of what a cab driver
earns in that country in the same time frame. 
*	It is estimated that 20 percent of the countries waste is
disposed of improperly in China. This includes such items as building
materials. 
*	Despite this, Beijing has built the world's largest recycling
facility and continues to install recycling bins. The city of Beijing
hopes to increase their recycling rate from 10 percent to 80 percent by
2010. 
*	In Japan, recycling is a $360 billion dollar industry. 
*	In 1995, Japan established the Containers and Packaging
Recycling Act to "meet the increasing need to reduce the volume of solid
waste and make full use of recyclable resources by means of sorted
collection and to recycle waste containers and wrapping." The Japan
Containers and Packaging Recycling Association
<http://www.jcpra.or.jp/eng/jcpra/02.html>  helps to take on this
responsibility by investing and managing recycling fees. 
		 <<Picture (Device Independent Bitmap)>> 
		With the world's largest recycling facility in Beijing,
recycling is "second nature" in China. Photo: Samrecovery.com
South America
*	In Brazil, nearly 500 cooperatives employ approximately 500,000
recycling collectors. This is a $3 billion industry. 
*	Fifty percent of the 140,000 tons of trash generated daily in
Brazil is recycled. 
*	Chile opened its first electronic scrap recycling facility in
2005. 
*	Peru opened its first recycling plant in 2007, which processes
plastic packaging. 
Africa
*	The Glass Recycling Company has partnered with the government
and glass manufacturers in South Africa in an attempt to increase the
current glass recycling rate. This partnership increased recycling rates
from 148,000 tons to 183,000 tons of glass recycling in roughly a year
and a half. 
*	In Egypt, refuse collectors actually buy the right to collect
trash since it is seen as such a profitable business. The collectors
gather and recycle anything they can turn for a profit. 
A Different Angle
The world's recycling perspective ranges anywhere from profitable to
vital in preserving the environment and controlling waste. While some
countries offer elaborate setups for recycling and their citizens take
the extra step to sort their waste, other countries have to choose
alternative methods.
In places like Africa, India and South America, the common trend is that
the recycling industry is a means to provide income for many residents.
While in the U.S., companies and governments take the lead in recycling,
other countries do not have the structure to setup such an arrangement.
Despite this, the waste situation is real and turning the situation into
profit has both helped many countries by controlling their waste and
providing income for struggling families. However, there are very real
health issues brought to light. While collecting the waste, people can
easily contract diseases due to the methods of collection.
 <<Picture (Device Independent Bitmap)>> 
Brandy Norleen
Brandy Norleen is a technical writer at a firm in Delaware. She is also
a freelance writer and editor.

Bibliography: The Global Face of Recycling


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