The Recycling Reality
The idea for this post came from completing the Sustainable Living 101 course designed by the UNF Institute of Environmental Research and Education, where I learned about different sustainability practices, especially recycling. In an era of climate change and overflowing landfills, sustainable living has become more crucial than ever. So, I want to share my research regarding the correct way to recycle and why it is important.
The production of plastic began at the beginning of the 1900s as a cheap, magical material that could take any form and color. This trend was initiated by big oil companies, who, in fact, were the suppliers of this additional fossil fuel material. They were supported by beverage and food companies that also saw this as a perfect package. Only PepsiCo produces approximately 2.5 million metric tons of plastic each year, which is like 2.4 fully filled Empire State Buildings—imagine the global scale! Plastic use continues to rise, with 445.25 million metric tons predicted to be produced in 2025. It is also an almost unbreakable material that takes up to 500 years to fully disappear.
While recycling sounds like a solution, it is not quite so, as much plastic goes into the trash. Have you ever wondered what happens after we put our waste into the bin? You might be surprised, but it does not evaporate. It is either recycled or buried in the ground (landfill) for future generations to deal with. According to the 2020 Florida Waste Management Report, Orange County buries 70.09%, while 47.09% in Duval County.
The table of collected and recycled waste in Duval County. MSW Collected & Recycled.
What about recycling? Even though the recycling percentage in Jacksonville is more than half of the total, the plastic proportion is very small. Only 3.25% of all recycling is plastic. There are even worse statistics: out of 108,780 tons of plastic collected, only 2,027 tons are recycled, which means that only 2% of collected plastic is recycled. The reason for this is a lack of education about recycling among people, which explains that not all plastics can be recycled and that they should be washed and have no labels before recycling. It’s also important to check local guidelines, as not all plastics are accepted everywhere.
The right way to recycle is to first check plastic for a resin identification marker (see picture). It is numbered from 1 to 7, with 1-2 mostly accepted/recycled, 3-5 sometimes accepted, and 6-7 non-recyclable. If it can be recycled, you must peel the label and ensure that the plastic is clean from food. It is important to note that black plastic is not recycled because it cannot be sorted correctly. To-go cups, take-out containers, plastic bags, spoons, forks, knives, and straws are unrecyclable.
We should address issues regarding plastic as soon as possible. One of them is connected to city planning, and it involves determining where waste, recycling, and compost cans should be located. One of the most convenient solutions is creating a special system for multiflora apartments where residents can dispose of waste through a dedicated system with pumps for each category (see picture). This eases the process for workers and decreases the amount of trash falling while carrying. It is also important to design and place trash cans on the streets to make them more noticeable. For example, Kissimmee became the first city in Florida to install submerged containers, which take up less space and also simplify the collection process.
However, while cities work on better planning and policies, we can all take small but meaningful steps, like switching to reusable bags and reducing single-use plastic. Especially in Florida, where the recycling system is underdeveloped, it is important to advocate for recycling as much as possible. Additionally, the increase in plastic production by oil enterprises only worsens the situation. It affects not only people but also animals, marine life, and all living organisms. For instance, we have a whole Great Pacific Garbage Patch, basically just floating trash in the ocean that cannot be cleaned. There are an estimated 51 trillion tons of microplastic particles. That’s 500 times more than the stars in our galaxy (UN News 2017).
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Sustainability is not just about what we recycle—it’s about making choices that protect our planet. Strategies like Refuse, Reduce, Recycle, Reuse, and Compost can help us establish better waste systems, reduce our plastic use, and motivate others. We can make a real impact. Let’s work together to create a cleaner, healthier world for everyone.
