Recycling, waste of time?

Sadly, the furore over whether recycling is a waste of time or not continues. The cover story on the Guardian’s G2 seems to question the veracity of recycling as a green way to deal with waste.

It references recent reports of Nigeria receiving old TVs from the UK in the guise of reuse and the apparent “collapse” in demand for recyclates. It also looks at the option of energy-from-waste (or incineration as the report inaccurately identifies it) as if it is an either or situation. A holistic solution encompasses both.

But wait, the article also gives materials recycling facility operators the chance to discuss their businesses and “bust some myths”.

But there is a certain disdain in tone used by the reporter, with talk of “the stench” and “a loud confusion” of machinery. The article also claims there is a “crisis of confidence” in recycling. Yet this crisis is very much the product of a history of unbalanced media based debate, led in the main by a certain tabloid.

If the article aimed to set the record straight and give a balanced view, then this aim is undermined by the implied negativity in the cover title: “Is recycling a complete waste of time?”
And unfortunately, not everyone will read to the end of the article’s five pages, especially with such unflattering pictures to focus on.

To read the article online go to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/feb/26/recycling-waste-environment

Claire Churchard, senior reporter, MRW