While the monetary cost of recycling materials is a net loss, the benefits clearly outweigh the costs. In 2018, 69.1 million tons of waste was recycled in the U.S., saving millions of tons of waste from entering landfills and saving over 193 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Recycling also generates tax revenue, as well as hundreds of thousands of jobs. For most citizens, there’s no reason not to recycle as the cost is already taken out of their trash fees, free, or even profitable due to bottle laws. Overall, it is worth it to learn about and start recycling as it is a simple way to help the environment and the economy.
