Canada not doing enough

by Don Kormos
(Strathmore AB Canada)

A little less of this, please.

A little less of this, please.

Why is all of our recycling done in the US?


As a truck driver, I have personally hauled crushed plastic to California, Cubed aluminum cans to Idaho, and used Paper to Tacoma for recycling.

This is because we have no facilities to do this in Canada. Furthermore, I have hauled RE-cycled plastic beads back from California to Canada as well as re-cycled Aluminum ingots back from Idaho to Canada.

What is the cost to the environment with regards to fuel burned etc. to do this in the US? How many Canadian jobs are exported to do this in the US?

Barry's Response - A waste. Isn't it, Don. Canada has been in a trade-deficit position since late 2008, the first time in over 30 years. Let me dig a little deeper into this.

There's a lot to consider when it comes to recycling and its impact on the environment and the job market.


It's true that some recycling is done in the US, but that doesn't mean it's all done there. Factors like infrastructure, regulations, and market demand can affect recycling practices across countries.

As a truck driver, you've seen how fuel consumption and emissions increase when transporting recyclable materials across borders. When evaluating the environmental cost of recycling, transportation is an important factor. Reduce carbon footprint by minimizing transportation distances and exploring more localized recycling options.

Recycling can also create jobs when it comes to job exportation. Because of the current recycling infrastructure, some Canadian jobs may go to the US, but it's important to evaluate the overall impact. Canadian recycling industries have the potential to create new jobs if they're properly developed and supported.

Governments, businesses, and communities need to work together to develop sustainable and efficient recycling systems in their own countries to address these concerns. As part of this, we're investing in recycling infrastructure, promoting domestic recycling, and fostering waste management innovation. We can reduce long-distance transportation's environmental impact while creating and retaining jobs locally.

How can we fix this and save the environment a bit at the same time? Here's how.


Search this site for more information now.

The economics of recycling


It's usually more expensive to collect and process recyclables than it is to sell them. Some recycled materials, like paper and plastic, can be hard to process and require specialized equipment that can be expensive.

Without government subsidies, many recycling programs can't survive. Therefore, local authorities have to cut or eliminate recycling programs to balance their budgets.

Recycling has some advantages, though. By recycling, you can reduce waste going to landfills and save natural resources. Recycling can also create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries.

Believe it or not.

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Canada
by: Anonymous

It is hard to believe that Canada does not have any recycling plants. They should not be wasting money to take it to the States. Something should be done. It will create more jobs in the area and it will help the environment.

I thought this article was very interesting. I never knew about this. It was quite a surprise.

From Barry - The lack of recycling plants in Canada isn't just an economic issue, it's also an environmental one. In the absence of these plants, Canada can't take advantage of the benefits of recycling, such as reducing landfill waste, conserving resources, and reducing pollution. Recycling plants can also create jobs and boost the local economy.

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Shoking
by: guysoffer

Wow. this is really shocking. I live in Israel, and while the situation here isn't much better, at least we're trying. Almost all waste is recycled, and I do my best to conserve water by recycling my used bath and tap water to water my garden. I also try to grow as many vegetables and fruit as I can, mostly because I enjoy this.

From Barry - I also try to buy from local markets and stores to support the local economy. When possible, I choose eco-friendly products and turn off the lights when I'm not using them.

It's partly due to government-mandated recycling and water conservation programs, and partly basic economics. In addition, the public is becoming more aware of the need to conserve resources.

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Thank you to my research and writing assistants, ChatGPT and WordTune, as well as Wombo and others for the images.

GPT-4, OpenAI's large-scale language generation model (and others provided by Google and Meta), helped generate this text.  As soon as draft language is generated, the author reviews, edits, and revises it to their own liking and is responsible for the content.