A new study, “Wasting and Recycling in the United States 2000,” by the GrassRoots Recycling Network shows that while Americans are setting new recycling records (28% in 1997), product and packaging waste is simultaneously increasing. Last year, Los Angeles achieved a 47 percent reduction in the city’s waste-stream and Falls Church, Virginia reached a 65% residential recycling and waste-prevention rate. But in general, landfill and incinerator waste increased by 4.4 million tons between 1996-1997 after several years of leveling off.
“We need to redesign products and packaging to minimize and more efficiently use materials,” the authors conclude. “We need to aim for a zero-waste economy.” They point to fact that “all landfill liners eventually leak, polluting nearby groundwater,”
and that landfill monitoring systems to detect groundwater pollution are inadequate.
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