Recycling Organizations Head to Congress

It came as a real blow for many recycling organizations and other waste management companies when the Environmental Protection Agency suffered massive blows to its budget, particularly to its Waste Minimization and Recycling program, set to be cut under the proposed Trump administration budget. Ultimately, the thrust of the changes for the EPA are about putting responsibilities back to the states and local communities while the federal agency is to focus on “core environmental work,” as defined in the official proposal. Now it is up to environmental agencies to lobby Congress to reconsider how the proposed changes will affect the nation.

Green Practices Mean Green Dollars

One of the best ways to define the benefits is by showing its economic value, a point both sides of the political aisle can get behind. Environmental work has a great deal of economic impact, including job creation, recycled materials in the marketplace and the savings to municipalities for participating in recycling programs. In many instances, the cost to run these programs is quite small compared to the economic impact they create in the area. Recycling programs have an impact on manufacturing as well as materials industries, like aluminum, paper and plastic, even steel.

Recycling Programs - Possible Changes at the Local Level

If the budget does cut many previously funded EPA projects, then the burden would fall on municipalities and states to continue to do the work – without federal funds. This could put many states in quite a bind. Funding disparities could mean each state will have to find its own way based on what it can afford to enforce. Inconsistent environmental standards could create disaster.

With a looming deadline of October 1st for implementation, activists must work diligently to secure funding for what could be our planet’s most important agenda.