American consumers think recycling is of great importance, but their trust in the actual system has been slipping for years. A recent webinar brought experts together to brainstorm solutions. The 2022 National Recycling Congress was held virtually on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10. In the Nov. 10 closing plenary session "Rebuilding Public Confidence in Recycling," panelists discussed the best way to restore the public's trust and increase recycling rates. Alec Cooley of container manufacturer Busch Systems said the trouble is "we all depend on the decisions that tens of millions of people make throughout their day to place waste items into the correct bin," but the last few years have been "quite a challenge for recycling." According to research by the Shelton Group, in 2019, 14 of people surveyed said they were "not very confident" that items put in recycling bins were actually recycled. In 2020, that share had risen to 23, and in 2022 it hit 30.
展开▼
