Editing Recycling (section)

=== Trade in recyclates ===
Certain countries trade in unprocessed [[wikt:recyclate|recyclates]]. Some have complained that the ultimate fate of recyclates sold to another country is unknown and they may end up in landfills instead of being reprocessed. According to one report, in America, 50–80 percent of computers destined for recycling are actually not recycled.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2002/02/25/computer-waste.htm |title = Much toxic computer waste lands in Third World |website = USA Today |date = 25 February 2002 |archive-date = 13 September 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070913003953/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2002/02/25/computer-waste.htm |url-status = dead | agency = Associated Press }}</ref><ref>{{cite periodical
| title= Garbage In, Garbage Out
| magazine =Time Magazine | date= March 11, 2002
| first = Neil | last = Gough
| url-status=dead 
|url = http://svtc.igc.org/media/articles/2002/time_march.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20031109231707/http://svtc.igc.org/media/articles/2002/time_march.htm |archive-date = 9 November 2003 }}</ref> There are reports of illegal-waste imports to China being dismantled and recycled solely for monetary gain, without consideration for workers' health or environmental damage. Although the Chinese government has banned these practices, it has not been able to eradicate them.<ref>{{cite AV media | work = CBC |url = http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/23745/thenational/archive/ewaste-102208.wmv |title = Illegal dumping and damage to health and environment |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121109004831/http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/23745/thenational/archive/ewaste-102208.wmv |archive-date = 9 November 2012 }}</ref> In 2008, the prices of recyclable waste plummeted before rebounding in 2009. Cardboard averaged about £53/tonne from 2004 to 2008, dropped to £19/tonne, and then went up to £59/tonne in May 2009. PET plastic averaged about £156/tonne, dropped to £75/tonne and then moved up to £195/tonne in May 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hogg |first=Max |date=2009-05-15 |title=Waste outshines gold as prices surge |url=https://www.ft.com/content/feebdb2a-419d-11de-bdb7-00144feabdc0 |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Financial Times |archive-date=8 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208010142/https://www.ft.com/content/feebdb2a-419d-11de-bdb7-00144feabdc0 |url-status=live | url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Certain regions have difficulty using or exporting as much of a material as they recycle. This problem is most prevalent with glass: both Britain and the U.S. import large quantities of wine bottled in green glass. Though much of this glass is sent to be recycled, outside the [[American Midwest]] there is not enough wine production to use all of the reprocessed material. The extra must be downcycled into building materials or re-inserted into the regular waste stream.<ref name="gar" /><ref name="economisttruth" />

Similarly, the northwestern United States has difficulty finding markets for recycled newspaper, given the large number of [[pulp mill]]s in the region as well as the proximity to Asian markets. In other areas of the U.S., however, demand for used newsprint has seen wide fluctuation.<ref name="gar" />

In some U.S. states, a program called [[RecycleBank]] pays people to recycle, receiving money from local municipalities for the reduction in landfill space that must be purchased. It uses a single stream process in which all material is automatically sorted.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Desimone |first1=Bonnie |title=Rewarding Recyclers, and Finding Gold in the Garbage |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/business/businessspecial2/21recycle.html |work=The New York Times |date=21 February 2006 |access-date=12 February 2017 |archive-date=28 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628120721/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/business/businessspecial2/21recycle.html |url-status=live | url-access= subscription }}</ref>