Easy Sustainability Answers

Should you have to pay if you don’t recycle?

Adriene Hill Aug 23, 2010

**Easy Answer: Cleveland thinks so. **

The city of Cleveland, Ohio, is planning to install radio frequency identification chips in recycling bins, according to the The Plain Dealer. The tags will allow city officials to tell how often residents are (or aren’t) moving their bins to the curb for pickup.

If people don’t bring their recycling out regularly–an inspector will dig through their trash to look for recyclables. If she finds more than 10% recyclables in the trash–the homeowner could face a $100 fine.

Cleveland officials tell the paper that recycling helps them save money. The city pays $30 a ton for the garbage it puts in landfills. It gets paid $26 a ton for its recyclables.

What do you think? Should people who don’t recycle have to pay?

Photo credit: Flickr user cvconnell.

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