Why should businesses be required to recycle paper and containers?
While many businesses already recycle, an estimated 14 percent recycle nothing or cardboard only. As a result, businesses dispose of more than 100,000 tons of trash that could otherwise be recycled. Metro’s business recycling requirements are expected to divert at least 80,000 tons of that material from the landfill to recycling, which would result in an estimated $10.22 million in net environmental benefits. For example, recycling 80,000 tons of paper and containers each year will result in greenhouse gas emission reductions equivalent to driving nearly 42,000 cars for one year. The increase in paper recycling would also support Oregon paper mills. Currently, paper collected in the Metro region provides less than 11 percent of total paper mill needs; the rest of the paper must be shipped in from outside our region.
