Recycling: Is it actually working?

On late nights, residents head to their apartment’s recycling station, carrying boxes of bottles, cans, and food waste. One neighbor rinses a plastic bottle at the sink; another peels a label off before tossing it into the bin. In South Korea, this scene plays out with daily strict rules and clearly labeled bins that make recycling an ingrained habit. But how much of what we put in those bins is truly recycled, and is it enough to help the environment?In theory, recycling is a straightforward process. First, recyclable items are collected and sorted from general waste. Next, they are cleaned and separated by material type. Finally, they are re-manufactured into new products. This system reduces landfill waste, cuts the need for new raw materials, and lowers carbon emissions. For it to work, however, materials must be clean, properly sorted out, and economically viable to process—requirements that are often more difficult to meet than they seem.Globally, recycling falls short of its potential. According to an OECD report in 2022, only 9% are successfully recycled–and even when materials are recycled, many are often ‘downcycling’, or turning them into lower-quality products such as park benches or carpeting, that can’t be recycled again. Contaminations from food residue, certain product designs, and often the high costs that drive companies to produce new materials rather than recycle old ones.

South Korea has one of the world’s most developed recycling systems, with high participation rates and strong government support. Yet even here, not all items placed in bins make it through the full cycle. Multi-layer plastics and dirty containers often end up in landfills or incinerators. 

By contrast, recycling rates in the US and UK remain much lower. As some may have experienced when staying in these foreign countries, many households put any kind of waste–including food, plastic, cans, etc–into a single bin.

Experts argue that recycling must be paired with broader solutions. One specific policy includes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies, which make producers responsible for their products along the entire lifecycle. This means companies are responsible for collecting, recycling, and disposing of their products even after consumers have finished using them. What can we do? Public education is key–rinsing containers and removing wrappers, separating items correctly, helps prevent issues that block recycling processes. Beyond recycling, reducing and reusing can be a fundamental contribution to this net-zero journey. 

Recycling is an important aspect of waste management and a great way to contribute to the world’s net-zero journey. However, the lack of proper recycling systems and awareness hinders these processes and may cause the illusion of taking steps forward, when recycling is not being done as we think, and the real impact is minimal. To move beyond the illusion, recycling must be paired with real accountability and smarter waste reduction.