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North Carolina's became the first state in the country to ban plastic bottles from landfills when a new law went into effect on Oct. 1.
The law bans plastic bottles, oil filters and wooden pallets from landfills.
State officials say the ban on plastic bottles will not only save landfill space, but will help create lots of new jobs in the recycling industry.
Although tons of plastic are already is recycled in this state, officials think we can do better.
"There's a big economic development push behind this landfill ban, especially for plastic bottles," Matthew Todd of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources said.
Todd explains there's a huge demand for plastic and the state's growing recycling industry can fill that need.
Although the law would make it illegal to place plastic bottles in your trash, state officials say it is aimed at large users of plastic like sports arenas and large trash haulers.
State officials say they won't be sending inspectors to look into individual trash cans outside of home.
Instead, they're hoping the law encourages the average consumer to recycle.
But, recycling programs don't exist in every community, so some folks have to take extra steps to comply with the new law.
"I normally take them to the dump where they recycle them there I guess," said Andre Moore, who lives in a Johnston County neighborhood where there is no curbside recycling program.
Others say it's about time plastics like this were officially banned from landfills.
It's part of our times. We have to recycle, it's necessary," Princeton resident Donald Weaver said. "We're running out of landfill space, and we have to do something to correct the problems."
State officials say up to 70,000 tons of plastic bottles end up in landfills every year here in North Carolina.
The new law calls for fines of up to $15,000 dollars for violations; but state officials readily admit the average consumer shouldn't worry about the fine because the focus is on educating folks about recycling if they're not already doing it.
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By captain recycle on 10/14 06:31 PM
People expect to have recycling offered to them for free but those same people know zero about the industry. Do you think it is free to send a different seperate truck around to get your recycling? do you think it is free to pay men to drive those seperate trucks? do you think it is free to pay employees to staff a sorting facility so that the material can be sorted and processed? do you think it is free to provide a $12 bin to every resident? it is not free. nothing in the united states of america is free. someone is paying for everything even the things you think are free are costing someone. until we take responsibility and say "i'll do what is right for the planet i live on, the air i breathe and the water i drink even if it costs me $12 and takes me an extra 4 minutes a week" we are doomed. ignorance is not bliss. if you are waiting on it to be easy or free to do your part then you are the problem. you are the cause of what we are facing. if you do not believe in trying to preserve the planet you live on what do you believe in? american idol? beanie babies? if things get so bad on our planet that human life is miserable or unsustainable, it wont matter who won the nascar race. just do your part out of guilt and the intellegent peolple will carry you the rest of the way.
By Ann Brown on 10/04 09:36 PM
I think the passage of any law by the NC Legislature banning the disposal of plastic bottles anywhere except in recycling bins shows the true mentality of our representatives. What about seniors who cannot carry heavy bags to recycle bins? How about sick people? Why should I pay Waste Industries to pick up anything any more? Just cost another job. What about those people who will sit at recycling bins day&night; to take whatever they can sell. What, you arent't going to pick up my trash if you see plastic bottles? I will just leave it out hoping the animals don't get into it before our representatives come to their senses!
By Lindel Creed on 10/01 04:18 PM
New law requires N.C. residents to recycle plastic bottles This headline is not correct. NC Law does not require residents to recycle as it is for only incidental generators Meaning the average home does not fall into this as it does not generate enough to qualify I would hope that yall would correct your heading and story to let people know that the home does not have to do this as I understand it. Only meant for big business and school systems that generate so much Here is the link to the NC general Statue law. I would hope all NC county schools will be assisting in upholding the law by providing at every school and campus the means of proper disposal of the said containers that are prohibited by law of being thrown into the garbage. I would expect to see recycle bins and someone policing the throwing away of containers in the proper containers to make sure that no one places any trash that should not be put into a land fill into any NC trash container on school property. I would expect the school system to take a lead role in showing our youth that the laws of NC are to be upheld and not just overlooked. I know that cans have been placed into garbage containers at schools and no one has done anything about it but let it go on to the landfills. How do you expect the kids to respect the laws if our school system does not? It will be more then just putting out a few recycle bins, it need to be checked and make sure that all bags and trash going into the Waste Management Containers is the proper trash before it makes it to such container. Here is the law as it is http://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_130a/gs_130a-309.10.html I would hope you will take up ASAP the proper action to make sure the law is respected and our schools are doing what they are required by law to do and make sure no plastic or cans are ending up in your garbage cans. I hope to see the recycle bins at all the games and around the schools this evening as the law went into effect today so I would assume you have in place the proper containers to do as the law says. Thanks Mr. Creed
By A. Carpenter on 10/01 09:11 AM
Our garbage service offers recycling service but they wanted to charge us an extra $12 a month for that service. If the state is making it manditory, and we are trying to do our part, how is it that a garbage company feels it is their right to hamper that by putting a charge on that service. For a lot of people, an extra $12 a month is a lot. This should be something the garbage service provides along with their collection service, not something above and beyond that. Maybe the state can mandate that garbage companies must provide free pick up of recyclables along with regular garbage.
By Melissa Everette on 10/01 08:32 AM
While I think this is a great step toward successful recycling, I did read in my bi-monthly city of raleigh bill that they are also telling us that we cannot recycle any other plastics (yogurt cups, etc.). The only plastics they are allowing us to recycle is plastic drinking bottles. I find that this is a huge step in the wrong direction. It should be made a high priority to find a way to recycle all plastics using the consumer recycling bins and collections. I'm sure others would agree. Imagine how much extra garbabe would be added back to the landfills if we stop placing other plastics in to be recycled. Fruit for thought.
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