身边的经济学·社会常识英语30篇（9）

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为何你的回收箱未必减少垃圾

Recycling only works if materials are clean, sorted correctly, and have buyers worldwide.
When China stopped importing many U.S. plastics in 2018, tons of recyclables piled up or got burned.
Some ‘recyclable’ packaging contains mixed layers—like chip bags—that machines can’t separate.
Cities pay processors to handle materials; if oil prices fall, plastic becomes cheaper to make than recycle.
Composting food scraps cuts landfill methane, but few homes have bins or local pickup.
Reusable bottles and cloth bags help more than perfect recycling—if used regularly.
Policy matters: bottle deposit laws raise return rates above 90% in Germany and Norway.
Good waste systems combine habits, technology, and smart rules—not just good intentions.