Dear Eco-Tip: I’m a student doing a report on recycling and why more people don’t recycle. Can you help? What are the biggest problems Eco-Cycle and the community face that hinder participation and growth? Why isn’t it just a given that everyone recycles?

Thanks, Student

Dear Student: That’s a great question — and one we get a lot! Recycling should be a given, but several big challenges get in the way. Many people assume the main problem is that individuals just aren’t trying hard enough. Behavior plays a role, but the larger obstacles are built into the system itself.

1. Poor product design. The biggest barrier is that many packages simply aren’t designed to be recycled. Manufacturers — especially plastic producers — constantly create new variations of resin, color, format, and include

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