Are there any pitfalls of recycling?

There are pitfalls to recycling. One pitfall is that to build, operate, and maintain recycling plants and vehicles to collect recyclables is expensive. Many local governments provide tax subsidies to recycling plants so millions and probably more likely billions of dollars take away from a community’s revenue.

Often times, the recycling streams get contaminated and then must be sent to incinerators or landfills, resulting in more cost. Other pitfalls include low wages for recycling plant workers, the potential for health issues due to exposure to toxic substances and bleaching processes.