A Brief History of Recycling
November 19, 2019
November 19, 2019
This guest blog is courtesy of American Disposal Services.
For those of you who think recycling is something that just came about within the last few decades, think again!
Ancient Recycling
The first recorded use of recycled paper was in 9th century Japan . Ancient Japanese people began recycling paper almost as soon as they learned how to produce it and recycling became part of paper production and consumption. Japanese culture generally treats recycled paper as being more precious than new and the recycled paper was often used in paintings and poetry. In the 12 century, a case was recorded of an emperor’s wife: after the emperor died, she recycled all the poems and letters she received from him and wrote a sutra on the recycled paper to wish peace upon his soul.
US Recycling Start
Finally, in 1690, recycling reaches the New World. The Rittenhouse Mill in Philadelphia opens and begins recycling linen and cotton rags. The paper produced from these materials was sold to printers for use in Bibles and newspapers.
World War II
World War II sees massive, universal collection campaigns for tin, rubber, steel, paper and more. More than 400,000 volunteer in the effort and tens of thousands of tons of material are recycled in order to save money for the war efforts. This was a national campaign. Posters and newsreels detailing the materials needed (and why) are abounding. All Americans were on board, and most were excited to help aid the troops by conserving and recycling.
1960s
The first curbside collections of yard waste, metals, and paper start popping up around the county. Separate waste streams collected at the curb become common place.
1970s
- Greater emphasis on green movements through government backed initiatives generates public awareness of conservation efforts.
- Concept of the flower child emerges. Earth Day is celebrated for the first time on April 22, 1970.
- The ‘chasing arrows’ recycling symbol is created by a Southern California architecture student who was trying to win a contest. He has been quoted to say that he never could have imagined the logo he designed would be so widely recognized.
- The first curbside-recycling bin “The Tree Saver” is used in Missouri for the collection of paper in 1974.
- In 1976, Massachusetts secures the first ever EPA recycling grants. With the grant money, they implement weekly multi-material curbside collection programs in two cities and use the first ever residential recycling truck. It costs $20,000.
- By the end of the decade approximately 220 curbside collection programs are under way in the US, about which 60 are multi-material collection.
1980s
- In 1987, The Mobro 4000 (nicknamed “The Garbage Barge”) spends months on the ocean, searching for a location to dispose of its garbage cargo. This saga was widely covered in the media and has been credited with awakening Americans in regard to solid waste and the importance of recycling.
- In that same year, New Jersey enacts the nation’s first universal mandatory recycling law, which requires all residents to separate recyclables from their trash.
- By 1985 America is at 10% nationwide recycling participation.
1990s
- The first ever-statewide ban on landfilling recyclable materials goes into effect, in Wisconsin in 1993. The ban initially prohibits yard wastes in landfills. Later, in 1995, other items (such as tires, aluminum containers, corrugated paper, foam polystyrene, plastic containers and newspapers) are banned as well.
- By 1995 America is at 20% nationwide recycling participation; double what it had been 10 years ago in 1985 and only 3 years later, in 1998, it tops 30%.
2000-Today
- In the early 2000s, organic waste collection at the curb begins on the West Coast (San Francisco).
- Currently, goal setting for ambitious West Coast cities reaches up to 80% recycling participation in some areas.
- In 2011, lawmakers in California adopt a goal to get the state’s recycling rate to 75% by 2020.
- In 2012, McDonalds finally replace their Styrofoam cups with paper ones.
- In 2011, the state of California had set the goal for 75% by 2020. Only one year later, in 2012, San Francisco announces it has achieved an 80% diversion rate for it’s waste….This puts San Francisco 8 years ahead of schedule on that goal, and with 5% MORE waste diverted!
Although this is a condensed list, you can see how far the recycling process has come and it is only becoming MORE accessible and widespread as time goes on! Imagine where we could be in 10 years if we all just Think Before We Throw!
Disclaimer: Guest blogs represent the opinion of the writers and may not reflect the policy or position of the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc.
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NERC’s Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) Commodity Values Survey Report for April – June 2026 reflects the continuing rise of commodity values across the Northeast after several quarters of decline. Dual stream/source-separated MRFs continued to report higher average commodity values than single stream MRFs. The average blended commodity value increased by 11.1% to $93.03 per ton without residuals and by 15.24% to $76.37 per ton with residuals in Q2 2026 compared to Q1 2026. Single stream values increased by 12.3% to $91.28 per ton without residuals and by 11.37% to $74.74 per ton with residuals. Dual stream values increased by 8.04% to $98.65 per ton without residuals and by 28.33% to $81.62 per ton with residuals.
The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) and the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) have launched a new pilot initiative to train the next generation of recycling professionals: the Sustainable Materials Careers Program (SMCP). Take a look inside the Sustainable Materials Careers Program Building on the success of NERC's Emerging Professionals Program, which offers new professionals exposure to sustainable materials management (SMM), mentorship, and career guidance, SMCP will focus on college students — with the potential to engage high school students in the future. The program will give students a deeper understanding of career opportunities in SMM and provide hands-on pathways from the classroom to the workplace. Through Career Exploration events and professional development training, students will gain industry exposure, build foundational knowledge, and chart a clear path toward careers in sustainable materials. Career Exploration events will be part of ReMA's Recycling Jobs Day initiative, a national program connecting students with careers in the recycled materials industry. Event activities will include tours of material recovery, recycling, and/or manufacturing facilities, as well as panels highlighting diverse career pathways in the sector. "Many students want to work in sustainability, but they rarely see the diverse career paths available across the materials lifecycle," said Megan Schulz-Fontes, executive director of NERC. "By combining hands-on facility tours with foundational training, this program opens doors across every corner of the industry — including state and municipal governance, equipment and technology manufacturers, recycling infrastructure, and corporate sustainability teams — ensuring the next generation is equipped to lead." Growth in sustainability has increased the number of professionals needed to run the industry The material economy accounts for over 40 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the EPA. Recycling and composting in the United States prevent the release of roughly 186 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent into the air each year — an impact equal to taking over 39 million gasoline-powered cars off the road annually. Compared to the processing and transportation needed for mining, drilling, harvesting, or other methods of extracting natural resources for manufacturing, the use of recycled materials typically produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Global demand for green jobs is growing at 8 percent per year. Yet, LinkedIn's Global Green Skills Report highlights a shortage of qualified talent, with many roles unfilled due to limited training and a lack of mixed skills, as noted by the Institute of Sustainability Studies. SMCP addresses these gaps by increasing awareness of sustainable materials careers and offering free training to participating students. In the 2026-2027 academic year, NERC plans to hold six Career Exploration events and provide enrollment in its Foundations of Sustainable Materials and Recycling course at no cost to students from participating Academic Partners. Current Academic Partners include MIT Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Rowan University Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Institute, University of Massachusetts Lowell, University of New Hampshire Sustainability Institute, University of Southern Maine, and Yale. Read on Recycling Product News.
In partnership, Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) and Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), announce the launch of a new pilot initiative: the Sustainable Materials Careers Program (SMCP). Building on the success of NERC’s Emerging Professionals Program, which offers new professionals exposure to sustainable materials management (SMM), mentorship, and career guidance, SMCP will focus on college students – with the potential to engage high school students in the future. The program will give students a deeper understanding of career opportunities in SMM and provide hands-on pathways from the classroom to the workplace. Through Career Exploration events and professional development training, students will gain industry exposure, build foundational knowledge, and chart a clear path toward careers in sustainable materials. Career Exploration events will be part of ReMA’s Recycling Jobs Day initiative, a national program connecting students with careers in the recycled materials industry. Event activities will include tours of material recovery, recycling, and/or manufacturing facilities, as well as panels highlighting diverse career pathways in the sector. “Many students want to work in sustainability, but they rarely see the diverse career paths available across the materials lifecycle,” said Megan Schulz-Fontes, Executive Director of NERC. “By combining hands-on facility tours with foundational training, this program opens doors across every corner of the industry—including state and municipal governance, equipment and technology manufacturers, recycling infrastructure, and corporate sustainability teams—ensuring the next generation is equipped to lead.” The material economy accounts for over 40% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the EPA. Recycling and composting in the United States prevent the release of roughly 186 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent into the air each year—an impact equal to taking over 39 million gasoline-powered cars off the road annually. Compared to the processing and transportation needed for mining, drilling, harvesting, or other methods of extracting natural resources for manufacturing, the use of recycled materials typically produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Global demand for green jobs is growing at 8% per year. Yet, LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report highlights a shortage of qualified talent, with many roles unfilled due to limited training and a lack of mixed skills, as noted by the Institute of Sustainability Studies. SMCP addresses these gaps by increasing awareness of sustainable materials careers and offering free training to participating students. In the 2026-2027 academic year, NERC plans to hold six Career Exploration events and provide enrollment in its Foundations of Sustainable Materials and Recycling course at no cost to students from participating Academic Partners. Current Academic Partners include MIT Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Rowan University Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Institute, University of Massachusetts Lowell, University of New Hampshire Sustainability Institute, University of Southern Maine, and Yale Office of Sustainability. NERC invites forward-thinking businesses and organizations to support and expand the Northeast Sustainable Materials Careers Program. By becoming a Program Partner, sponsors directly enable more students to access free training and hands-on industry exposure—building a strong, qualified pipeline for the future circular economy workforce. Read on Waste Advantage.
