Recycle Across America
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Recycle Across America (RAA) is a United States-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advocates for the use of standardized labels on recycling, compost, and trash bins to improve recycling accuracy. The organization promotes standardized labeling as a solution to recycling confusion and contamination, which a 2012 New York Times article identified as being partly caused by inconsistent labeling on collection bins.[1] In 2022, a bipartisan group of 17 members of the U.S. Congress referenced RAA’s work in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency supporting federal labeling requirements, drawing a parallel to the adoption of standardized road signage under the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.[2][3]
History
RAA was founded in 2008 by Michelle "Mitch" Hedlund, in response to growing concerns about contamination in U.S. recycling streams. The organization attributes this issue to inconsistent and unclear labeling on recycling receptacles, which it states contributes to public confusion at the point of disposal. Hedlund, who previously worked in communications and marketing, developed the standardized labeling concept as a proposed solution to the public's confusion around recycling.[4] In 2011, she was named an Ashoka Fellow for her work to improve recycling systems.[5]
In 2018, China introduced the National Sword policy, which restricted the import of contaminated recyclables into the United States.[6][7] This policy contributed to the closure of thousands of recycling processing centers across the U.S., including over 1,000 in California.[8] RAA responded by increasing its public education and outreach efforts.[9] In 2019, The Guardian interviewed founder Mitch Hedlund as part of a national feature on recycling confusion in the U.S., highlighting the organization’s efforts to address mislabeling and reduce contamination through standardized bin labels.[10]
Policy and Advocacy
Federal interest in standardized labeling for recycling and composting bins has emerged in recent legislative proposals. The CLEAN Future Act (H.R.1512), introduced in 2021, and the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (S.3127), introduced in 2023, both include provisions calling for the development of a national standardized labeling system for recycling and composting receptacles.[11][12] These acts discuss the need for consistent labeling across the United States to reduce contamination and assist the public in properly sorting materials. This reflects broader policy support for initiatives aligned with Recycle Across America’s advocacy for standardized recycling bin labels.
References
- ↑ Bornstein, David (2012-07-25). "The Recycling Reflex". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ↑ "Recycling Bins: Congressional Request to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Standardized Labels". www.mitchellwilliamslaw.com. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ↑ Parletta, Natalie. "Historic U.S. Bill To Clean Up Recycling At The Bin And Save Billions". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ↑ "Women Leaders in Waste: Mitch Hedlund of Recycle Across America". www.waste360.com. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ↑ "Michelle "Mitch" Hedlund | Ashoka". www.ashoka.org. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ↑ Heiges, Jessica; O'Neill, Kate (2022-12-10). "A Recycling Reckoning: How Operation National Sword catalyzed a transition in the U.S. plastics recycling system". Journal of Cleaner Production. 378 134367. Bibcode:2022JCPro.37834367H. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134367. ISSN 0959-6526.
- ↑ "Piling Up: How China's Ban on Importing Waste Has Stalled Global Recycling". Yale e360. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ↑ "Column: Environmentally minded Californians love to recycle — but it's no longer doing any good". Los Angeles Times. 2018-07-09. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ↑ Corkery, Michael (2019-03-16). "As Costs Skyrocket, More U.S. Cities Stop Recycling". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
- ↑ Simmonds, Charlotte (2019-06-17). "How you're recycling plastic wrong, from coffee cups to toothpaste". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ↑ Rep. Pallone, Frank (2022-06-30). "Text - H.R.1512 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): CLEAN Future Act". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ↑ Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR (2023-10-25). "Text - S.3127 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2023". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
External links
This article "Recycle Across America" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.