from axios

Unable to absorb new costs, cities are killing recycling programs just as public concerns about climate change ratchet up, Kim Hart and Erica Pandey report. China, the biggest buyer of U.S. recycled materials, has closed its doors. Before the ban, the U.S. was exporting around 70% of its waste to China. Changing consumer behavior has made the trash-sorting process more complex and expensive. What we're seeing: Axios paid a visit to a major recycling center in exurban D.C. The plant — operated by Republic Services in Manassas, Va., in the heart of Prince William County — runs up to 22 hours a day to process the 550 tons of paper, plastic, aluminum and glass that are delivered daily. Despite the heavy machinery and increased automation, the process is still extremely dependent on humans. On each shift, 28 "sorters" sift through the material as it rolls down a series of fast-moving conveyer belts. The workers spot and pull out non-recyclable trash from the stream so fast that they look like blackjack dealers. People throw surprising things — Christmas trees, old carpet, shoes, diapers and even cinder blocks — into their recycling bins. Many cities are struggling to make recycling work. About 60 cities have canceled their programs, according to Waste Dive. Others have stopped accepting certain items. Alexandria, Va., and Katy, Tex., no longer collect glass. Baltimore County recently admitted it hasn't recycled the glass it collected for the past 7 years. Costs are skyrocketing: Omaha, Neb., received a single bid for recycling services for $4 million, twice the city's budget. What's needed: Cities have to renegotiate their recycling contracts, many of which are 30 years old, to find a viable business model. That includes charging consumers for curbside pickup. What's next: Researchers are developing robots to more accurately and efficiently complete tedious, dangerous recycling tasks like sorting. Share this story.