Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled.
They say that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement.
To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?
It is true that we do not recycle enough household waste. Although I accept that governments should introduce laws to increase recycling, I do not agree that imposing laws is the only measure that governments should take.
In my view, It is essential to allocate money for environmental education programmes in schools. These programmes can encourage children to develop a wide variety of skills, but the main purpose is that they could learn to get used to recycling on a daily basis for protecting the environment. Furthermore, governments should run campaigns to encourage people to recycle waste, such as investing money in advertisements to clarify the ideas of 'Recycling' through a catchy slogan and an attractive design of signs, which are both memorable for different generations in order to influence their recycling behaviour better.
On the other hand, I believe that sufficient recycling infrastructure is the vital part of the recycling process. If recycling facilities are outdated or insufficient, it is unlikely to prompt people to recycle as much as possible. Some developing countries, for example, have a lack of recycling bins on the streets, which lead to low rates of recycling. Another motivation which may boost higher recycling rates is that governments tighten the law on recycling. People who throw certain amounts of waste into the rubbish can expect to be fined or to be asked to separate the recyclable materials and the litter for collection next time. If properly regulated, recycling can be done in a way that increases people's motivation for sorting waste.
In conclusion, I am convinced that there are various measures to encourage people to dispose of their household waste more responsibly, while governments regulate the recycling rate.
