There are many reasons why we should recycle. One is to conserve landfill space and thereby extend the life of a landfill and help to reduce the number and size of landfills. Secondly, by recycling, we preserve the natural resources available to produce products from raw material. Thirdly, recycling conserves energy – it takes less energy and resources to produce items from recycled materials than it does from virgin material. Fourthly, recycling can save you money.
The City of Lakeland spends more than $2.5 million a year to dispose of waste generated by City residents and businesses. Reducing waste reduces landfill disposal fees which in turn mean a savings to City solid waste customers. Lastly, by recycling at home and work, we are helping to meet the State of Florida’s 2020 long term goal of recycling at least 75% of the waste that would otherwise be disposed of in landfills or incineration facilities.