--- title: What's Happening in Recycling Today? description: There is a lot of information and news coming out about recycling recently. SWANA breaks it down and gives you the top events you should know. image: https://blog.swana.org/hubfs/120x280_Earth-Day.jpg --- - [Log in](https://swana.org/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=https%3a%2f%2fswana.org%2fDefault.aspx%3fTabID%3d57) - [About SWANA](https://swana.org/AboutSWANA.aspx) - [Contact Us](https://swana.org/ContactUs.aspx) - [MySWANA](https://community.swana.org/home?_ga=2.259544650.1317848123.1545497054-2009930276.1545497054) - [Cart](https://swana.org/MyCart.aspx?ContinueShoppingURL=https%3a%2f%2fswana.org%2fDefault.aspx%3fTabID%3d57) [![SWANA](https://blog.swana.org/hubfs/Swana_December2018/images/logo.jpg)](https://swana.org/) - [Log in](https://swana.org/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=https%3a%2f%2fswana.org%2fDefault.aspx%3fTabID%3d57) - [About SWANA](https://swana.org/AboutSWANA.aspx) - [Contact Us](https://swana.org/ContactUs.aspx) - [MySWANA](https://community.swana.org/home?_ga=2.259544650.1317848123.1545497054-2009930276.1545497054) - [Cart](https://swana.org/MyCart.aspx?ContinueShoppingURL=https%3a%2f%2fswana.org%2fDefault.aspx%3fTabID%3d57) - [Safety](https://swana.org/Safety.aspx) - [Events](https://swana.org/Events.aspx) - [Membership](https://swana.org/Membership.aspx) - [Awards](https://swana.org/Awards.aspx) - [Training](https://swana.org/Training.aspx) - [Certification](https://swana.org/Certification.aspx) - [Research](https://swana.org/Research.aspx) - [Advocacy](https://swana.org/Advocacy.aspx) - [News](https://swana.org/News.aspx) - [Products](https://swana.org/Products.aspx) - [Resources](https://swana.org/Resources.aspx) What's Happening in Recycling Today? # What's Happening in Recycling Today? Publish Date: 04/11/2019 [« SWANA Blog Posts](https://blog.swana.org) ![120x280_Earth-Day](https://blog.swana.org/hs-fs/hubfs/120x280_Earth-Day.jpg?width=120&name=120x280_Earth-Day.jpg)There is a lot of information and news coming out about recycling recently. With Earth Day less than two weeks away, SWANA expects many reporters are or will be working on stories concerning sustainability, and we anticipate that waste and recycling issues may be part of those articles. SWANA wants to make sure you get the most accurate information. SWANA has taken numerous steps to respond to the disruption caused by waste import restrictions including advocacy on Capitol Hill for recycling-related funding, consulting with associations and other organizations that support recycling.  David Biderman, the Executive Director and CEO of SWANA, notes: “SWANA disagrees with assertions that recycling is “collapsing” or that there is a “crisis.” In thousands of communities throughout the United States and Canada, recyclables continue to be processed on a daily basis and thousands of bales of paper, metal, and plastic are generated that are sent to domestic and foreign buyers. Contamination is a challenge, and SWANA, the recycling industry, local governments, consumer goods manufacturers, and others are working together to address this issue.” SWANA continues to increase awareness through recent appearances on the NPR  [On Point](https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2019/03/14/burning-recyclables-china-us?utm_content=87211237&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&hss_channel=tw-15000738)* program, *as well as in articles in [The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/03/china-has-stopped-accepting-our-trash/584131/), [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/climate/recycling-landfills-plastic-papers.html), [HuffPost](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/america-china-recycling-crisis-landfills_us_5b5170b1e4b0de86f48b7740), [Associate Press](https://apnews.com/dd150fd23aec4eb383f526048e127f69), Waste Dive, and [*The Christian Science Monitor*](https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2019/0103/China-gets-tough-on-US-recyclables.-How-one-Maine-town-is-fighting-back).  SWANA simplifies it even more and gives you the top things you should know. Check out the infographic below to see what you need to know! **Download Infographic**   - [Sitemap](https://swana.org/FriendlySiteMap.aspx) - | - [Contact Us](https://swana.org/ContactUs.aspx) - | - [Affiliates](https://swana.org/Affiliates.aspx) - | - [Store](https://store.swana.org/store/) - | - [Privacy Statement](https://swana.org/PrivacyPolicy.aspx) - | - [Terms of Use](https://swana.org/TermsofUse.aspx) [![MySWANA](https://blog.swana.org/hubfs/MySWANA-Icon.svg)](https://community.swana.org/home) [![Facebook](https://blog.swana.org/hubfs/Swana_December2018/images/flogo_RGB_HEX-72.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/SolidWasteAssociationOfNorthAmerica/) [![Twitter](https://blog.swana.org/hubfs/Swana_December2018/images/Twitter_Social_Icon_Rounded_Square_Color.svg)](https://twitter.com/swana) [![Linkedin](https://blog.swana.org/hubfs/Swana_December2018/images/linkedIn-icon.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/swana/) [![YouTube](https://blog.swana.org/hubfs/Swana_December2018/images/YouTube-11062016Dump.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV9SayYDBovqqyg_TTCJRvw) [Copyright 2026 by The Solid Waste Association of North America](https://swana.org/) [8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 230, Silver Spring, MD 20910](https://swana.org/) [Phone: 1-800-GO-SWANA (1.800.467.9262) - Fax: 301.589.7068](https://swana.org/)