In order for there to be a market for wastes that can be recycled, there has to be a demand for the finished product made from recycled materials. If a bucket made out of recycled materials is chosen over one made out of virgin materials, for instance, demand for recyclable wastes will increase. As demand increases, production increases, and prices for recycled products should go down. That then should cause higher sales, and so on. Businesses and consumers are an important part of the loop.
Hazardous wastes pose special problems.
They can endanger public health and welfare, and the environment. Their cleanup is often difficult and very costly. Because it is much easier and cheaper to prevent waste than to clean it up, there is a cultural change taking place that is being promoted by the US EPA and by state governments. A direct benefit is that waste management costs will go down. That is certainly true when it comes to protecting human health and the environment.