Here is an interesting statistic from the Competitive Enterprise Institute:

In 2007, the New York Independent Budget Office reported that New York City was spending 23 percent more to recycle waste than it would cost to dispose of it. It also spends $6 million annually to “educate” citizens on sorting recyclables. But markets for recyclables are very poor under current economic conditions. As a result, much of the waste goes to the landfill anyway.

But the City Council wouldn’t seriously consider curbing this “sacred cow.” Arbitrary attacks on bottled water are so much easier.

You can read the whole story here:

http://cei.org/articles/2009/05/18/rather-vilify-bottled-water-scale-back-recycling-programs