A law banning the disposal of plastic bottles, oil filters and wooden pallets was implemented in North Carolina Oct. 1. 

“The new ban is intended to boost the recovery of bottles, in large part to meet the growing demand for these materials,” according to a press release from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 

Orange County is the number one county in the state for plastic bottle recovery, recycling 29.42 pounds of plastic bottles per person, according to the press release. 

Harnett County has the lowest reported rate with 0.03 pounds of plastic bottles recycled per person and the average county per capita recovery is 3.81 pounds per person.

“In Orange County recycling is absolutely everywhere,” said Muriel Williman, education and outreach coordinator for the Orange County Solid Waste Management Department. 

Impact of law in Orange County

There is speculation about how much of a difference the law will have in Orange County.  Amy Preble, recycling and outreach coordinator for the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that the county already has a well established recycling program, but there is always room for improvement. 

“It’s going to increase awareness about plastic bottle recycling,” Preble said.  “I have already seen an increase in recycling.”

Preble said many statewide laws like the plastic bottle ban are intended to target lower performance areas.  If all of the plastic bottles generated in the state were recycled, more than 2.4 billion additional plastic bottles would be kept out of landfills annually, according to the N.C. Solid Waste Annual Report. 

The problem with the ban is there is no enforcement, Williman said.  The landfills are currently responsible for regulation when enforcement is necessary at disposal.

“The fact of the matter is if you throw plastic bottles in the trash probably nothing will happen to you,” Williman said. “By the time this stuff gets to the landfill, it is really too late.” 

North Carolina passed a similar law in 1991 that states no person shall knowingly dispose of used oil, yard trash, white goods, antifreeze and aluminum cans.  Williman said most people do not even know this law exists and the difference between the old and new law is the public relations.  

UNC-CH and students promote recycling

There have already been requests from departments at UNC-CH to have more recycling bins placed in buildings, Preble said. The School of Dentistry requested additional bins for their waiting room. 

“We are definitely promoting the law and letting people know it’s out there,” Preble said. 

Abbey Thompson, a senior business major at UNC-CH, said she recycles on a daily basis at home and on campus. Thompson said her family has been recycling for about the past decade, and she continued the habit at school.   

“I’ve gone to people’s houses, and their families don’t even think about buying recycling bins,” Thompson said. 

Although Thompson already regularly recycles, she was unaware of the new law banning plastic water bottles and said it would probably not affect her recycling efforts. 

Williman said those who recycle usually do on a regular basis, making it part of their daily routines.  

“Will it cause people who aren’t already recycling to recycle?,” Williman said. “I don’t know.”