An Investigation into Processes that Define Effective Recycling Legislation in the Tampa Bay Area

America has historically outsourced much of our waste, a majority of which is non-biodegradable plastic, to southeast Asian locations. These locations have recently rejected this outsourcing and have created new legislation to protect their waste management industry. This implementation of new international waste trade laws coupled with continuously low recycling rates and the growth of the plastics industry have deleteriously affected the USA national recycling market. Further, factors such as limited local-scale recycling education, minimal legislative continuity between different levels of government coupled with limited regulation on plastic manufacturing have played a major part in the fall of the national recycling market in the USA. Our project goal is to establish inclusive and efficient science-based policy recommendations, with a focus on recycling plastic and plastic resins. Specifically, we investigate energy consumption requirements in recycling , economic costs, and the effects of legislation at the individual consumer and commercial level in Floridas Tampa Bay area. We have conducted interviews with Solid Waste Technicians, Recycling Coordinators, and Recycling and Waste Reduction specialists. For comparative purposes, we also compiled data from multiple cities to provide a more comprehensive view of national recycling policy variation. We use these data to highlight recommended new and existing legislation and discuss how implementation creates an intersection between science and policy and facilitates a stronger, more self-sustaining USA recyclable materials. Our recommendations include Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws aimed at plastic manufacturers encouraging the continued use and purchase of recycled material over virgin material, increased emphasis on recycling education, and implementing accountability measures based on evidence of impact for both consumer and commercial sectors. Our data suggests these recommendations will have the greatest positive impact on both national and international markets with a minimal investment.