Of all the growing problems in the world, the massive accumulation of garbage seems to be the least of people's worries. Countless landfills are saturated with waste of all shapes, sizes and compositions; many are now paved to serve as foundations for housing, airports, businesses, etc. If the situation were as simple to resolve as paving over rotting landfills, then there would be no debate or research into the environmental effects of pollution associated with improper waste disposal. Most types of waste can be recycled, but at what cost? Many will argue that recycling is the only way to eliminate these landfills and protect the environment from further damage. Many environmental groups and politicians are seeking to make recycling a legal responsibility, but while recycling technology has advanced in recent years, the cost/practice ratio has remained essentially the same. If recycling were to be mandatory, then there would need to be a paradigm shift in the flow of products, from creation to redistribution, in order to make regulations practical. In previous generations, recycling was very limited in its capabilities and effectiveness. Several studies from the time actually support the assertion that more waste was produced than recovered. Collecting a pile of papers left behind piles of gloves, trash bags, food wrappers and water bottles that couldn't be used. With this in mind, it is completely understandable that groups of people have opposed material recovery in the past. Since then, the capacity to process raw or reused materials has increased tenfold. Now almost everything, from wastewater to the toughest polymers, can be recycled...... middle of paper ......law wrapped around them. Without the combined contributions of these three major groups, the system will continue to be broken, while money, resources, and time will continue to be wasted trying to salvage from an ever-growing pile of garbage. If laws are to be implemented, they should be limited to a single trigger pull, much like the ignition of a vehicle. Once the trio begins to gain speed, any regulation used to propel the movement must be immediately abandoned and replaced with maintenance and education to promote self-perpetuating behavior. Works Cited Esterl, Mike. “Plastic recycling is not up to par because too few people are doing it. » The Wall Street Journal. August 19, 2011: B.1. Researcher on SIRS issues. Internet. April 1, 2012. Koch, Wendy. “Cities are taking on deeper shades of green.” THE UNITED STATES TODAY. June 30, 2011: A.3. Researcher on the SIRS issue. Internet. March 06 2012.