Recycling, more harm than good? I think not!

As a chemistry major with a particular interest in the environment, it should come as no surprise that I have a desire to study environmental chemistry. My endeavors in this subject have led me to discover the argument as to whether recycling saves energy and money. Some out there feel that recycling glass and plastic isn't cost efficient; another argument suggests that combustible wastes be burned as fuel instead of recycled. Two books, one creatively entitled Environmental Chemistry by Colin Baird and Michael Cann, and another titled Pollution: Causes, Effects, and Control by Roy Harrison et al. address the various chemical processes involved in recycling and help to further explain the validity of these arguments. I won't get into all the specifics because I want people to keep reading, but these books show that both parties, those who are pro-recycling and those who feel it isn't cost efficient, have valid arguments.
From an economic stand point, recycling does make sense because it creates jobs for those involved in the various recycling processes while also greatly reducing the amount of space needed for landfills. The amount of carbon dioxide released during the production of glass and plastics is also decreased. The debate about combustion of certain materials is a little more complicated, but the amount of carbon dioxide that is released compared to the amount of energy created is not very impressing. Though some may say differently, chemistry speaks truth and it has ruled in favor of recycling