During these times, recycling was motivated by the economic advantage of getting recycled feedstock, instead of simply buying new raw materials. The absence of a public waste removal and disposal system also made recycling a necessary task during these times. The Lack Of Resources Encouraged Recycling During Wartime The outbreak of two major world wars in the early 20th century brought crippling shortages of precious natural resources. The Recycling Revolution Is Now picking Up Steam According to recent figures, the United States is considered as the number 1 garbage-producing country in the planet. The Environmental Protection Agency or the EPA, states that the United States has 10,000 municipal and 3,000 urban landfills. The sad thing is that most of these landfills are tightly sealed, to prevent the garbage from leaching and contaminating nearby rivers, lakes, streams or seas. However, new federal bills, such as the National Computer Recycling Act, have been introduced to reduce electronic waste, and mitigate their environmental impact. Many computer manufacturers are now also offering some form of recycling to their clients. The user can request that his old computer be picked-up by the manufacturer, or the company can get them for recycling at specified drop-off points, where they also coupons to customers for use in purchasing future computers or parts. How To Properly Dispose And Recycle CFL s Here are some tips and precautions for the handling, disposal or recycling or compact fluorescent lamps. Find out if your town or city has drop-off points or centers where mercury-containing items are accepted. Because different states have different regulations regarding the handling or disposal of materials containing toxic ingredients, check on your state or city s recycling regulations first. Used Car Tires Was Once A Recycling Nightmare Years ago, most people changed their old tires, and simply put the used ones into a road side ditch or abandoned parking lot. Back then, old tires were considered a recycling nightmare, because there were no available options for recovering or re-using them. All types of glass can be recycled, and these include drinking glasses, glass food jars and other glass containers. However, mirrors, window glass and crystal are not considered recyclable. How To Set Up A Recycling Business Here are a few simple steps for setting up your own recycling facility or trading station for recyclable materials.