The International Herald Tribune has an interesting series of articles (published last week) on the state of recycling in seven major cities (Paris, Stockholm, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, and Berlin). The report on Santa Monica's recycling program notes that plastics may go to Mohawk Industries in Alabama to be turned into carpet or to China for a variety of potential transformations. Glass may end up being recycled into new wine bottles for Gallo Wineries while cans may come back around as beer cans for Anheuser-Busch.
In spite of an impressive recycling program, Santa Monica still contributes to one of the largest landfills in the world--the Puente Hills Landfill 35 miles east of LA.
[Via Foreign Policy Passport.]