Recycling isn’t everyone’s business

Re “More recyclers cash in,” Dec. 24

I recycle as much as I can whenever I can. I don’t reclaim the materials myself, but I do put them in my city recycling bin. It’s frustrating, though, to see people combing through the bins in my neighborhood. That’s money the city of L.A. loses (translation: we all lose, because it’s our local government).

While I’m a welcoming sort of guy in most instances and I appreciate their entrepreneurial spirit, I prefer that these individuals not comb through my bins -- I’ve made the choice as to whom (or what agency) should receive these recyclables. And I don’t want people in my neighborhood literally sticking their noses into my trash when I’m not at home.

Keith Malone

Montecito Heights

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Instead of state officials hoping that Californians eventually recycle at least 80% of beverage containers, why don’t we aim for nearly 100% by taking a lesson from Michigan?

There, deposits have been 10 cents a container since 1989, the recycling rate for bottles and cans of carbonated drinks is about 97% and beverage containers have been prohibited from being discarded in landfills since 2004.

Margo Shapiro

Los Angeles