True or False: Have recycling rates continuously and consistently risen since 1995.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. They fluctuate

Answer: (B)

Recycling rates over time don’t move in a straight, upward line. They can rise on average, but there are many years with little growth or even declines due to changes in programs, funding, contamination, and market demand for recyclables. For example, global and national trends show periods where rates plateau or drop, such as market disruptions and policy shifts (like restrictions on importing recyclables) that temporarily reduce recycling throughput. Because of these ups and downs, recycling rates have fluctuated rather than increasing continuously and consistently since 1995.