Local landfills are filling up and recycling could soon cost more as places to dump them disappear.
America is a disposable society; plastic bottles, plastic bags and plastic containers used for convenience are recycled, but what does that mean?
"We take it to recycling facilities that take it and sell it to markets. Foreign countries," said Mike Camara, owner of ABC Disposal in New Bedford.
Camara says countries like Vietnam, Thailand and Turkey buy recyclables. China is the biggest country to buy them and what can't be reused is burned.
"So basically we are sending recyclables to other countries in the name of protecting the planet only to hurt their environment," said Camara.
China's pollution was so bad they are putting an end to importing recyclables.
"They've banned a lot of recyclables from their country," said Camara.
Without China, there are few places to send all the used plastic, which is causing a glut. The recycling market is collapsing.
"Right now, 70 percent or more of what we put in our recycling bin doesn't have a market. It's changed. Other countries can't absorb it. Domestic markets in our country can't absorb it," said Camara.
Landfills at home, which allow some recyclables, are filling fast and with fewer options, the price to collect will go up until a solution is found.