Israel has surpassed the U.S. and Europe in recycling plastic bottles, according to a recently released report by the ELA Recycling Corporation, a private organization which works to promote bottle recycling in Israel. According to the report, 54 percent of Israel's plastic bottles were recycled in 2012, compared to 31.8% in the U.S. and 52.4% in OECD countries. Data from 2013 shows that Israel recycled 56% of its plastic bottles, though figures for the OECD and U.S. have not been released yet. The recycling deposit stations installed throughout Israel have been considered a huge success; the public recycled 350 million plastic 1.5 liter bottles thanks to the network of over 20,000 recycling stations. "Ten years ago we set ourselves a goal -- to bring Israel to the forefront of global bottle recycling and make every Israeli home a recycling home. This not just about residents of the big cities, but the hundreds of communities throughout Israel that are taking an active part in the recycling revolution every day," ELA Chairwoman Nehama Ronen said.
