SEATTLE - More large food and beverage firms are picking up after themselves ?" literally. The companies are taking care of recycling their own used packaging after consumers are finished with the product, the New York Times reports. Long a practice in Europe, packaged goods companies are beginning to assume the cost of recycling in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Asia.

"Local governments are literally going broke and so are looking for ways to shift the costs of recycling off onto someone, and companies that make the packaging are logical candidates," said Jim Hanna, director of environmental impact at the Starbucks Corporation. "More environmentally conscious consumers are demanding that companies share their values, too."

Hanna also pointed out that "companies are becoming more aware that resources are limited and what they??ve traditionally thrown away ?" wow, it has value." For example, companies save money by recycling aluminum cans into new ones; ditto for plastic bottles. "Shredding, melting, recasting and re-rolling used aluminum beverage cans into new aluminum can sheet saves 95 percent of the energy that it takes to make can sheet from raw ore," said Beth Schmitt, director of recycling at Alcoa.

Used plastic bottles are exported to China, where they are transformed into fabric fibers. "Tuna cans, cereal boxes, laundry detergent bottles ?" all of it has value in end markets that are thirsty for it," said Michael Washburn, director of sustainability at Nestlé Waters North America.

In the United States, business recycling initiatives are not mandated, but many states already have laws that make companies responsible for some manufactured products after use, such as mercury switches and batteries. Most U.S. firms oppose mandates for recycling. "We??re not convinced there??s compelling evidence that it??s the most appropriate solution for the U.S.," said Meghan Stasz, director of sustainability at the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

Some companies have developed their own recycling, such as Coke??s Coca-Cola Recycling LLLC, which has a goal of recycling 100% of the beverage maker??s cans and bottles in North America by 2015. Coke has increased its testing of soda in PlantBottles.