The faltering economy has taken aim at yet another victim: the recycling industry. Cardboard, plastic, paper, and metals once garnered reasonable prices for their use in electronics, auto parts, and even books. With the word “recession” being thrown around like a football, the goods have now been deemed worthless. Recycling warehouses have been unable to sell the materials for reasonable prices, leading contractors to ship the waste to landfills. Across the country, recycling programs are cutting back or shutting down altogether, posing an environmental problem linked directly to the current economic downturn.