Recycling+in+the+United+States

​WELCOME TO INT-49 PROJECT ON RECYCLING IN THE USA​ RECYCLING IN THE UNITED STATES​ = = = In this page we give information about recycling in the USA. = = = = WHY İS RECYCLİNG İMPORTANT? = ==Did you know that you can help the environment in many kind of ways by recycling various materials.Please read this text how recycling can help protect the our natural resources of mother nature.Before explaining of why is recycling important,at first,people must know what is rcycling and process of rcycling.==

WHAT İS RECYCLİNG
==**Before you know about the significance and benefists of recycling and its relation to a better environmental condition.it is crucial to understand what is recycling.Recycling refers to the process of collecting used materials which is usually considered as 'waste' and reprocessing them.İn this process these used materials are sorted and processed to be used as 'raw materials' for the production of new products.Recycling varies from re-use in the sense that while re-use just means using old products repeatedly.Recycling means using the core elements of an old product as raw material to produce new goods.Some of the most common items that are recycled are plastic,paper,bateries,aliminium etc.**== =** PROCESS OF RECYCLİNG **= ==**There are three main stages of recycling process.İn the first stage the old products are collected and processed,where they are sorted,cleaned and made ready for recycling or manufacturing new products.The seconds stage of the recycling is that involving the manufacturing of new products from raw material obtained by the processing of the old products.Finally,the process ends with the buying of recycled goods by the consumers.The more people step forward to buy recycled products the better the success of the recycling process can be ensured.Buying recycled products will only increase when every individual will develop an awareness of the difference that can be made by utilizing their household objects as raw materials to produce new goods and help environment by recycling.**==

** WHY İS RECYCLİNG İMPORTANT? **
==** The importance of recycling can be observed in multiple ways.If you are wondering in your mind as to 'WHY I SHOULD RECYCLE' then here are some causes which should convince you to do so.There are five main reason why is rececyling important. **== ==**When new products are manufactured from the raw material obtained from recycled products.It saves a lot of energy which is consumed for the production.When new products are manufactured from 'virgin materials' the amount of energy is much higher.Besides,the energy required to acquire the transport the 'virgin' raw materials for their origins or natural resources is also saved.Add to that the energy which is required to clean and protect the environment from the pollutant waste products,espicially those which are non-biodegradable(plastic) and fill up the landfill areas.**== ==**Recycling helps in preventing global climate to a great extent.By minimazing the energy spent on industrial production.Recycling helps also in reducing greenhouse gas emission.some of the major fosil fuels used in most industries include coal,diesel gasoline etc.All these emit detrimental gases such as methane,sulfur dioxide ,carbon dioxide to the environment.The processing of fresh raw material also creates toxic materials which pollute the environment.By reducing the energy used,recycling also minimizes the amount of fuel usage in which turn reduces the amount of harmful pollutants in the environment.**== ==**We know that recycling involves the processing and the usage of the core elements of an old product for the production of new products.This helps in saving our natural resources to a great extent.For instance,once an old newspaper is recycled we do not need to use the resource of another tree to produce new paper products.This way,proper recycling can help us preserve our natural resources for our future generations and maintain the balance of the nature. **== ==**Similar to energy and natural resources,recycling also helps in saving a lot of expense,demanded for the production of new products from 'virgin' materials.These expenses include the entire production cycle starting from acquiring the raw materials,transferring them from their origin to production places,processing and manufacturing costs.Recycling process creates employment opportunities for lots of people,involved in the various stages of the process.This in turn contributes to the economic development of the state or country.**== ==Most of the landfill sites are filled up with a lot of waste products that could have been recycled effectively.Some of these waste materials belong to non-biodegradable category which takes a long time to decompose.Recycling enables proper usage of these waste products and saves space for landfills.The pace with which landfills are getting filled up,soon we might run short of landfills unless we start following recycling at our own home and spread the word to others.==
 * ==** RECYCLİNG SAVES ENERGY **==
 * ==** RECYCLİNG SAVES ENVİROMENTAL CONDİTİONS AND DİMİNİSHES POLLUTİON **==
 * ==** RECYCLİNG SAVES NATURAL RESOURCES **==
 * ==** ECONOMİC BENEFİTS **==
 * ==** RECYCLİNG SAVES SPACE FOR WASTE DİSPOSAL **==

= =

**WHAT ARE RECYCLED IN THE USA ?**




 * America is one of the best examples of countries where a lot of materials are recycled.Paper,glass,plastic,aluminum etc are materials which are gotten back to nature in the US. **



PAPER **

** Paper is the most prevalent material in municipial solid waste (MSW) – more commonly known as trash or garbage – And therefore, paper recycling can help us reduce the amount of MSW. Americans recycled more than 50 percent of the paper they used in 2008. Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves natural resources, and saves landfill space. 80 percent of America’s paper mills are designed to and saves landfill space. 80 percent of America’s paper mills are designed to use paper collected in recycling programs, and they depend on paper recycling to have the materials they need to operate.Paper mills differ in their processes based on the source of fiber used and the end product produced.There are three basic types of mills:         **

**.** [|**Pulp mills**]
 * .** [|**Recycled paper processing mills**]
 * .** [|**Mills that use both recycled and virgin fiber**]




 * USED OIL **

**Used oil is exactly what its name implies, any petroleum-based or synthetic that has been ** **used. During** **normal use, impurities such as dirt, metal scrapings, ** **water or chemicals, can get mixed in with the oil,** **so that in time, the oil no ** **longer performs well. Eventually, this used oil must be replaced with virgin or re-refined oil to do job correctly.** **Did you know that the used oil from one oil change can contaminate 1 million** **gallons of fresh water - a years' supply for 50 people!** . It's slow to degrade. . It sticks to everything from beach sand to bird feathers.**
 * . Used motor oil is insoluble, persistent and can contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
 * . It's a major source of oil contamination of waterways and can result ** **in pollution of drinking water sources.**
 * On average, about four million people reuse motor oil as a lubricant for other equipment ortake it to a recycling facility.**
 * . Recycled used motor oil can be re-refined into new oil, processed into fuel oilsand used as raw materials for the petroleum industry.**
 * . One gallon of used motor oil provides the same 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil as 42 gallons of crude oil.**
 * . If all the oil from American do-it-yourself oil changers were recycled, it would** **be enough motor oil for more than 50 million cars a year. Imagine how much foreign oil that would eliminate.**
 * . Used motor oil from cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, farm equipment and lawnmowers can be recycled and re-refined.**




 * ALUMINUM **

**Aluminum cans are lightweight, convenient, portable, and keep beverages** **cold. Cans are often used to package soda, beer,** **and other beverages, and account for nearly all of the beverage packaging market for some products.** **When you throw your aluminum can into the recycling bin, you are contributing** **to a process that conserves natural resources and saves money compared to manufacturing cans from virgin materials.** **The average aluminum can contains 40 percent postconsumer recycled** **aluminum. Recovering aluminum for recycling saves money and dramatically** **reduces energy consumption. The aluminum can recycling process saves 92** **percent of the energy needed to produce aluminum from bauxite ore,** **according to EPA's** [|**WAste Reduction Model (WARM)**]**.**
 * . In 2008, the United States generated nearly 2 million tons of aluminum as containers and packaging, and manufacturers used about 1.4 million tons of aluminum to make durable and nondurable goods.**
 * An aluminum can that is recovered for recycling is back in the consumer stream in a short period of time. It takes about 6 weeks total to manufacture, fill, sell, recycle, and then remanufacture a beverage can. Most of the aluminum recovered from the waste stream is used to manufacture new cans, "closing the loop" for can production. **




 * GLASS **

**Glass is completely recyclable and saves precious energy resources. Making products from recycled glass uses less energy than starting from scratch. Recycled glass is made into new beverage bottles, food jars, insulation and other construction materials.** **.** **Recycled glass is made into new beverage bottles, food jars, insulation and other construction materials.** ** . Americans generated 12.2 million tons of glass in the municipal solid waste (MSW)stream in 2008 ** **. ** **. About 23 percent of glass was recovered for recycling.**
 * . Recovery increased from 750,000 tons in 1980 to more than 2.8 million tons in 2008. **
 * .Soft drink, beer, food, wine, and liquor containers represent the largest source of glass generated and recovered for recycling. **
 * .Glass in durable goods, such as furniture, appliances, and especially consumer electronics round out the sources of postconsumer glass. **



**PLASTIC**

**Plastics play an important role in almost every aspect of our lives. Plastics are used to** ** manufacture everyday products such as beverage containers, household items, and furniture.The wide spread use of this valuable material demands ** **proper management of used plastics, as they have become a larger part of the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream in recent decades. . In 2008, the United States generated about 13 million tons of plastics ** **in the MSW stream as containers and packaging,** **almost 7 million tons as nondurable goods,and almost 11 million tons as durable goods.** . Plastics are a rapidly growing segment of the MSW stream.The largest category of plastics are found in containers and packaging (e.g.,soft drink bottles,lids,shampoo bottles),but they also are found in durable (e.g.,appliances,furniture) and nondurable goods (e.g.,diapers,trash bags,cups and utensils,medical devices). ** ** . The amount of plastics generation in MSW has increased from less than 1 percent in 1960 to 12.0 percent in 2008. **
 * . The total amount of plastics in MSW—about 30 million tons—represented 12.0 percent of total MSW generation in 2008.




 * BATTERIES**

**. Americans purchase nearly 3 billion dry-cell batteries every year** **to power radios, toys, cellular phones, watches, laptop computers, and portable power tools.** . Wet-cell batteries, which contain a liquid electrolyte, commonly power automobiles ,boats or motorcycles.**
 * . Inside a battery, heavy metals react with chemical electrolyte to produce the battery's power.
 * . Nearly 99 million wet-cell lead-acid car batteries are manufactured each year.**
 * .** **Recycling batteries keeps heavy metals out of landfills and the air. Recycling saves resources because recovered plastic and metals can be used to make new batteries.**
 * One way to reduce the number of batteries in the waste stream is to purchase rechargeable batteries. Nearly one in five dry-cell batteries purchased in the United States is rechargeable. Over its useful life, each rechargeable battery may substitute for hundreds of single-use batteries.**



TEXTILES **

. The textile recycling industry annually prevents 2.5 billion pounds of postconsumer textile product waste from entering the solid waste stream ,according to the Council for Textile Recycling. ** **. This 2.5 billion pounds of postconsumer textile waste represents** **10 pounds for every person in the United States.** . Most textile recycling firms are small, family-owned businesses with fewer than 500 employees. The majority employ between 35 and 50 workers, many of whom are semi-skilled or marginally employable workers. **
 * . An estimated 12.4 million tons of textiles were generated in 2008, or 5.0 percent of total municipal solid waste (MSW) generation.
 * . Approximately 500 million pounds of textiles collected are used by the collecting agency, with the balance sold to textile recyclers, including used clothing dealers and exporters,wiping rag graders,and fiber recyclers.



. More than 1,000 facilities in the United States make and process steel, and most are located in the Great Lakes region and the South. . In 2008, the United States generated about 2.6 million tons of steel as containers and packaging in the MSW stream, as well as about 13 million tons ferrous metals,which include iron and steel as durable goods. **
 * STEEL **
 * Steel makes up the largest category of metals in the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream. For many years, steel has been a commonly recycled material in North America and throughout the world. Efficiently managing and recycling used steel products is important to maximize the utility of this commodity.




 * ORGANIC MATERIALS **

**.** [|Yard Trimmings]

**.** [|Food Waste]

**.** __ [|Wood Waste] __

**__Yard trimmings__ Grass clippings and trimmings from bushes, trees, and other yard vegetation are examples of yard trimmings. [|Composting] yard trimmings saves landfill space and reduces methane production in landfills. Methane gas causes global climate change. ** Food waste is any food substance, raw or cooked, which is discarded, or intended or required to be discarded. Food wastes are the organic residues generated by the handling, storage, sale, preparation, cooking, and serving of foods. ** **Food waste includes uneaten food and food preparation scraps from residences or households, commercial establishments like restaurants grocery stores, and cafeterias.** __**Wood waste**__ **Nearly six million tons of wood waste (e.g., urban wood waste, woody debris from suburban land clearing, and rural forestry residuals) were generated in 2003 according to the EPA. In fact, wood comprises the largest percentage of the residential** [|**construction and demolition materials**] **(C&D) waste stream – approximately 40 to 50 percent of residential new construction materials – according to the National Association of Home Builders Research ** **Center. Prior to 1990, there was limited recycling of wood waste in the United States. Today, EPA estimates there are more than 500 wood processing facilities across the country. **
 * __Food waste__



"E-waste" is short for electronic waste. E-waste is basically any electronic device including cell phones, ink cartridges, iPods, cameras, televisions, computer monitors, computers, printers, computer peripherals, copiers, fax machines,DVD players,gaming systems,radios and stereos.Even batteries! ** **The use of electronic products has grown substantially over the past two decades, changing the way and the speed in which we communicate and how we get information and entertainment. Our growing reliance on electronics is illustrated by some remarkable figures. According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Americans own approximately 24 electronic products per household .[|1] **
 * ELECTRONIC WASTES

- Each year Americans discard an estimated 130 million cell phones and 100 million computers,monitors and television sets. ** **-The U.S. produces roughly half of the world’s e-waste but only recycles about 10% of it. ** [|http://www.ecyclegroup.org]
 * DID YOU KNOW?




 * These dresses have been exhibited in US during New York Fashion Week. For first dress 350 boxes of food lotion and for second dress 30 copies of the Financial Times were used. **

[]



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Recycling is not a new idea, but it is only moved to a more important aspect of everyone's lives within the last few years. We are still slow on progress in the green world, but some things have been accomplished. Is this enough? The answer, simply, is no, and we need to continue to focus our efforts on more green ideas, conservation, and of course, recycling. Then the question lies with: "What will happen if you recycle? So, let’s take a good hard look at what is happening in the recycle USA now. Recycling is one of the easiest ways you can help slow climate change and global warming. By recycling at home, you help significantly lower carbon emissions associated with extracting virgin materials, manufacturing products and waste disposal. Last year the amount of energy saved from recycling aluminum and steel cans, plastic PET and glass containers, newsprint and corrugated packaging was equivalent to: • The amount of electricity consumed by 17.8 million Americans in one year. • 29% of nuclear electricity generation in the U.S. in one year. • 7.9% of electricity generation from fossil fuels in the U.S. in one year. • 11% of the energy produced by coal-fired power plants in the U.S. • The energy supplied from 2.7% of imported barrels of crude oil into the U.S. • The amount of gasoline used in almost 11 million passenger automobiles in one year.

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You can calculate your recycling's impact at this link it is very funny: Conversionator

The Benefits of Recycling The benefits of recycling go far beyond the materials we keep the landfill. Overall, recycling can: • Conserve resources for the future. • Prevent emissions of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants. • Supply valuable raw materials to industry. • Create jobs. • Save energy. • Reduce the need for new landfills and incinerators. • Stimulate the development of greener technologies.

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SOME BASIC RECYCLING FACTS:

Conserving Resources • Every ton of paper recycled a year saves 17 trees and 7000 gallons of water. • Every ton of steel recycled saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone. • Recycling one ton of glass saves the equivalent of 10 gallons of oil.

Reducing Pollution According to the U.S. EPA, methane is the second largest source of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, and landfills account for 37% of methane gas output. By reducing and recycling properly organic materials, such as paper, we can divert them from landfill, thereby reducing anaerobic decomposition and the production of methane gas. Making recycled paper creates 74 percent less air pollution and 35 percent less water pollution than making paper directly from trees. An automobile made from recycled aluminum is lighter than an automobile made from steel. This results in the need for less gasoline to power the car and a resulting decrease in air pollution.

Energy Savings Much of the energy and resources that are used to initially process a raw material only need to be used once when the raw materials are recycled and reused this saves both energy and resources. For example: • Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours and 95 percent of the energy usually used to make aluminum from raw materials. • The recycling of one glass container saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for 4 hours that is 40 percent less energy. • For every pound of steel recycled, it can save enough energy to light a 60-watt bulb for 24 hours. • Recycled newspaper uses 40 percent less energy. • Recycled plastics use 70 percent less energy. • Every ton of paper made from recycled materials saves 17 trees, about 450 gallons of oil and about seven gallons of water. Every ton of plastic that is recycled saves the equivalent energy of 1,000 to 2,000 of gasoline and they can save up to 4200 kilowatt hours of energy.



Economics Benefits 1. A Diverse Industry ...Recycling Means Business in California 2. Economic Benefits ...Recycling Adds Greater Economic Value than Throwing It All Away 3. Job Creation ...Recycling Creates More Jobs than Land filling 4. Urban Renewal ...Recycling Creates Opportunities for Urban Renewal.  5. Economic Growth ...Recycling Generates Business Growth in California 6. Business Efficiency ...Waste Reduction and Recycling Increase Business Efficiency and Competitiveness 7. Product Innovation ...Recycling Encourages Product Innovation 8. Saving Business Money ...Waste Reduction and Recycling Mean Cost Savings for Business in California 9. Saving Public Dollars ...Waste Reduction and Recycling Are Cost Effective for Local Government 10. The Environment ...Waste Reduction and Recycling Protect California's Environment Cost Savings Saving money through recycling ultimately helps the environment. If we see a real benefit in our pockets then we are more likely to support the recycling cause. For many businesses, recycling has proven to be cost effective--using less energy to obtain and process materials, and reducing pollution and waste management costs. Here are a few examples: • Every year, the makers of shipping pallets consume half of all hardwood and 10% of all lumber used nationally. At Eastman Kodak, redesigned shipping pallets and altered stacking patterns saved over 7 million pounds of wood and $380,000 in a single year. • At Hewlett-Packard's Roseville manufacturing facility, 93% of packaging waste generated is now re-used or recycled, saving the computer giant $1.45 million in disposal costs. Forests Saving The recycling of paper products can have a major effect on the number of trees that have to be cut each year. A county environmental services department in New York projects a huge savings in the number of trees that would not need to be cut down if newspapers and junk mail were recycled: · Over 40,000 trees could be saved if all morning newspapers in the United States were recycled for one day. · Up to 150,000 trees could be saved if as few as 100,000 people put themselves on a Do Not Mail list to stop receiving junk mail.

Water Saving Water recycling is the reuse of [|tap water in our homes] and water that has been "reclaimed" from sewage and treated. This type of recycled water is not used for drinking water, but it is commonly used in industrial processes, construction activities, agriculture and landscape irrigation as well as watering public parks and golf courses. Every gallon of water that is recycled is one less gallon that needs to come from rivers, lakes and ground water sources.

Reducing Reliance on Imported Oil The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that over 200 million gallons of used motor oil is thrown away by people who change their car's oil at home. Oil can cause environmental damage and health hazards when it is poured into the sewer system or onto the ground. Motor oil gets dirty but it does not wear out. Used oil can be recycled, cleaned and then used again. Check with your local garbage company to learn how you can recycle used oil from your oil changes. If they do not accept used oil, ask for a location where you can drop off your oil for recycling. You can often bring your used oil to an automobile repair shop for recycling, however, they may charge you a fee for the recycling service.

Environmental Protection Electronics, batteries, solvents and oils can all leech harmful chemicals and gasses into the ground or air if discarded into a landfill. Specialized recycling programs are available to deal with these items either through safe destruction or reuse. Electronics are usually broken down to their essential elements with harmful components destroyed safely and other components recycled for reuse. In some cases, electronics are refurbished and reused. Saving Land and Animals A lot of unrecycled plastics also end up becoming litter, which in the end costs more to clean up. It looks terrible and is dangerous to wildlife. More and more animals are killed by litter every year. Besides being an eyesore, plastic bags can also be a hazard to the health of animals. Discarded plastic bags frequently end up being the cause of death each year of hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, cows and goats who eat the bags mistaking them for food. Reducing Landfill The environmental problems of landfills are a difficult issue to fix. As more waste is put into landfills, the bigger the problem gets. Products that are not [|biodegradable] or are slow to decompose can remain in landfill sites for centuries, often emitting gases that could be harmful to the environment. Keeping paper out of landfills is just one way that recycling helps the environment. The amount of municipal solid waste – commonly called trash – rose 60 percent from 1980 to 2005. It probably would have risen even higher if many states didn't start to set aggressive goals in 1989 to reduce the amount of garbage going into their landfills. Some states have set goals to reduce the amount they add to their landfills by 40 to 50 percent. Plastics are a fast growing part of the municipal solid waste in the United States. The APC reports reveal that in 1960 plastic contributed less than one percent of the municipal waste. By 2007 almost 31 million tons of plastic became municipal waste, representing about 12 percent of the waste in landfills. Much of the plastic in landfills is unrecycled plastic bottles and bags. About 38 billion water bottles end up in landfills each year along with billions of plastic bags. It is estimated that it will take up to 1000 years for a plastic bottle or bag to decompose after it is buried in a landfill. These plastics cause new plastics to be needed and created, and this results in more oil and natural resources such as water and energy need to be used to create new plastic. If a plastic item is thrown away it cannot be reused or remade into another plastic item. The base plastic in the item becomes a total waste.

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Eventually, there are more ways we can recycle to save our planet, although these can involve some research on your part. Instead of throwing out your old TV, DVD player, computer or cell phone, look for recycling programs! Many schools accept electronics in working order, and many charitable organizations are grateful for old phones that are easily refurbished. Keeping electronics out of landfills is vital to environmental health. Turns out, there is almost nothing you cannot recycle – household, garden and car items can all be reclaimed. For some detailed information, including programs near you, go to Earth 911 and get what you need. It’s very possible we can recycle to save our planet. We can see mentioned above the benefits of recycling that is “What will happen if we recycle”. Therefore, we must recycle.



Number of recycling centers where are in the United States improved each year since the first major recycling center was started by the Benedetto family in New York City in 1896.Nowadays, recycling centers are being found everywhere in the US.If you want to help the environment by recycling, there are many ways.Some communities provide curbside recycling pick up once or twice each week. If your town has this service, it’s likely that the recycling company will provide you with a few crates to use for collecting materials that can be recycled. You’ll just need to fill your crates and place them by your curb on the days that your neighborhood’s pick up is scheduled.Also curbside recycling services are provided by the same company that handles garbage pick up service in a particular area. In some locations, curbside recycling pickup is funded by the municipality in which the neighborhood is located



If you want to give your recycling materials by hand or your local recycling center is self-service,you find out what types of items your local recycling facility accepts, and start collecting items for the center.Then,you can give recycling materials.

You can find a recycling center in your area with these sites: [] [] []




 * aluminum cans


 * glass bottles


 * steel cans (pet food, veggies, tuna, soup, etc.)


 * plastic soda bottles (2 liter and smaller)


 * plastic milk jugs


 * newspapers


 * magazines


 * phone books


 * white paper


 * cardboard


 * brown paper bag


 * plastic grocery bags


 * rechargeable batteries


 * Hazardous Waste (oil, paint, chemicals)


 * Styrofoam


 * Mercury Thermometers


 * =Metals=





A recycling center works by first separating all the materials that enter the center into one of three categories: paper, metal or plastic. Once the material has been categorized into its proper type, the plant can begin the process of recycling. The general overview of how an item is recycled is as follows: the material enters the center and is separated based on type. From there, the material is broken down through various means into its basic substance. This in turn is sent out as raw constructing material to manufacturers who incorporate it as a basic substance in another product, thus the original material is recycled. Let's take a look at how the most common forms of material paper, metal and plastic are recycled in more depth.

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= Paper Recycling =



The category of paper material in recycling includes everything from standard white printer paper to newspaper to cardboard. When paper material first enters the recycling center it is sorted by the type of paper it is, also known as the grade. It is then put into a large bucket with other paper of its grade and water is added. The water-paper combination is then mixed to create a lumpy pulp that is then laid out on large racks where the water is rolled out. When the remaining product is dry, it is cut into sheets of a designated size, and you have the paper that phone books and newspaper is made out of 100 percent recycled!

Metal Recycling


The category of metal material in recycling usually pertains to steel or aluminum products. Due to the malleability of metal, it is one of the easiest products to recycle. Things like soda cans, soup cans and used car parts are crushed by a large mauler before being packaged together and sent to a mill where they are melted down to a molten metal state. From this high-heat metal liquid, other metal products can be easily created through molds. Many aluminum cans are the product of previously recycled aluminum cans, and when they are used they can be recycled into yet another can.

Plastic Recycling


Plastic works a little differently than paper or metal, as there are seven distinct kinds of plastic, which are indicated on an object by a number inside the recycle triangle symbol. For example, “1” plastics are the most common kind recycled and are usually used for lightweight, heavy-duty items like sailboat hulls and surfboards. On the other hand end of the spectrum, number 4 plastics are difficult to recycle due to their ultra thin composition, such as cellophane wrap and plastic bags. Regardless, all plastics are made from a combination of oil and natural gas and are recycled basically the same way. Once collected, the plastic is sorted by type and then ground down and cleaned. After it has been prepped, the recycling center sends it to a plastic manufacturer who uses the recycled plastic as part of new plastic objects.

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