In our consumer-driven society, recycling is critical to achieving sustainability. Recycling is one of the three R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle), which seeks to lower the waste generated within our society.
What is Recycling?
Recycling is the process of converting waste into new materials and objects. The original product (e.g., an aluminum can) is collected and taken to a processing facility, where it is broken down into its raw form (e.g., aluminum).
The raw material is then used to create a new product, saving energy, time, and money.
Read on to fully understand the definition of recycling, its importance, its benefits, and insight into how it helps the environment.
Why is Recycling Important?
Recycling is a critical component of waste reduction. It is the third of what is commonly known as the three Rs—reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Recycling reduces the impact that manufactured materials have on the environment and the need to extract, refine, and process new materials through mining, quarrying, and logging.
Recycling saves energy, conserves raw materials, and reduces greenhouse gases. Resource extraction, on the other hand, is an energy-intensive activity that creates both air and water pollution.
Recycling can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of natural resources. Some materials, such as plastics, take hundreds of years to degrade and decompose.
Recycling prevents materials from ending up in a landfill or incinerator and ensures they are processed into new material. It has many societal benefits, including economic security by tapping into domestic markets and creating jobs locally.
Recycling has many benefits for the environment. It is a critical component of ensuring a sustainable future, and it also:
- Conserves raw materials
- Reduces litter
- Reduces pollution
- Reduces land needed for landfill space
- Creates jobs
- Alleviates poverty
- Encourages community participation
Environmental Benefits of Recycling
1. Recycling Prevents Pollution
Recycling helps prevent air pollution (e.g., incineration) and water and ground pollution (e.g., landfills). It also reduces the number of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere, which helps to fight climate change.
2. Recycling Helps Protect the Planet
Recycling helps protect our planet, natural resources, and the environment by converting products into new materials at the end of their life cycle. For example, a can of soda can be re-manufactured and reused.
Recycling an old can into a new can saves over 95% of the energy required to make a can from virgin materials.
3. Recycling Saves Energy & Natural Resources
Recycling ensures that the energy and raw materials used to make items and products do not go to waste. It also reduces the need to extract and refine new resources and process raw materials.
4. Recycling Reduces Waste Produced
Recycling allows products to be used to their fullest potential. Most items that are disposed of have hardly been used and are only being disposed of because they no longer serve a purpose. It is estimated that up to 75% of all waste can be recycled or repurposed.
5. Recycling Reduces Waste Sent to Landfills
Recycling reduces the amount of garbage we send to landfills. When waste sits rotting away in landfills, it leeches toxins into the groundwater and soil. It gives off greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide like methane as it decomposes, contributing to global warming.
What Happens if We Don’t Recycle?
1. More Greenhouse Gases will be Released
Greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide contribute to global warming, and the breakdown of the vast mountains of waste on landfill sites is a big contributor. If we don’t recycle, this problem will only get worse.
2. Fossil Fuels Will Run Out
Fossil fuels are used for many things, including making plastics, so if we don’t recycle plastics, we have to draw from the precious depleting reserve.
Current estimates suggest that fossil fuels will run out by 2050. Other materials are also running out of the precious metals used in electronics.
3. Landfill Space will be Overloaded
We can’t keep producing more waste without attempting to recycle. Landfill space is running out, and sending waste to landfills is an expensive and unsustainable option anyway. Recyclable items take up valuable space that non-recyclable materials could otherwise occupy.
4. Natural Environments and Habitats will be Destroyed
By failing to reuse and recycle existing products and materials, new raw materials will need to be sourced, and old products and materials will be disposed of in landfills. This negatively impacts the natural environment and wildlife habitats because of encroachment, releasing toxins and leaching, and resource extraction.
5. Increase in Pollution
If products and materials are not recycled, they will inevitably end up somewhere. The more recyclables that are thrown in the garbage, the faster landfills are going to fill up. That means that other avenues for disposal will be explored, such as incineration.
Incinerators release harmful pollution that risks human health and air quality. In addition, raw materials must be extracted to replace non-recycled products, which increases pollution. Resource extraction creates substantial air and water pollution.
How Does Recycling Work?
Step 1: Collection
Recyclable materials are often collected through curbside programs, drop-off centers, and deposit or refund programs. Once the recyclable products and materials are collected, they are sent to a facility where they are prepared and then sold to processing companies.
Step 2: Processing
Once the processing companies receive the recycled materials, they are sorted, cleaned, and processed into materials for manufacturing.
Step 3: Manufacturing
All recyclables need to be broken down, melted, or liquified. Then, they can be used to make new materials or mixed with other resources.
The resulting recycled processed materials are sold as raw materials. These recycled raw materials are then used to make household items, such as newspapers, paper towels, aluminum cans, plastic and glass containers, and plastic laundry detergent bottles, among many other things.
Step 4: Ready for Consumption
The resulting products made from recycled materials are then ready for consumption. This step closes the loop as consumers buy new products made from recycled materials.
Consumers often don’t even realize the products they purchase are manufactured from recycled materials.
Here are a few examples of products that can be made with recycled materials:
- Aluminum cans
- Car bumpers
- Cereal boxes
- Egg cartons
- Glass containers
- Laundry detergent bottles
- Newspapers
- Paper towels
- Steel products
What Items are Recyclable?
Materials that can be recycled and how to recycle them vary by municipality and state. Thus, it is essential to understand and research what can be recycled in your area and how. Some products or items can be recycled through curbside recycling programs, while others must be taken to a recycling facility or drop-off center.
Curbside Recycling Programs
These programs exist within most municipalities across the United States. Materials are picked up alongside weekly or bi-weekly garbage pickup.
Some recyclable products include aluminum cans, plastic water bottles, food containers, cardboard boxes, mixed papers, and more.
Recycling Facilities & Drop-off Centers
For more oversized and specialized items, such as electronic waste or metals, it is best to go to a recycling facility or depot where they can adequately handle those materials.
Going directly to a facility has several benefits, including convenience and reassurance that your materials are being recycled.
There is also the potential for financial reimbursement, as some metals (e.g., copper) generate a nice cash incentive because of their high demand.
Alternative to Recycling
Recycling does not always involve disposing of an item or product. Upcycling or repurposing involves transforming unwanted products into new materials or products.
You can easily recycle items within your household to serve a new purpose. For example, you could use an empty yogurt container as a planter or a glass jar for meal preparation.
There are so many ways to upcycle or repurpose common household products.
Three Upcycling Ideas
- Cut an old t-shirt into rags
- Use toilet paper rolls for art projects
- Use tin cans to store utensils
Final Thoughts on Why Recycling is Important
Recycling has many benefits for society, the environment, and the economy. Utilizing existing materials reduces the pollution, resources, and energy used to produce new products.
While recycling is an essential part of our society, there also needs to be an emphasis on upcycling. Upcycling involves taking unwanted products and repurposing them for something else instead of disposing of them.
Upcycling often mitigates the need to purchase a new product, which helps reduce consumption.
Additional reading: Benefits of Recycling
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