Recycling: The reprocessing of used materials into new products. Recycling prevents the waste of potentially useful materials, reduces the consumption of raw materials and reduces energy usage, and hence greenhouse gas emissions, compared to virgin production. Recycling is a key concept of modern waste management.
Recyclable Materials: also called "recyclables", include glass, paper, aluminium, asphalt, iron, textiles and plastics.
Biodegradable Waste: such as food waste or garden waste, is also recyclable with the assistance of micro-organisms through composting or anaerobic digestion.
Sorting: Recyclables are sorted and separated into material types by the producer of the waste or with automated material handlers at recycle recovery facilities. Contamination of the recylates with other materials must be prevented to increase the recyclates' value and facilitate easier reprocessing for the recycling facility.
Methods: There are two common household methods of material recycling.
1) Curbside Collection - Where consumers leave presorted recyclable materials in front of their property to be collected by a recycling vehicle.
2) Drop Off - Consumers "drop off" householder recyclables at collection points, such as transfer stations or city recycling drop off sites.
Recycling Benifits: Recycling is beneficial in two ways: it reduces the inputs (energy and raw materials) to a production system and reduces the amount of waste produced for disposal. A study conducted by the Technical University of Denmark found that in 80% of cases, recycling is the most efficient method to dispose of household waste. Some materials like aluminum can be recycled indefinitely as there is no change to the materials. Other recycled materials like paper require a percentage of raw materials (wood fibers) to be added to compensate for the degradation of existing fibers. Recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy cost of processing new aluminium because the melting temperature is reduced from 900 °C to 600 °C. It is by far the most efficient material to recycle. Recycling plastic saves 70% of the energy used in creating new plastic, and paper recycling saves 40% of the energy required to make a new product. The resources being processed are purer, thus less energy is needed to process them. Additionally less energy is needed to transport them from the place of extraction (e.g. bauxite/aluminium ore mines in Brazil or coniferous forests in Scandinavia as compared to domestic areas). This reduces the environmental, social, and usually the economic costs of manufacturing. For example, bauxite mines in Brazil displace indigenous people, create noise pollution from blasting, machinery and transport, and create air pollution in the form of particulates (dust). The habitat loss and visual destruction is also negative both to the aesthetic qualities of the areas and the local environment. The most commonly used methods for waste disposal (landfill, pyrolysis, incineration) may be environmentally damaging and unsustainable. Therefore any way to reduce the volume of waste being disposed in this fashion may be beneficial. The maximum environmental benefit is gained by waste minimization (reducing the amount of waste produced), and reusing items in their current form such as refilling bottles. In the past recycling has been a fragmented industry with recycling companies only accepting specific materials for recycling, or only common materials such as plastic or metals. More recent approaches have resulted in recycling companies that accept a wide variety of materials or emerging market materials such as ceiling tiles, carpet, stained wood etc.. An example of a company that accepts a wide variety of materials, including emerging recycling markets is the Green Recycling Network.
Recycling Symbol: In 1969 and early 1970, worldwide attention to environmental issues reached a crescendo, culminating in the first Earth Day. In response, then Chicago-based Container Corporation of America, a large producer of recycled paperboard which is now part of the Stone-Smurfit Corp., sponsored a contest for art and design students at high schools and colleges across the country. As a 23-year-old college student at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Gary Anderson won the contest, and graphically helped push recycling efforts forward. Because of the symbol’s simplicity and clarity, it became a common symbol recognized worldwide. The universally recognized recycling symbol with three chasing arrows is a Möbius strip or unending loop.
Recyclable Materials: also called "recyclables", include glass, paper, aluminium, asphalt, iron, textiles and plastics.
Biodegradable Waste: such as food waste or garden waste, is also recyclable with the assistance of micro-organisms through composting or anaerobic digestion.
Sorting: Recyclables are sorted and separated into material types by the producer of the waste or with automated material handlers at recycle recovery facilities. Contamination of the recylates with other materials must be prevented to increase the recyclates' value and facilitate easier reprocessing for the recycling facility.
Methods: There are two common household methods of material recycling.
1) Curbside Collection - Where consumers leave presorted recyclable materials in front of their property to be collected by a recycling vehicle.
2) Drop Off - Consumers "drop off" householder recyclables at collection points, such as transfer stations or city recycling drop off sites.
Recycling Benifits: Recycling is beneficial in two ways: it reduces the inputs (energy and raw materials) to a production system and reduces the amount of waste produced for disposal. A study conducted by the Technical University of Denmark found that in 80% of cases, recycling is the most efficient method to dispose of household waste. Some materials like aluminum can be recycled indefinitely as there is no change to the materials. Other recycled materials like paper require a percentage of raw materials (wood fibers) to be added to compensate for the degradation of existing fibers. Recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy cost of processing new aluminium because the melting temperature is reduced from 900 °C to 600 °C. It is by far the most efficient material to recycle. Recycling plastic saves 70% of the energy used in creating new plastic, and paper recycling saves 40% of the energy required to make a new product. The resources being processed are purer, thus less energy is needed to process them. Additionally less energy is needed to transport them from the place of extraction (e.g. bauxite/aluminium ore mines in Brazil or coniferous forests in Scandinavia as compared to domestic areas). This reduces the environmental, social, and usually the economic costs of manufacturing. For example, bauxite mines in Brazil displace indigenous people, create noise pollution from blasting, machinery and transport, and create air pollution in the form of particulates (dust). The habitat loss and visual destruction is also negative both to the aesthetic qualities of the areas and the local environment. The most commonly used methods for waste disposal (landfill, pyrolysis, incineration) may be environmentally damaging and unsustainable. Therefore any way to reduce the volume of waste being disposed in this fashion may be beneficial. The maximum environmental benefit is gained by waste minimization (reducing the amount of waste produced), and reusing items in their current form such as refilling bottles. In the past recycling has been a fragmented industry with recycling companies only accepting specific materials for recycling, or only common materials such as plastic or metals. More recent approaches have resulted in recycling companies that accept a wide variety of materials or emerging market materials such as ceiling tiles, carpet, stained wood etc.. An example of a company that accepts a wide variety of materials, including emerging recycling markets is the Green Recycling Network.
Recycling Symbol: In 1969 and early 1970, worldwide attention to environmental issues reached a crescendo, culminating in the first Earth Day. In response, then Chicago-based Container Corporation of America, a large producer of recycled paperboard which is now part of the Stone-Smurfit Corp., sponsored a contest for art and design students at high schools and colleges across the country. As a 23-year-old college student at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Gary Anderson won the contest, and graphically helped push recycling efforts forward. Because of the symbol’s simplicity and clarity, it became a common symbol recognized worldwide. The universally recognized recycling symbol with three chasing arrows is a Möbius strip or unending loop.
Recycling Middle Tennessee
The main driver for recycling plastic is the economic advantage of obtaining recycled feedstock instead of acquiring virgin material, as well as a decrease in public waste going to the landfill.
Nashville Outdoors Conservation, Recycling, Re-use, Restore, Reduce, Protect& Preserve Tennessee's Natural Resources, Recreation, NashvilleOutdoors.net
Tennessee Conservation
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Curbside Recycling
in your neighborhood.
in your neighborhood.
