Proper waste management holds the key to enhancing the environment’s condition. Since it is unavoidable for everyone to produce waste products, you need to learn how to dispose of them to lessen their environmental impact properly. There are several waste management plans and programs that you can adopt, but recycling is the most favorite choice. This article will give you an overview of everything you need to know about recycling.
What is recycling?
Recycling is a cycle of recovering scraps or waste materials for new valuable products. There are three simple steps involved in recycling: collecting, processing, and manufacturing. The first step is the proper collection of waste, which varies significantly based on the country’s policy or city you live in. For example, some places might require you to separate your trash into different bins, while others only need to place all recyclable materials into one container. As long as you follow their rules and protocols, you’re good. The second step is processing, where hazardous waste and potential contaminants are separated, and the materials are sorted and cleaned. Lastly, recycled materials are used to create new products like paper, glass bottles, and aluminum cans.
Why is recycling important?
Recycling has a significant impact on the fight against climate change and global warming. The conversion of recycled materials into new products uses less energy than producing a product from scratch. Because of this, it emits lesser greenhouse gas which is one of the major contributors to global warming. In addition, recycling also reduces the waste product in landfills, saving space for non-recyclable materials. Since rich countries run out of landfills, they dump massive amounts of their waste to other countries. But these countries are also running out of room for garbage. So, the world must begin to practice recycling to lessen the load on overflowing dumpsites.
Aside from the positive effects on nature, recycling also has a good impact on the economy. First, it is a great way to save money. When you reuse or recycle your materials, there is no need for you to buy new stuff. For example, instead of buying compost for your garden, you can make your own from your food waste.
What can you recycle?
Recycling has evolved through time, and there are now a lot of materials you can recycle. Discussed below are the different types of materials for recycling that you may want to explore and try:
- Plastic. It is the most common material that you can recycle however, only nine percent of plastic waste is recycled worldwide. The rest of the plastic waste ends up in landfills and causes ocean pollution. In addition, plastic will only degrade after 400 years, so you need to be careful in using single-use plastic products. You can use recycled plastics to make lawn furniture, new plastic bottles, etc.
- Aluminum. It is 100 percent recyclable, and it retains its properties and quality no matter how many times you recycle it. Aluminum recycling gives way to the low-cost production of bicycles, chairs, building facades, and airplane parts. People love to practice aluminum recycling since it’s easy and has high economic value than plastic.
- Paper and cardboard. They are highly recyclable. You can recycle almost every type of paper and cardboard, like milk cartons, stationery, magazines, and corrugated boxes. These recycled materials are used to create cardboard products, tissue, cereal boxes, etc.
- Glass. Like aluminum, glass is also 100 percent recyclable. This means you can recycle it multiple times without dropping its original quality. For example, recycled glass is converted to countertops, flooring, glass bottles, and landscaping stones.
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Final thoughts
Recycling is a form of waste management that is vital for the well-being of our environment and has several economic benefits. There are different types of materials waiting to be recycled. So, start recycling to keep the planet from choking and suffocating on waste.