Recycling is a series of activities that includes collecting recyclable
materials that would otherwise be considered waste, sorting and
processing recyclables into raw materials such as fibers, and
manufacturing raw materials into new products.
Collecting and processing secondary materials, manufacturing
recycled-content products, and then purchasing recycled products
creates a circle or loop that ensures the overall success and value of
recycling.
Step 1. Collection and Processing
Collecting recyclables varies from community to community, but there
are four primary methods: curbside, drop-off centers, buy-back centers,
and deposit/refund programs.
Regardless of the method used to collect the recyclables, the next leg
of their journey is usually the same. Recyclables are sent to a
materials recovery facility to be sorted and prepared into marketable
commodities for manufacturing. Recyclables are bought and sold just
like any other commodity, and prices for the materials change and
fluctuate with the market.
Step 2. Manufacturing
Once cleaned and separated, the recyclables are ready to undergo the
second part of the recycling loop. More and more of today's products
are being manufactured with total or partial recycled content. Common
household items that contain recycled materials include newspapers and
paper towels; aluminum, plastic, and glass soft drink containers; steel
cans; and plastic laundry detergent bottles. Recycled materials also
are used in innovative applications such as recovered glass in roadway
asphalt (glassphalt) or recovered plastic in carpeting, park benches,
and pedestrian bridges.
Step 3. Purchasing Recycled Products
Purchasing recycled products completes the recycling loop. By "buying
recycled," governments, as well as businesses and individual consumers,
each play an important role in making the recycling process a success.
As consumers demand more environmentally sound products, manufacturers
will continue to meet that demand by producing high-quality recycled
products.
Learn more
about recycling terminology and to find tips on
identifying recycled products from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
- In 1999, recycling and composting activities
prevented about 64 million tons of material from ending up in landfills
and incinerators. Today, this country recycles 32 percent of its waste,
a rate that has almost doubled during the past 15 years.
- While recycling has grown in general, recycling of
specific materials has grown even more drastically: 50 percent of all
paper, 34 percent of all plastic soft drink bottles, 45 percent of all
aluminum beer and soft drink cans, 63 percent of all steel packaging,
and 67 percent of all major appliances are now recycled.
- Twenty years ago, only one curbside recycling
program existed in the United States, which collected several materials
at the curb. By 2005, almost 9,000 curbside programs had sprouted up
across the nation. As of 2005, about 500 materials recovery facilities
had been established to process the collected materials.
For recycling to work, everyone has to participate in each phase of the
loop. From government and industry, to organizations, small businesses,
and people at home, every American can make recycling a part of their
daily routine. Below are some ways in which businesses, local
governments, and citizens can get involved:
Businesses
Local Governments
Citizens
- Recycle at home. Find out if there is a recycling
program in your community. If so, participate in the program by
separating and putting out your recyclables for curbside pickup or
taking them to your local drop-off or buy-back center.
- Shop smarter. Use products in containers that can
be recycled in your community and items that can be repaired or reused.
Also, support recycling markets by buying and using products made from
recycled materials.
- Recycle
on the Go! Look for recycling places in
public spaces. If you can't find a recycling place, ask the responsible
authority to look into installing one so you can recycle on the go.
Programs
- The MSW Programs page lists a variety of EPA
recycling-related programs.
Publications
- The EPA has compiled a list of recycling-related
publications
Organizations
Aluminum
Association
900 19th St. NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202 862-5100
Fax: 202 862-5164
American
Forest and Paper Association
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202 463-2700
American
Plastics
Council
1801 K Street, NW, Suite 701-L
Washington, DC 20006-1301
Phone: 800-2-HELP-90
Association
of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers
1300 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22209
Phone: 703- 741-5578
Fax: 703-741-5646
Container
Recycling Institute
89 East Lake Shore Trail
Glastonbury, CT 06033
Phone: 202-263-0999
Glass
Packaging Institute
740 East 52nd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46205
Phone: 317 283-1603
Fax: 317 923-9906
Institute
for Local
Self-Reliance
2425 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 202 232-4108
Fax: 202 332-0463
Institute
for Scrap
Recycling Industries
1325 G Street, NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202 737-1770
Fax: 202 626-0900
National
Association
for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR)
PO Box 1327
Sonoma, CA 95476
Phone: (707) 996-4207
Fax: (707) 935-1998
National
Recycling Coalition
1727 King Street, Suite 105
Alexandria, VA 22314-2720
Phone: 703 683-9025
Fax: 703 683-9026
Polystyrene
Packaging Council
1801 K Street NW, Suite 600K
Washington, DC 20006-1301
Phone: 202 974-5321
Fax: 202 296-7354
Rechargeable
Battery
Recycling Corporation
1000 Parkwood Circle
Suite 450
Atlanta, GA 30339
Phone: 678-419-9990
Fax: 678-419-9986
Steel
Recycling Institute
680 Andersen Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15220-2700
Phone: 412 922-2772, 800 876-7274
Fax: 412 922-3213
Other
related solid waste organizations
Information Courtesy of U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
~ Environmental Protection Agency