Recycling
Recycling helps create the products we use everyday-from soda
containers to writing paper, carpet, and automobiles. Recycling mines
valuable materials out of garbage to make new products. That's what
makes it one of the oldest environmental practices and one of the most
beneficial.
According to the U.S. EPA, recycling:
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Conserves natural resources to help sustain the environment.
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Reduces the need for landfilling and incineration.
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Saves energy and prevents pollution caused by the extraction and
processing of virgin materials.
Get more financial
and environmental benefits of recycling .
What Gets Recycled?
American communities recycled and composted nearly 30% of municipal
solid waste in 2001, diverting 68 million tons to recovery. What got
recycled? Take a look at some everyday products and packaging:
 View
a complete chart of
material generated and recovered
The Recycling Loop
Recycling begins when individuals collect and set aside materials
to be recovered through curbside, drop-off, school, office building, and
other collection programs. Haulers pick up recyclables and transport
them to a processing facility where they are separated to create the
highest value raw materials. These are sold to manufacturers for making
new products. The cycle begins again when consumers purchase products
and packaging with recycled content.
Paper
Paper recovered for recycling has increased almost 100% since
1987. In 2002, Americans recycled 47.6 million tons, a little over 48%
of all paper consumed in the U.S.
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Newspapers - 71% of all newspapers are recovered
for recycling. Over a third goes back into making more newsprint.
The remainders is used to make paperboard, tissue, and insulation,
or exported.
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Boxes - 74% of boxes, or corrugated containers, are
recycled. About 64% are recycled into new boxes. Another 17% are
used for paperboard packaging, like cookie and cracker boxes.
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Office Paper - Nearly 46% of office papers are
recovered for recycling. These become raw material for paperboard,
tissue, and printing and writing papers.
Recovered paper accounts for nearly 38% of fiber used to make new
paper products. While paper fibers cannot be recycled forever, paper is
made from a renewable resource, trees.
After achieving nearly 50% recovery, the paper industry has set a
new, higher paper recovery goal of 55% by 2012. The industry expects an
increased demand for recycled paper both overseas and in the U.S. More
on paper
recycling .
View
Chart
("U.S. Paper Recovery.pdf")
Aluminum
Recovery of aluminum for recycling has dropped from a high of 68%
in 1992 to just over 53% in 2002. While aluminum recovery has
fluctuated, it has a long history of recycling primarily because
recycled aluminum provides significant energy savings compared to the
use of virgin raw materials (mainly the ore bauxite).
Although aluminum is a nonrenewable resource, it can be recycled
indefinitely. Recycled
cans are melted into ingots weighing up to 60,000
pounds-enough aluminum to make 1.6 million new cans. It takes 60 days
for a can to journey from the recycling bin through the recycling
process and back on store shelves.
Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy needed to produce new
aluminum from raw materials. Energy saved from recycling one ton of
aluminum is equal to the amount of electricity the average home uses
over 10 years. The value of aluminum also typically covers the cost for
its collection and reprocessing. Recyclers paid nearly $1 billion for
aluminum beverage cans in 2002.
Besides cans, other aluminum products that can be recycled include
foil wrap, food cans, pie plates, frozen food trays, lawn chair tubing,
storm door and window frames, residential siding, and auto parts. Get
more facts .
View
Chart ("Aluminum Can Recycling.xls")
Steel
The steel industry recycled nearly 68% of steel scrap from
recycled cans, automobiles, appliances, construction material, and other
steel products in 2001. Some communities even recycle empty aerosol
cans.
Recovered steel is remelted and used to produce new steel products.
A minimum of 25% recycled steel goes in to packaging, car bodies,
appliances, and steel framing. Products such as railroad ties and
bridge spans use virtually 100% recycled steel.
- Cans - 58% of steel cans were recycled in 2001.
More than 200 million Americans have access to steel can recycling
through curbside, drop-off, and buy-back programs.
- Appliances - In 2001, 85% of steel from
appliances were recycled at nearly 12,000 appliance recycling
locations in the U.S.
- Automobiles - More than 14.5 million cars were
recycled in 2001, a little more than the number of new cars produced.
- Construction - It is estimated that half of all
steel used to reinforce buildings and 95% of structural beams and
plates are recycled.
Learn more from the Steel
Recycling Institute
.
View Chart (Steel Can Recycling.xls)
Plastics
Plastic products account for 11.1% of all municipal solid waste
generated in the U.S. In 2001, 5.5% of it was recovered. About 10% of
plastic containers and packaging were recovered, mostly soft drink,
milk, and water bottles.
Two of the most widely used forms of plastic, PET (Polyethylene
termpephthalate) and HDPE (high density polyethylene), are also the most
recycled. PET bottles (soda, water) and HDPE bottles (milk, laundry
detergent) are commonly collected in community recycling programs.
In 1999, 23.8% of HDPE and 22.8% of PET bottles were recycled. Most of
the PET bottles (56%) are used in the manufacture of fiber for carpet
and clothing. And, 29% of HDPE bottles go back into making new bottles.
In 2001, more than 452 million pounds of polystyrene were
recycled back into foam egg cartons, lunch trays, transport packaging,
and audio and videocassette cases. Polystyrene foodservice packaging
(like clamshells) is not generally recycled because it is not
economically sustainable.
Polystyrene, HDPE, PET and other varieties of plastic all have different
properties, so they must be separated to be used as a raw material for
new products. The differences between varieties of plastic may not be
readily apparent when comparing containers visually.
To help consumers assess the type of plastic, the society of the
Plastics Industry developed a uniform
coding system which identifies the type of resin used in
plastic packaging (like bottles, packages, etc.). These "plastic codes"
now appear on most forms of plastic packaging.
Learn more about plastic
recycling .
Glass
Glass that has been collected for recycling is called cullet.
Glass container manufacturers recycle cullet, combined with soda ash,
limestone and sand, to create "new" glass. In 2001, glass made up 5.5%
of the municipal solid waste stream by weight, and of that, about 22% of
glass containers were recycled.
Using recycled glass to make new glass
packaging reduces consumption of raw materials, extends
the life of plant equipment, such as furnaces, and saves energy.
It is best to sort glass by color (clear, green, and amber), as mixed
glass has little or no value to container manufacturers. Materials to
keep out of the glass recycling mix includes ceramic cups and plates,
clay pots, drinking glasses, light bulbs, and mirror and window glass.
These items are not recyclable and contaminate a batch of cullet.
Scrap Tires
About 281 million scrap tires were generated in 2001, around one
tire for every American. There are at least another 300 million scrap
tires in stockpiles in the U.S. according to the U.S.
EPA . Tires represent 1.8% of solid waste generated.
Finding a market for scrap tires has been a persistent problem. In
1990 markets existed for only 17% of scrap tires. Today, there are
markets for almost 78% or 218 million tons. The rest are stockpiled or
landfilled. Many states restrict them from landfills, which has
encouraged the development of new uses for scrap tires. To date, 30
states collect disposal fees on tires to help fund scrap tire management
and market development.
According to the Rubber
Manufacturers Association , in 2001, 33 million scrap tires
were recycled and used in rubberized asphalt, 40 million were used as an
alternative to rock in civil engineering projects, and 115 million for
fuel in cement kilns and pulp and paper mills. The rest were exported
or stamped into new products.
To keep your tires out of the waste stream, consider retreading
them.
View
Chart ("Tire Recovery 2-16-04.xls")
Cell Phones
Cell phone use has grown from 340,000 in 1985 to 128 million in
2001, according to a study by the environmental research group, INFORM..
Most phones are used an average of 18 months before being replaced. The
study estimates that by 2005 about 130 million cell phones, weighing
approximately 65,000 tons, will be discarded annually in the U.S.
Before being disposed of, many will be stashed in homes and offices,
creating a stockpile of roughly 500 million wireless phones.
A typical wireless phone consists of 40% metals, 40% plastics, and
20% ceramics and other trace materials. Much of this is recoverable,
including the batteries. Wireless phones also contain a number of toxic
materials, such as lead and brominated flame retardants, which are
released into the environment when they are disposed of in a landfill or
incinerator.
In the past few years, wireless phone manufacturers and other groups
have begun to establish reuse and recycling options for cell phone
recovery:
Computers and Other Electronics
The U.S. EPA estimates that more than 3.2 million tons of
electronics are landfilled each year. Computers are typically discarded
about every 3 to 5 years. By 2005, nearly 250 million computers are
expected to become obsolete.
In 2001, 11% of personal computers were recycled, including recovery
of steel, glass, plastic, and precious metals. According to E-Scrap
News, more than 1,000 U.S. communities now provide some kind of
electronics recycling (periodic events, drop-off, or door-to-door
collection). Communities may charge a collection fee.
About 50 new e-scrap processing firms were established in the U.S. in
2003. According to the International Association
of Electronics Recyclers e-scrap reclaimers employ 7,000 in
processing 40 million electronics products annually.
RECYCLING TOPICS:
The Cost of Recycling
Waste management, including recycling, has costs. In general,
recycling costs include:
- Collection and transportation - costs to collect
and transport recyclables from households, schools, businesses, and
institutions represent the bulk of recycling costs. These are
generally paid by taxes, fees, or subscription charges. To offset
these costs, communities may not collect items they can't easily
market, reduce the number of collection days, employ different or
fewer collection vehicles, or change the method of collection [link to
"recycling collection trends" below].
- Separation and recovery - Once recyclables get to
the materials processing facility (called a "MRF"), they must be
separated to remove contaminants, sorted, and baled. Processing
recyclables is costly and critical to ensure a high-quality,
marketable end products. Many recyclables are sorted by hand as they
go along a conveyor belt. But some products can be processed using
magnetic separators, screens and eddy current separation.
- Contamination - The market value of recyclables
is significantly reduced when they are "contaminated" by food,
hazardous materials, dirt, broken glass, and other unrecyclables.
Materials may also be contaminated if they are mixed with other types
of recyclables. Removing contaminants also raises processing costs.
This is why there are local guidelines for what materials are
collected and how they are "set out". More on recycling and
contamination [link to "recycling and contamination" below].
Market Forces and Recycling
Like any commodity, the supply and demand for recovered materials
fluctuates. Variables that impact recycling may include recovery and
processing costs, consumer demand, product quality requirements, and the
price differential between recycled and virgin materials. The import
and export of products and packaging, like corrugated boxes, also
affects the supply of materials available for recycling in the
marketplace.
On a local level, the value of materials collected for recycling vary
based on the variables described above, as well as local economics. For
example, the cost of transporting recycled materials to manufacturers
interested in buying them to make new products may not make economic
sense. Or, collecting and processing a material for recycling may cost
more than a manufacturer would be willing to pay for it.
Consumers also play a role in the demand for products which use
recycled materials. Learn more about buying
recycled .
Recycling and Jobs
Recycling adds value to the U.S. economy. According to a U.S.
Recycling Economic Information (REI) study, funded through the U.S. EPA,
the recycling industry comprises about 56,000 establishments that employ
over 1.1 million people. These businesses generate an annual payroll of
nearly $37 billion, and gross over $236 billion in annual revenues. View
the full study.
Recycling Collection Trends
Curbside means that recyclable materials are
regularly collected from each home at or near "the curb". What
materials are collected, and how they are contained and "set out" is
determined by each city or county program. In 2001, about half of the
U.S. population was served by over 9,700 curbside collection programs,
an increase of about 5% since 2000.
Single-stream is the latest collection trend. It
means recyclables are set out for collection commingled in one container
rather than separating recyclables in two or more containers.
Some industries, such as paper manufacturers, have concerns that this
type of collection increases the likelihood that recyclables will be
"contaminated" with food, dirt, hazardous materials, broken glass, and
other nonrecyclables. Glass manufacturers are also concerned about
contamination and glass breakage. A few communities that use
single-stream collect glass separately from the commingled recyclables.
Communities may choose this option because it is simpler for
residents, which may increase participation and the amount of
recyclables collected. This collection method, however, usually
increases contamination [link to "recycling and contamination"].
Communities are still determining whether it is cost effective. Learn
more.
Drop-off or "convenience centers" are locations in a
community where recyclables are accepted for collection. Residents are
responsible to take materials to these facilities. Communities that
have curbside collection may also have drop-off for certain types of
recyclables. Learn more about the value of drop-off
recycling.
One-time events or recycling drives are annual or
periodic collection events for recyclables such as electronics, paint,
household hazardous waste, and phone books. Find
out more about how these work.
Buy-back programs are those where residents receive
cash or vouchers that can be redeemed at retail stores in exchange for
specific recyclables. For example, manufacturers may want old
appliances, toner cartridges, or other items for which they will pay a
specified amount. In some cases, such as the Chicago Public Housing
Buy-Back Recycling Program, residents collect many types of recyclables
and are paid market value for these materials.
Refundable deposit programs , sometimes called
"bottle bills", are in place in 11 states (CA, CT, DE, HI, IA, ME, MA,
MI, NY, OR, VT). Materials like plastic, glass, and aluminum are
collected for recycling through a refundable deposit program.
Essentially consumers pay a deposit on designated beverage containers at
the time of purchase (typically 5 or 10 cents). The deposit is refunded
when containers are returned to an appropriate outlet, such as a
retailer or a buy-back center.
Recycling and Contamination
For recycled materials to compete with products made from natural
resources like petroleum or trees, they must measure up in terms of
quality, performance, and economics. This is much more difficult when
recycled materials are contaminated with even small amounts of residue.
While most recyclables are processed to remove contaminants, large
amounts still make their way to the manufacturer creating costs along
the way.
In some manufacturing processes, such as paper recycling, even small
amounts of contamination (adhesives, broken glass, dirt, etc.) may ruin
an entire run, cause machinery to breakdown or to wear out.
Contamination is also a concern in glass recycling. While processing
equipment at a materials recycling facility (or "MRF") can remove some
contaminants from glass, ceramics (clay coffee-mugs, plates, dishes,
etc.), which are not easily removed, can ruin a batch of cullet.
Contamination is the reason many communities are strict about what
materials are accepted in a recycling program and how these materials
are to be prepared for collection. Increased contamination lowers the
value of recyclables, increasing costs and decreasing revenues for
communities.
Buying Recycled
Buying recycled is often referred to as "closing the loop". When
consumers purchase products or packaging made from recycled materials
they help to encourage a market for those products. Local, state, and
federal governments may promote buying recycled products through
purchasing programs and "green" guidelines.
Products and packaging that contain recycled materials often indicate
this on the label or display the recycling
symbol . Many everyday products, however, do not carry the
symbol, but still contain recycled content. The U.S. EPA estimates
there are 4,500 recycled-content products available. These include
items like cereal boxes, paper towels, carpeting, aluminum cans,
newspaper, glass containers, detergent bottles, and motor oil. Learn
more about identifying
recycled-content products.
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