RECYCLING

U.S Environmental Protection Agency

RECYCLING OVERVIEW RECYCLING PROCESS RECYCLING FACTS

AND FIGURES OPPORTUNITIES

RECYCLING MEANS

COLLECTING, SORTING AND PROCESSING

RECYCLABLES INTO RAW MATERIALS AND

MANUFACTURING RAW MATERIALS INTO NEW PRODUCTS

RECYCLING-step 1- COLLECTION and PROCESSING:METHODS: -curbside

- drop-off centers - buy-back centers - deposit/refund programs

Recyclables are then sent to a material recovery facility to be SORTED and PREPARED for MANIFACTURING.

Recyclables are bought and sold like any other commodity

RECYCLING-step 2- MANUFACTURING

More and more of today’s products are made with total or partial recycled content

i.e., newspapers, paper towels, soft drink containers, detergent bottles, steel cans

Recyclables are also used in innovative applications such as asphalt, carpeting, benches, pedestrian bridges

RECYCLING-step 3 PUCHASING RECYCLED PRODUCTS:

Buying recycled products completes the recycling loop.

As consumers demand more environmentally sound products, manufacturers will continue to produce high quality recycled products.

RECYCLING - FACTS and FIGURES Today USA recycles 28 % of its waste, a rate

that has almost doubled during the past 15 years

Recycling of specific materials has grown even more drastically.

42% of PAPER40% of all PLASTIC soft drink bottle55% of all ALLUMINIUM beer and soft drink cans57%of all STEEL packaging52 % of all major APPLIACES are now RECYCLED

RECYCLING is growing Twenty years ago only one curbside

recycling program existed in the USA

By 1998-9:-9,000 curbside programs,-12,000 recyclables drop-off centers and- 480 material recovery facilities had been established in the USA

OPPORTUNITIES - Citizens Recycle at home:-participate to the local community recycling

programs 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 item that can be repaired and reused.

RECYCLING- basic steps

recycling

step1 step 2 Step 3

collection processing manufacturing purchasing