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Definition

When a product or material, at the end of its useful life cycle, is turned into usable raw material to make another product, the process is called recycling. Products that can be recycled include metal cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, magazines and newspaper, cardboard boxes and other office waste. Recycling is an environmentally friendly option for disposing recyclable materials.

Today, recycled material is found in several products such as newspapers, paper towels, aluminum and steel cans, plastic and glass drink containers, and plastic laundry detergent bottles. Recycled materials can also be found in roadway asphalt, carpeting, park benches, and pedestrian bridges.

Facts about recycling

Recycling has grown in the past 15 years.

• Recycling of specific material such as paper has grown 52%, plastic bottles 31%, aluminum cans 45%, steel packaging 63%, and major appliances 67%.
• In 2005, 500 material recovery facilities were processing recyclable materials. Curbside recycling had 8,660 programs in 2006.
• Recycling one ton of newspaper saves 3 cubic meters of landfill area and 29,000 liters of water.
• About 32.6 jobs are supported for recycling every 10,000 tons of recyclable items.