What is recycling?
Recycling is the processing of used materials which are no longer suitable for their original purpose. The
end products of the recycling process are remanufactured into new products - reducing waste and keeping
valuable materials out of landfills.
Why do we recycle?
Recycling is one of the most significant things we can do to help our environment. Metals and many other
materials can be recycled and used again indefinitely; meaning we protect and preserve some of nature's
limited resources.
Using recycled products instead of raw materials during manufacturing dramatically reduces pollution and carbon
emissions, reduces energy and water consumption and frees up much needed space for necessary landfill.
What are the benefits of recycling?
Recycling provides a solution to many of the problems facing the world today including diminishing resources,
increased energy and water use, dangerous levels of carbon emissions and ever-growing levels of waste generation.
- By using a tonne of recycled steel rather than primary iron ore, carbon emissions are reduced by 2.1 tonnes.
- When 1 tonne of aluminum is recycled, carbon emissions are reduced by a staggering 7.9 tonnes.
- For every tonne of computers recycled, carbon emissions are reduced by approximately 4 tonnes.
Every cell phone recycled helps to reduce the destruction of gorilla and elephant habitats by reducing the
demand of virgin coltan.
In 2010 alone, metal recycling reduced global carbon emissions by over 90 million tonnes.