Report on Recycling

Introduction

Recycling is the reprocessing of materials into new products. The term recycling does not generally include , in which existing items are used for a new purpose.  Recycling generally prevents the waste of potentially useful materials, reduces the consumption of raw materials and reduces  usage, and hence greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling is a key concept of modern  and is the third component of the . Recyclable materials, also called "recyclables", may originate from a wide range of sources including the home and industry. They include glass, , , , ,  and plastics. , such as  or , is also recyclable with the assistance of micro-organisms through  or .

These are the materials that can be recycled.

An average Briton uses about two trees worth of paper products in a year. Out of 6.6 million tonnes of paper dumped each year only 3% is recycled. The biggest problem with recycling paper is removing ink from it. Up until now, recycled paper has been used for newsprint, packaging and tissues. New technology means it can now be used to make high quality writing paper.  

After collection, contaminates are removed and the paper is sorted into ‘grades’. High grade paper is taken to Kent where it is pulped, the ink removed and it is reformed into rolls of paper ready to be used again as newsprint. Lower grade paper is reprocessed into items like envelopes and toilet paper. The whole process is very quick, so your daily newspaper could be back in your hands as another newspaper by the following week.  

Oil

Oil lubricating oil can be recycled, but each year DIY motorists illegaly dump at least 30000 tonnes of used engine oil into the environment. People risk heavy fines or up to two years in prison, even though there are safe collection sites in most areas.

In the UK we use around 12 billion steel cans each year. Making steel from scarps saves 75% of the energy needed to make it from raw materials. At the same times we use 2 billion aluminium cans – most end up dumped in landfill sites. If recycled they would be worth £13 million. It takes only 5% of the enrgy to produce aluminium from cans as it does using raw materials. Turning recycled drink can into a new one take as little as six weeks.

Cardboard is bulked and sent to mills where it is soaked, pulped, pressed out into sheets and dried, ready to be used again. It can be made into new boxes and packaging or it can be used for animal bedding or compost.

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Each person in the UK uses about 15kg of glass a year. Bottle banks collected 180000 tonnes of glass in 1989 and overall 300000 tonnes of glass were recycled. However this way only 20% of the glass used. The rest was wasted in in landfill. Recycling saves a quarter of the energy used in glass making.

Household glass is easy to recycle. It can be melted down over again without losing its purity. Contaminates are removed and the glass is sent to processing plants where most gets turned ...

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