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Recycling is the process of transforming otherwise waste materials into feedstock to make new products. Much of the waste generated by households, businesses, institutions and industry have inherent value. Recycling helps to capture that value, saving energy and natural resources.. Although recycling provides value, remember the 3Rs:
- REDUCE: Don't create waste in the first place. Zero waste initiatives, pollution prevention and many other initiatives focus on this effort.
- REUSE: By reusing items rather than having to buy new or transform materials back to commodities, energy and resources are conserved as well as reducing costs..
- then RECYCLE.
Recycling involves a series of activities to collect, sort, transport and process materials. Processing physically changes a material into the form needed to meet commodity specifications for use in manufacturing. Recycling is complete when goods and products made from recycled content are purchased. Consumer demand for these products is critical to support commodity markets, the economic engine that drives recycling.
Recycling generates key economic, environmental and social benefits including:
- Reduced dependency on landfills and incineration to manage waste.
- Conservation of natural resources such as trees, water, minerals, etc. Reducing habitat destruction in the pursuit of harvesting raw materials.
- Preventing pollution by reducing mining and other resource extraction acitivities.
- Creating domestic jobs, generating tax revenues and encouraging capital investments – all of which stimulate the economy
- Conserving energy because it typically takes less energy to make a product from recycled rather than virgin feedstocks.
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from reduced energy use.
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Other Recycling Resources
National Recycling Coalition
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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RECYCLING
