Recycling is a great way to help the environment. But it’s not just about saving trees, metals and energy.
When companies use recycled materials rather than raw materials, they save a lot of money on the energy needed to harvest crops, mine iron ore, and burn fossil fuels. All of these savings add up to strong economic growth.
Reduced Waste
The act of recycling reduces the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills and incinerators. It also reduces the need to harvest and extract new raw materials from the Earth. This lessens the harm caused to natural habitats as forests are cut down, rivers are diverted, and wild animals are displaced or harmed in the search for raw materials.
Landfill trash decomposes anaerobically, releasing methane, which is 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide and contributes to global warming and ozone depletion. By using recycled material, landfills will be less crowded, and the environment will be healthier.
Producing recycled products requires a fraction of the energy to make brand-new products. This cuts down on the use of fossil fuels and other natural resources and helps strengthen the economy. It also creates recycling and waste management jobs and fosters a sustainability mindset. Local governments benefit from reduced waste collection and landfill costs.
Reduced Pollution
The process of commercial recycling services helps to reduce pollution caused by the disposal of waste. This is because recycling eliminates the need to use raw materials sourced from the environment. This, in turn, lowers the production of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
In addition, when recycled materials are used to make new products, they require less energy than creating a product from raw materials. For example, producing aluminum from recycled material uses 95% less energy than making it from natural materials. And using recycled steel cuts energy usage by 70%.
When recycling is not done, trash can pile up in landfills and decompose anaerobically. This decomposition releases methane, a 34 times more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. It also eats into the Earth’s topsoil and damages the ozone layer. When recycled, recycled materials stay out of landfills and are repurposed instead of taking up valuable space for years.
Reduced Energy Use
Recycling reduces energy use because the manufacturing process for recycled products requires less energy than extracting and processing raw materials. It also helps to conserve natural resources like sand, soda ash, limestone, and feldspar. For example, producing one ton of recycled glass requires 95% less energy than making an aluminum can from raw materials.
The energy savings don’t stop there, though. Reducing waste from landfills and incinerators also reduces greenhouse gases, air pollutants, and water pollution. In addition, recycling reduces the need to devote land to building new facilities and landfills or incinerators.
Finally, recycling reduces the amount of waste in oceans, which can choke marine life. By reducing the demand for new materials, recycling ensures that animal habitats are left intact and can continue to thrive. It also keeps unwanted items from ending up in the hands of criminals who could sell them or throw them away to be used as weapons.
Reduced Water Use
Using recycled materials reduces the need for manufacturing new products using raw materials. This saves energy and reduces environmental damage caused by mining raw materials. It also prevents the need to produce greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change.
Recycling also reduces the disruption of natural ecosystems caused by the search for raw materials. This means fewer forests are cut down, rivers diverted, and wild animals are harmed or displaced. It also reduces air pollution, water pollution, and soil degradation.
Recycling paper, glass, aluminum, and steel requires significantly less energy than creating the same products from raw materials. For example, producing an aluminum can from recycled materials uses 95% less energy than creating it from natural materials. It also reduces the need to transport and mine new materials from abroad, which saves energy and reduces economic expenditure for companies, governments, and individuals.
Reduced Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Raw materials must be extracted and processed from the Earth to manufacture new products. This process causes air and water pollution and greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming. Recycling reduces the need for these raw materials, which in turn cuts down on pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Recycling helps conserve natural resources like coal, oil, minerals, water, and trees. It also reduces the need to extract and process new raw materials. This, in turn, prevents the destruction of animal habitats and biodiversity loss.
Recycling can stop this and save methane and other greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere. This, in turn, can help slow down climate change. By recycling, we also reduce the need for raw materials that come from overseas. This supports local jobs and our economic security.
Increased Economic Growth
Recycling keeps valuable materials out of landfills and incinerators where they can leach harmful chemicals into the air, water, and soil. In addition, recycling lessens the need to harvest or mine new raw materials from the Earth, which helps preserve natural habitats and reduces the damage caused by extracting natural resources, such as timber, water, and minerals.
When discarded materials are left to decompose in landfills, they produce methane gas, a greenhouse gas 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and cause global warming. Recycling these materials can be repurposed to make other products and won’t have the same detrimental environmental impact.
Additionally, recycling can provide a significant economic boost. It reduces the need to import raw materials from foreign countries, which benefits financial security and supports local manufacturing. It also creates jobs for people in the recycling and waste management industries and other sectors that rely on recycled materials.