As a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way of dealing with trash, recycling has become increasingly available in U.S. cities and towns. The most commonly recycled items include paper, glass, plastics and metals like copper, aluminum and tin. Recycling centers work by collecting recyclable materials, sorting them and using various processes to turn the old materials into new raw materials to be made into new products.
Collection
The recycling process starts with collecting old materials for recycling. Many U.S. cities and towns offer curbside recycling, in which residents leave their sorted materials in a bin that is picked up by the municipal waste company or a dedicated recycling company. Others provide centralized dropoff points for residents to leave their recyclables. Buy-back recycling points accept some recycled materials directly from consumers and pay for them.
Shipping
Collected recyclables are taken to a recycling center, also known as a Materials Recovery Facility, or MRF. An MRF may take recyclables only, or it may accept mixed recyclables and trash and pick the recyclables out of the trash. An MRF that takes only recyclables is known as a "clean" MRF, while one that takes both trash and recyclables is known as a "dirty" MRF.
Sorting
Recyclables are then sorted into uniform types, such as clear glass, colored glass, aluminum and copper. Plastics are sorted according to their type, with the number on the plastic indicating which type of plastic it is. Some materials may be sorted by hand, but plants are increasingly turning to machines as technology becomes more effective at sorting recyclables.
Preparation
Each type of recyclable is introduced to a process to turn it from its former use into a new raw material. Paper is pulped and may be rolled into new sheets ranging from typing paper to cardboard. Glass is crushed and sold to glassmakers to be reheated and re-formed. Plastics are melted down and formed into beads for re-use, and metals are melted down and usually poured into ingots, or bars of raw metal.
Sale
Once the recyclables have been reduced to new raw materials, they are sold to various manufacturers to be made into new products. Plastics are often sold in China to be turned into new plastic goods. Aluminum often returns to soda can manufacturers: a soda can may make it through the recycling process and back onto a store shelf in as few as 60 days. Glass is sold to glassblowers or to asphalt companies, which use it as a filler.
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