The advent of the green movement has seen a larger emphasis placed on recycling the materials we use every day instead of just throwing them away. From paper to plastic to appliances, there are many things destined for the trash that can be recycled and given new life. Such recycling has become more imperative as the population increases. In an average year, just 1 percent of the United States' waste stream equals about 2 million tons of trash, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Definition
Waste is any type of movable object that never had, or no longer has, a direct use and is being permanently discarded. Recycling is the the process that takes waste items and turns them into raw materials that can be made into new products. The recycling process begins with the collection of recyclable items, which are sent to a plant where they can be sorted and prepared for reuse. Step two involves manufacturing, in which the recycled material becomes a part of a new product. Step three occurs when a consumer buys the recycled products.
History
Trash and dumping issues have been a part of civilization since the first municipal dump was established in ancient Greece in about 400 B.C. In 1657, the leaders of what is now Manhattan outlawed dumping waste in the street, and in 1874, Nottingham, England, started incinerating collected trash. The need to ration during World War II raised the profile of recycling, and in 1965, the federal government had enacted the Solid Waste Disposal Act. By the time of the first Earth Day in 1970, waste recycling had moved into the cultural mainstream.
Types of Waste
There are many different kinds of waste. Natural wastes include dead animals, grass clippings, lumber and tree waste. Used appliances, batteries, computers, hypodermic needles, iron and steel are examples of man-made waste. Waste is also a byproduct of commercial and industrial operations and building operations. Hazardous or toxic waste requires special accommodations for disposal and can be recycled, but the process is more intensive than regular waste recycling. Paper and plastic are probably the most familiar recycled items.
Processes
Recycling, too, takes many different forms. The glass-recycling process sees the waste glass separated and melted down to become part of another container. Steel or aluminum can be recycled into metal containers after it is sorted, crushed and melted. Paper degrades more with each recycling but is also used in making other forms of paper as well as insulation or animal bedding. Wood or cotton fiber can be added to recycled paper to make it office-grade.
Benefits
Waste recycling has many benefits. First, the recycling process adds and protects existing jobs in the manufacturing industry and helps the U.S. remain competitive. Recycling means less waste going to landfills, which reduces the amount of land needed for them and diminishes the negative environmental byproducts of waste incineration. In 2008, Americans recycled and composted 83 million tons of waste, according to the EPA. That was equivalent to a reduction of 182 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
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