Where Do Your Recyclables Go?

Over the past few decades, we, as a society, have learned a lot more about sustainability and going green. More and more companies are trying to stamp their green print down, and families all over are understanding more. The least we can do as individuals is recycle. It’s a simple job and only requires a few tasks in order to complete. What exactly is it all for and where do recyclables actually end up, though? Let’s answer a few questions.

Why Do We Recycle? 

There are plenty of reasons as to why we recycle:

Firstly, recycling conserves resources. The materials we recycle are converted into new products using what we just removed. There becomes less need to consume natural resources, protecting the future. It also saves energy in that it uses less than that of producing new products from raw materials.

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Obviously, recycling protects the environment. It reduces the need for extracting, refining, and processing raw materials that create air and water pollution. Finally, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions that then help to tackle climate change.

What Is Typically Recycled?

By now, most people are aware of what can and cannot be recycled. We’ll quickly go through a few things now, though. Paper and cardboard are easily recycled. So too are the likes of glass bottles and jars. Cartoons and hard plastic bottles will also be recycled.

When it comes to things that can NOT be recycled, you’ll find that the list is much larger. There are so many things that cannot be put onto the previous list. Plastic bags are one of the main culprits. The likes of takeaway cups and garden waste are also non-recyclable. Bubble wrap, ceramics, lightbulbs, and oils are also not able to be recycled. 

Where Do The Recyclables Go?

There are plenty of people around that believe it’s all make-believe and that the recycled items are then used for the betterment of the planet and our society. They have every right to be skeptical if they have no information and haven’t the required research. 

In terms of the US alone, there are many recycling plants. Here they reprocess millions of tonnes of material every year. Most newsprint manufactured in the US is made from 100% recycled paper. Nearly every piece of glass collected for recycling is used to make new glass bottles and jars, also.

Those are just a few examples. As time moves on, more and more products and useful items are going to come from materials that have been recycled and renewed.

Does The US Export Recyclable Material, Too?

Yes. There are many countries on the planet, such as China, that have a large manufacturing industry that requires their materials for their products. They’re prepared to pay good money for recyclables such as waste plastic as they do not have readily available sources themselves typically. The recycled items will be transported a far way away, but it’s still a better option than using raw materials.