Recycling

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. It is an alternative to
"conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling can prevent
the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, thereby reducing: energy
usage, air pollution (from incineration), and water pollution (from landfilling).

Recyclable materials include many

kinds of glass, paper, cardboard,
metal, plastic, tires, textiles,
batteries, and electronics.
In the strictest sense, recycling of
a material would produce a fresh
supply of the same material—for
example, used office paper would
be converted into new office
paper or used polystyrene foam
into new polystyrene.
 Most people make about two kilograms of waste
(trash) every day, and about 7% of this waste is

Plastic recycling made up of plastic products that can be recycled.

Today, plastic can be recycled into products like
picnic tables, park benches, and even high-chairs.

First, plastic is collected and taken to a recycling center,

where it is sorted out. When plastic is sorted
out, symbols have to be printed on every recyclable
plastic product used.
 The recycling of paper is the process by which waste paper is turned
into new paper products. It has a number of important benefits besides
saving trees from being cut down. It is less energy and water intensive
than paper made from wood pulp. It saves waste paper from occupying
landfill and producing methane as it breaks down. Around two thirds of
all paper products in the US are now recovered and recycled, although
it does not all become new paper. After repeated processing the fibers
become too short for the production of new paper.

About 35% of municipal solid waste (before recycling) in

the United States by weight is paper and paper products.
42.4% of that is recycled.
 Glass recycling
Glass recycling is the processing of
waste glass into usable products.
Glass that is crushed and ready to be
remelted is called cullet.

To be recycled, glass waste needs to be purified and

cleaned of contamination. Then, depending on the end
use and local processing capabilities, it might also have to
be separated into different colors. Many recyclers collect
different colors of glass separately since glass retains its
color after recycling. The most common colours used for
consumer containers are clear (flint) glass, green glass,
and brown (amber) glass. Glass is ideal for recycling since
none of the material is degraded by normal use.
 Germany has the best recycling rate in the world.
Austria comes in second, followed by South Korea and
Wales. All four countries manage to recycle between
52% and 56% of their municipal waste. Switzerland, in
fifth place, recycles almost half of its municipal waste.

Like in previous years, Malta is the worst recycler.

Its recycling rate is stuck at only 7%, while 83% of
its waste is sent to landfills. Malta thus boasts the
lowest recycling rate as well as the highest
landfilling rate.
A close second is Romania (recycling 13% of its
waste while landfilling 69%), followed by Greece
(recycling 17% and landfilling over 80%) and Cyprus
(recycling 17%, with 75% going to landfills).