When we recycle, used materials become new products, reducing the need to consume natural resources. If used materials are not recycled, new products are manufactured by extracting fresh raw material from the Earth, through mining and forestry. Recycling helps conserve important raw materials and protects natural habitats for the future. Recycling saves a lot of energy.
Every year, recyclers across the country save the same amount of energy that would be needed to supply 14 million homes for a full year. That's equivalent to turning off the power in one in 10 homes for an entire year. While recycling is important, the most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. Recycling is much more than reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill, since it has a long list of benefits that are not limited to the environment, recycling has economic and social advantages.
Most commonly recyclable materials include batteries, biodegradable waste, clothing, electronics, clothing, glass, metals, paper, plastics, and more. It is estimated that up to 75% of all waste can be recycled or reused, a figure that indicates the impact that the process can have if done well. Recycling is the process of separating, collecting and remanufacturing or converting used or waste products into new materials. Recycling helps extend the life and usefulness of something that has already served its initial purpose by returning it to its raw materials and then using those materials to produce something that can be used.
The reason why recycling is so important is that it prevents pollution, reduces the need to collect new raw materials, saves energy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, saves money, reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, and allows products to be used to the maximum. Using recycled metal, known as scrap metal, instead of new metal reduces mining waste by 97% and saves more than 90% of energy, depending on the material.
