Recycling is the process of turning waste material into new potentially useful products.
Recorded advocates of recycling date back to Plato who in the 4th century BC wrote about the importance of his fellow ancients making the most of their waste products.
The Japanese were the first recyclers to use waste paper to make new paper. It was first recorded in 1031 that Japanese shops were selling repulped paper.
Beverage bottles were recycled with a refundable deposit at some drink manufacturers in Great Britain and Ireland around the turn of the nineteenth century.
During World War II, financial constraints and significant material shortages due to war efforts made it necessary for countries to reuse goods and recycle materials. Massive government promotion campaigns were carried out in every country involved in the war, urging citizens to donate metals and conserve fiber, as a matter of patriotism.
The rate of composting and recycling in the United States has risen from 7.7 percent of the waste stream in 1960 to around 33 percent of their waste in 2016.
America Recycles Day (ARD) is celebrated on November 15 each year across the United States to promote economic, environmental and social benefits of recycling.
California has a recycling rate of over 100%. Apart from Oregon, no other neighboring states have a return program, leading to thousands of recyclables being illegally brought into California. It's believed to cost the state over $40m.
Goodwill sends the clothing they can't sell to textile recyclers, which turns them into sound-proof insulation for cars.
“The Mainichi”, one of the most popular national daily newspapers in Japan, circulates an entirely recyclable newspaper. It is made entirely of recycled and vegetable paper that can be composted. After reading, you can plant the newspaper directly into soil and it will grow.
Tokyo has incredibly efficient recycling systems. All combustible trash is incinerated, the smoke and gasses cleaned before release, and then the left over ash is used as a replacement for clay in the cement used for construction.
HISTORY
Recorded advocates of recycling date back to Plato who in the 4th century BC wrote about the importance of his fellow ancients making the most of their waste products.
The Japanese were the first recyclers to use waste paper to make new paper. It was first recorded in 1031 that Japanese shops were selling repulped paper.
Beverage bottles were recycled with a refundable deposit at some drink manufacturers in Great Britain and Ireland around the turn of the nineteenth century.
During World War II, financial constraints and significant material shortages due to war efforts made it necessary for countries to reuse goods and recycle materials. Massive government promotion campaigns were carried out in every country involved in the war, urging citizens to donate metals and conserve fiber, as a matter of patriotism.
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| An American poster from World War II |
The rate of composting and recycling in the United States has risen from 7.7 percent of the waste stream in 1960 to around 33 percent of their waste in 2016.
FUN RECYCLING FACTS
America Recycles Day (ARD) is celebrated on November 15 each year across the United States to promote economic, environmental and social benefits of recycling.
California has a recycling rate of over 100%. Apart from Oregon, no other neighboring states have a return program, leading to thousands of recyclables being illegally brought into California. It's believed to cost the state over $40m.
Goodwill sends the clothing they can't sell to textile recyclers, which turns them into sound-proof insulation for cars.
“The Mainichi”, one of the most popular national daily newspapers in Japan, circulates an entirely recyclable newspaper. It is made entirely of recycled and vegetable paper that can be composted. After reading, you can plant the newspaper directly into soil and it will grow.
Tokyo has incredibly efficient recycling systems. All combustible trash is incinerated, the smoke and gasses cleaned before release, and then the left over ash is used as a replacement for clay in the cement used for construction.
There is a community in Cairo, Egypt that collects the trash of the residents of Cairo and recycles upwards of 80% of it. Nicknamed "Garbage City", these mostly Christian residents have been collecting and recycling Cairo's trash for several decades.
Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to watch TV for three hours.
The energy saved by recycling one glass bottle will power a computer for 25 minutes.
Only 9% of all plastic waste ever produced has been recycled.
It takes 25 recycled plastic bottles to make a fleece jacket.
Recycling old aluminium uses only 5% of the energy used to make new aluminium. One recycled ton of aluminum is equivalent to saving 40 barrels of oil.
According to research, an aluminium can that is recycled can be back on a grocery store shelf within 60 days.
Takeout coffee cups are not recyclable and billions are wasted every year.
Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to watch TV for three hours.
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| A recycling point in New Byth, Scotland. By Anne Burgess, Wikipedia |
The energy saved by recycling one glass bottle will power a computer for 25 minutes.
Only 9% of all plastic waste ever produced has been recycled.
It takes 25 recycled plastic bottles to make a fleece jacket.
Recycling old aluminium uses only 5% of the energy used to make new aluminium. One recycled ton of aluminum is equivalent to saving 40 barrels of oil.
According to research, an aluminium can that is recycled can be back on a grocery store shelf within 60 days.
Takeout coffee cups are not recyclable and billions are wasted every year.
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