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WHY RECYCLE?
Five Important Reasons to Recycle
- It saves Natural Resources - By making products from
recycled materials instead of virgin materials, Reprocessing
used materials to make new products and packaging reduces the
consumption of natural resources. In 2004, one State saved 1.3
million tons of iron ore, 718,000 tons of coal, and 62,000 tons of
limestone by recycling. Recycling often produces better products
than those made of virgin materials; for instance, the tin in "tin"
cans is more refined (thus more valuable) after being processed for
recycling.
- It saves Energy - It usually takes less energy to
make recycled products. By recycling about 30% of our waste
every year, Americans save the equivalent of 11.9 billion gallons of
gasonline and reduce the greenhouse gas equivalent of taking 25 million
cars off the road.
- It saves Clean Air and Water - in most cases, using
recycled cans instead of extracting ore to make aluminum cans produces
95% less air pollution and 97% less water polllution.
- It saves Landfill Space - When the materials that are recycled go into
new products, they don't go into landfills or incinerators.
- It saves Money and Creates Jobs - The recycling process
creates far more jobs than landfills or incinerators, and recycling can
frequently be the least expensive waste management method. For
every one job at a landfill, there are ten jobs in recycling processing
and 25 jobs in the recycling-based manufacturing. The recycling
industry employs more workers than the auto industry.
What Happens to Recyclables?
- Glass bottles become new glass bottles.
- Aluminum cans are turned back into aluminum cans, and can be recycled almost indefinitely.
- Plastic bottles are recycled into carpet, clothing, auto parts and new bottles
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