Importance To People

Recycling is essential to cities around the world and to the people living in them

• No space for waste. Our landfill sites are filling up fast, by 2010, almost all landfills  will be full.

• Reduce financial expenditure in the economy. Making products from raw materials costs much more than if they were made from recycled products.

• Preserve natural resources for future generations. Recycling reduces the need for raw materials; it also uses less energy, therefore preserving natural resources for the future.

Environmental Importance

Recycling is very important as waste has a huge 

negative impact on the natural environment :

• Harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses are released from rubbish in landfill sites. Recycling helps to reduce the pollution caused by waste

• Habitat destruction and global warming are some the affects caused by deforestation. Recycling reduces the need for raw materials so that the rainforests can be preserved

• Huge amounts of energy are used when making products from raw materials. Recycling requires much less energy and therefore helps to preserve natural resources.

Importance of recycle

Recycling is one of the best ways for you to have a positive impact on the world in which we live. Recycling is important to both the natural environment and us. We must act fast as the amount of waste we create is increasing all the time. The amount of rubbish we create is constantly increasing because:

• Increasing wealth means that people are buying more products and ultimately creating more waste.

• Increasing population means that there are more people on the planet to create waste.

• New packaging and technological products are being developed, much of these products contain materials that are not biodegradable.

• New lifestyle changes, such as eating fast food, means that we create additional waste that isn’t biodegradable.

Recycling in the community

Local recycling facilities

Facilities are provided for community use. Find out where your local recycling facilities are and how to use them.

Schools and businesses

Can play an important role in recycling. Follow the recycling schemes provided by your school or workplace and think about ways to improve them.

Community projects

Become involved in local community projects regarding recycling by donating money or providing and implementing new ideas.

Recyling in the garden

By recycling garden products and planting trees, you can help improve the environment in your back garden.

Composting

Composting is a process where waste degrades into compost, which can then be used in your garden to help it grow. It is an excellent way to recycle garden and kitchen waste such as plant trimmings and leftover food. 

Grass cycling

Grass cycling is an excellent way of recycling grass cuttings after mowing the lawn. Simply leave the cuttings on the ground instead of throwing them away, they will turn into nutrients and act as a fertiliser in the soil.

 

Planting trees

Planting trees in your garden helps to improve the environment by reducing global warming and providing a home for many animals.

Household recyling

Recycling is an important factor in conserving natural resources and greatly contributes towards improving the environment. Below are some helpful hints about recycling in and around the home. Recycling in and around the home can be easy when you know how. By thinking carefully about what products you buy at the supermarket and how to recycle them is the first step towards efficient recycling.

Find ways of recycling different materials

Many materials can be recycled, such as paper, plastic, metal and glass. Other items such as furniture, electronic equipment, building material and vehicles can also be recycled but many people don’t often think to do so.

Buy products that can be recycled.

When shopping at the supermarket, buy products that can be recycled easily such as glass jars and tin cans.

Buy products that have been made from recycled material.

You can tell if a product is eco-friendly by looking at the label on the packaging.

Avoiding buying hazardous material.

It is difficult to recycle products that contain hazardous waste. Try to find safer alternatives to household cleaners and buy non-toxic products whenever possible.

 
Recycle bins.

Make sure you have a recycle bin in your home. Keep it in an obvious place so you won’t forget to use it. Your local council should be able to provide you with a recycle bin that can be used for materials such as glass, paper, aluminium and plastic.

A complete list of what can and cannot be recycled on campus

Paper and Books

YES

·         all office paper

·         white paper

·         colored paper

·         newspaper (bags and strings removed)

·         magazines (all types)

·         catalogs (all types)

·         phonebooks (all types)

·         junk mail

·         paperboard

·         tissue boxes

·         heavy weight folders

·         paper towel and toilet paper rolls

·         food packaging (unwaxed only please)

·         shredded paper (in plastic bag to minimize blow-away potential)

·         paper milk, juice and soy milk cartons (should be empty)

·         books: all soft cover, hard covers should be ripped off

·         empty paper coffee cups (plastic lids removed)

NO

·         napkins

·         tissue paper

·         paper towels

·         wax paper

·         wrapping paper

·         any paper product which has the potential to be contaminated with bodily fluids

Cardboard

ALL cardboad boxes must be broken down.

YES

·         pizza boxes (food and wax paper removed)

·         corrugated cardboard

·         brown paper bags

·         boxboard (i.e. shoeboxes, gift boxes, cereal boxes)

NO

·         cardboard lined with plastic (i.e. bubblewrap boxes)

·         waxed/waterproof cardboard

Metal

YES

·         metal and tin beverage containers

·         metal and tin food containers

·         aluminum foil

·         aluminum take-out containers

·         aluminum pie plates and trays

·         kitchen cookware: metal pots, pans, tins and utensils

NO

·         motor oil cans

·         metal and cardboard containers

·         paint cans

Glass

YES

·         All colors glass bottles and jars

·         clear glass

·         green glass

·         brown glass

·         blue glass

·         glass food containers

·         beer and wine bottles

NO

·         light bulbs

·         mirror glass

·         window glass

·         ceramic

·         crystal

Plastics

YES

·         All plastics numbers 1-7 (NO styrofoam, which is sometimes labeled #5)

·         food and beverage containers

·         screw top jars

·         deli-style containers

·         clam-shell take-out containers

·         plastic cups (lids and straws removed)

·         milk jugs

·         soap bottles

·         clean grocery and retail plastic bags (no other type accepted)

·         plastic jugs/bottles: soda bottles, laundry detergent jugs

NO

·         plastic" baggies"

·         plastic tableware

·         Styrofoam containers