The Need for Recycling

• The vast amounts of waste generated by people can be reduced by applying the three R-principle (Reduce, Re-use and Recycle)
• Reduce by choosing products with minimal packaging and reducing consumption by buying only what is needed
• Reuse by using an item more than once for the same or any other purpose
• Recycle by making new products from materials previously used for something else
• The environment is cleaner because less waste is generated
• Natural resources are saved because fewer raw materials need to be exploited for the manufacture of new products
• Less energy is used than when new products are manufactured from raw materials
• Less space is used from landfill sites
• It reduces the costs of municipal waste disposal
• It reduces the environmental impact of landfill sites
• Jobs are created which strengthen the economy
• Household waste may be classified in 4 main categories:

  • Wet waste: non-recyclable items (e.g wet or soiled paper/board, clingwrap)
  • Dry waste: recyclable items (e.g glass, paper, plastic, tins)
  • Hazardous waste: items that should not be placed in household bins (e.g batteries, oil, compact fluorescent lights/ CFLS)
  • Organic waste: items that can be used for compost/worm farm. (e.g shells, fruit and vegetable peels, grass cuttings, dead leaves and flowers)
• Paper-every ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees and uses 40% less energy and 50% less water when new paper has to be produced
• Glass- can be recycled an infinite number of times and does not lose any of its purity or quality.

  Glass is 100% recyclable, not biodegradable
• Cans- 100% recyclable and are re-melted to make new steel. Resources (iron ore) and energy for mining are saved
• Plastic- about 12% of household waste consists of packaging, 3% are plastic bottles. Recycling 1 ton of plastic bottle saves 1,5 tons of carbon
• Waste pickers are people who play a vital role in recycling.
• Waste pickers sort through tons of waste for recyclable materials for sale or for their own use
• Waste pickers provide 50-100% of refuse removal services in cities of developing countries. This saves the government labour costs and extends the life span of city dumps. It provides ongoing employment for particularly immigrants, the disabled, unemployed or homeless