Recycling helps our environment stay clean. An enormous progress has been made over the year because of the bins. They ordered paper, cans, cardboard.

Recycling helps our environment stay clean. Recycling helps our environment stay clean. An enormous progress has been made over the year An enormous progress has been made over the year

because of the bins. because of the bins. They ordered paper, cans, cardboard and other They ordered paper, cans, cardboard and other

materials to enter into the blue bins. materials to enter into the blue bins. Recycling has been around for thousands of years, and Recycling has been around for thousands of years, and

will continue to have the same process over and over will continue to have the same process over and over again.again.

People started to recycle as early as 400 b.c.People started to recycle as early as 400 b.c. In the history of recycling, for the United States, the In the history of recycling, for the United States, the

first city to mandate recycling was Woodbury, New first city to mandate recycling was Woodbury, New Jersey.Jersey.

History of Recycling History of Recycling

REDUCEREDUCE

The 17 trees saved by recycling one ton The 17 trees saved by recycling one ton of paper can absorb a total of 250 pounds of paper can absorb a total of 250 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air each year. of carbon dioxide out of the air each year.

Recycling FactsRecycling Facts

The average American uses 650 pounds The average American uses 650 pounds of paper each year.of paper each year.

100 million tons of wood could be saved 100 million tons of wood could be saved each year if all that paper was recycled.each year if all that paper was recycled.

Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. every hour.

About 80% of what Americans throw About 80% of what Americans throw away is recyclable yet our recycling rate away is recyclable yet our recycling rate is only 28%. is only 28%.

Recycling GraphRecycling Graph

Where Do Recycled Where Do Recycled Items Go?Items Go?

Step 1Step 1The recycling truck The recycling truck

unloads materials. Materials are unloads materials. Materials are carried along a conveyor belt to a carried along a conveyor belt to a V screen separator. The V screen V screen separator. The V screen separator divides out newspaper, separator divides out newspaper, cardboard, and other paper cardboard, and other paper items.items.

Heavier materials like Heavier materials like plastic, metal and glass fall plastic, metal and glass fall through the separator to a through the separator to a conveyor belt below. The conveyor belt below. The collected paper products are collected paper products are bundled to get ready for bundled to get ready for processing. Plastic, metal and processing. Plastic, metal and glass items continue their journey glass items continue their journey onward.onward.

Step 2Step 2Materials are Materials are

recovered from the recovered from the recyclables using a two recyclables using a two step process. First, giant step process. First, giant magnets attract ferrous magnets attract ferrous metal. These items are metal. These items are iron, tin and steel.iron, tin and steel.

The magnets The magnets remove ferrous metal remove ferrous metal products from the belt and products from the belt and puts them in a bin where puts them in a bin where they can be prepared for a they can be prepared for a metal millmetal mill. .

Step 3Step 3Since aluminum Since aluminum

products like soda cans, are products like soda cans, are not magnetic, they continue not magnetic, they continue along with the plastic and along with the plastic and glass recyclables towards a glass recyclables towards a eddy current rotor. Eddy eddy current rotor. Eddy currents create strong fields currents create strong fields of energy around non of energy around non magnetic materials. magnetic materials.

Now its time for Now its time for physics to step in. The eddy physics to step in. The eddy current causes aluminum current causes aluminum items to shoot away from items to shoot away from the other items on the belt the other items on the belt and into a collection bin.and into a collection bin.

Step 4Step 4By now paper, By now paper,

ferrous metals and non ferrous metals and non magnetic metals have magnetic metals have been sorted from the been sorted from the bunch. That leaves bunch. That leaves plastics and glass to plastics and glass to continue along the belt. continue along the belt. During the next step an During the next step an optical scanning system optical scanning system recognizes plastic recognizes plastic materials and pushes materials and pushes them off the belt into a them off the belt into a bin using a blast of air.bin using a blast of air.

Step 5Step 5Now only glass Now only glass

remains on the belt. The remains on the belt. The heavier glass items reach heavier glass items reach the end of the belt and the end of the belt and are collected in a bin. are collected in a bin. That completes the That completes the separating process.separating process.

Step 6Step 6Here’s what happens to Here’s what happens to

each material after it has been each material after it has been separated. separated.

PAPER: PAPER: The paper is loaded into a The paper is loaded into a machine that removes ink from the machine that removes ink from the paper. Paper degrades each time it paper. Paper degrades each time it is recycled so it can’t always be is recycled so it can’t always be used to make new paper.used to make new paper.

METAL: METAL: Using very high heat (up to Using very high heat (up to 2800 F) the metal becomes a liquid. 2800 F) the metal becomes a liquid. The liquid goes into molds and The liquid goes into molds and becomes metal bars that can be becomes metal bars that can be used for bridges, aluminum cans, used for bridges, aluminum cans, and much more.and much more.

PLASTIC:PLASTIC: The number on the The number on the plastic is sorted into different plastic is sorted into different groups. It is then turned into flakes groups. It is then turned into flakes and melted down.and melted down.

GLASS: GLASS: The glass is crushed into The glass is crushed into tiny pieces. It is then melted down tiny pieces. It is then melted down and is used for doorknobs, tile, and and is used for doorknobs, tile, and even jewelry beads.even jewelry beads.

How does How does recycling help recycling help the the environment ?environment ?

Recycling reduces the garbage placed in landfills, which Recycling reduces the garbage placed in landfills, which helps the environment by reducing the need for new helps the environment by reducing the need for new landfills. landfills.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are over 3,000 over 3,000 activeactive landfills in the United States and over landfills in the United States and over 10,000 old municipal landfills. 10,000 old municipal landfills.

Modern landfills are sealed tightly in an attempt to protect Modern landfills are sealed tightly in an attempt to protect the environment from contamination, they also inhibit the environment from contamination, they also inhibit degradation of organic waste. degradation of organic waste.

Items that consumers purchase because they are Items that consumers purchase because they are biodegradable and therefore, are supposed to decay quickly, biodegradable and therefore, are supposed to decay quickly, are taking decades to decay when sealed off from air and are taking decades to decay when sealed off from air and water. water.

Papers, including newspapers, are a major filler of modern Papers, including newspapers, are a major filler of modern landfills. landfills.

If individuals would recycle all of their newspapers, they If individuals would recycle all of their newspapers, they could significantly prolong the use of each landfill, not to could significantly prolong the use of each landfill, not to mention save many trees from being cut down.mention save many trees from being cut down.

Help the world by Help the world by recyclingrecycling

ReferencesReferences

WONDEROPOLIS.ORGWONDEROPOLIS.ORG Read more: How Does Recycling Read more: How Does Recycling

Help the Environment? | eHow.com Help the Environment? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how-http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4759632_recycling-help-does_4759632_recycling-help-environment.html#ixzz1c5o9NjnSenvironment.html#ixzz1c5o9NjnS