Recycling of Materials

Recyclables need to be sorted and separated into material types before processing into new raw materials. Contamination with other materials affects the value and usefulness of the material to be recycled. This sorting can be performed either by the waste generator or the recycling facility.

Recyclable Resource

Sources of Hazardous wastes

Medical Sharps
Asbestos
Fire Extinguisher
Chemicals
Single Use
Lead

Medications Pesticides
CFL
Freon
Pool Chemicals
Batteries
Paint

Mercury
Explosives
Photographic
Rechargeable Batteries
Smoke Detectors
Paint Thinners

Paper is such a versatile material with so many uses. Abundantly available and commonly used for writing, printing and packing. Paper can be used and recycled many times. Today, approximately 90% of paper pulp is made of wood. Paper production accounts for about 35% of trees that are downed, and represents 1.2% of the world's total economic output. These numbers are large and that's why we all should take part in recycling of paper as much as we could to save the trees.

Sources of Paper wastes

Books
Catalogs
Mail
Phone Books

Brown Paper Bags
Computer Paper
Newspaper
Wrapping Paper

Cardboard
Magazines
Paperboard

Plastics play an important part in everyday life, and many of the plastics we use are recyclable. Plastic bags are widely recycled at grocery stores and in some municipal drop-off centers, and a growing number of communities are recycling wide-mouth containers. Plastics are a valuable resource that can be made into everything from clothing, carpet and building materials to new bottles, bags and containers.

Sources of Plastic wastes

Number 4 Plastic LDPE
Plastic Bags
PVC

Number 6 Plastic Polystyrene
Plastic Bottles

Number 7 Plastic
Plastic Casing

Most plastic products have a recycling symbol with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 along with letters. This is the SPI resin identification coding system which is a set of symbols placed on plastics to identify the polymer type

Metals like steel and aluminum make up everyday products that we all use. In fact, steel is the most recycled material in North America, and it can be infinitely recycled and turned into new steel products. Metal products like aluminum cans are also big players in the recycling game. Aluminum cans are the most valuable beverage containers to recycle and are the most recycled consumer product in the U.S. today.

Sources of Metal wastes

Aerosol Can
Ferrous Metal
Steel

Aluminum Can
Metal Clothes

Aluminum Foil
Hangers

Glass is one of the most popular materials recycled today, both because of the purity of the ingredients and the quick turnaround of recycling. Your glass containers actually begin their life as readily available domestic materials, such as sand, soda ash or limestone. Similar to paper, glass comes in a variety of colors, which comes into play in the recycling process.

Sources of Glass wastes

Blue Glass
Green Glass

Brown Glass

Clear Glass