The+Issue-+Recycling

__**What is Recycling?**__
====**The** process of turning used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production. Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" waste hierarchy.====

__**Benefits of Recycling**__
==== --know that recycling plays an important role in managing the garbage generated in homes and businesses, and that it reduces the reliance on landfills and incinerators. But recycling is far more than a local material management strategy; it is also an important strategy for reducing the environmental impacts of industrial production. Supplying industry with recycled materials rather than virgin resources extracted from forests and Massachusetts recycling provides industry with an environmentally preferable source of materials: Most people mines is environmentally preferable because it saves energy, reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, and other dangerous air and water pollutants, and because it conserves scarce natural resources. ====

====--Energy savings may be the most important environmental benefit of recycling, because using energy requires the consumption of scarce fossil fuels and involves emissions of numerous air and water pollutants. The steps in supplying materials to industry (including collection, processing and transportation) typically use less energy than the steps in supplying virgin materials to industry (including extraction, refinement, transportation and processing). But most energy savings associated with recycling accrue at least once.====

====--Recycling is an important strategy in conserving the world's scarce natural resources. Recycling reduces the need for landfills and other disposal facilities, thereby allowing local lands to be used in more environmentally preferable ways. And, by substituting scrap materials for the use of trees, metal ores, minerals, oil and other virgin materials, recycling reduces the pressure to expand forestry and mining production.====

**__Tips:__**

 * ====Many states in the US provide small cash rewards for each item recycled, so it's a good idea to save up the items until you have enough to buy something with the rewards.====
 * ====Some centers require you to wash items or remove labels or lids. Find out what your center requires before making the trip.====
 * ====Try to avoid making special trips in your car to recycle, as you will be using fuel unnecessarily. Combine it with a trip you are making anyway.====
 * ====If you are in school or at work where you use a lot of paper and then throw it away, try having a recycling bin under your desk, or a recycling pocket in your file. Make a mental note to put all recyclable paper in there each time you feel like heading for the normal trash bin.====
 * ====Don't just think of the normal items you can recycle, do some research and expand it.====
 * ====Packing peanuts (plastic loose fill) can often be recycled at local postal services. You can locate one at []. Try donating them to eBay or other online sellers; they're always in need of more packaging materials!====
 * ====It is especially good to recycle Styrofoam because it is a man-made item that does not decompose.====
 * ====If you're asked to separate, do so as it helps the recycling process immensely. It only takes a few seconds more.====
 * ====Recycling aluminum is still good despite rumors you might have heard to the contrary. It saves money and energy; that's why they pay you for cans====

__**How to Recycle?**__
1. Determine local requirements: First, consult with your local recycling jurisdiction to see if there are any special requirements as to what materials are accepted, how they must be sorted and cleaned, and what bins must be used for depositing them for pick-up. Some areas may not accept all seven classes of resins. Look at the bottom of the plastic bottle to verify that it is a recyclable item. You should see a recycling symbol consisting of three arrows that form the three sides of a triangle.

2. Remove the cap: A plastic bottle is designed to withstand a lot of pressure when the cap is on. After all, the cap must keep the contents fresh and sealed from the outside air or contamination. When the seal is broken, of course outside air can leak into the bottle. However, a relatively tight seal is still maintained. If a bottle with a cap on it is recycled, more effort will be required to crush it and break it down. In addition, the cap is often made from a plastic resin that is different from the resin of the bottle. Thus, the cap becomes a source of contamination for the plastic resin that is being recycled. The best thing to do with the cap is to remove it and throw it out with the garbage.

3. Rinse and flatten: Although the recycling facility cleans the bottles by machine, the process is much easier if you quickly rinse your bottles before you place them in your recycling bin. This doesn't mean you must thoroughly wash the bottle since that requires time, energy, and quantities of water as well. You should first hold the bottle upside down over the sink to drain out any remaining liquids, assuming the bottle held soda or other water soluble, harmless, non-polluting substance. Fill the bottle approximately halfway with cold water. Swoosh the water around a while, even shake the bottle if you put the cap on. Then drain out the water, and throw away the cap. Don't try to wash out the bottle with liquid detergent. It will take many rinsings to remove all of the soap, if you are even able to do it. Also don't forget to flatten the plastic bottles by stepping on them. You will be able to fit more bottles in your bin, and the recycling truck will be able to carry more bottles, too.

4. Recycle: This is the easy part! Just toss the bottles in your curbside recycling bin.

5. What about plastic motor oil bottles? Do not try to rinse out any residual oil in the bottle. The best approach is to drain any remaining oil. Using one bottle to collect drippings, insert a funnel into that bottle and upend the other bottles one at a time and let each drain into the funnel overnight. Make sure the inverted bottle is securely in position so it won't fall over. Draining the bottle in this manner is merely a matter of time and is all that can reasonably be expected. Most important, confirm with your local recycling authority that the bottles will be accepted for recycling after a thorough draining. Otherwise inquire as to how the bottles should be disposed.