When
it comes to environmental cleanup, recycling is considered to be one of the
best alternative and eco-friendly ways of saving mother earth. Recycling is
basically turning previously used materials into reusable products.
Furthermore, it also reduces fresh raw material consumption and as well as
energy and air pollution. The following materials are considered recyclable:
electronics, textiles, plastic, metal, paper and glass. There is a
misconception however that the composting of biodegradable waste such as garden
or food waste is classified as recycling. The recycling process begins by
sorting out the materials. Afterwards, they are cleaned thoroughly. And the
last step is the reprocessing into new materials.
What
Is Recycling and its Impact on the Environment
The
strict definition of recycling basically means that the recycled material will
create a fresh supply of exactly the same material. However, since this costs a
lot more money, most products are reused to produce varying materials. Salvaging
certain materials from complex products is another form of recycling due to
their hazardous or intrinsic value.
The
environmental and economic benefits of recycling over its costs have been
disputed by critics. Some critics say that energy and costs of transportation
and collection outweigh the energy and costs that can be saved in the
production procedure. Moreover, critics question the jobs offered by the
recycling industry compared to the jobs lost in mining, logging and other more
lucrative industries. Due to these two opposing arguments that both have valid
concerns, this has led to a progressive controversy.
For
recycling to be environmentally effective and economically feasible, certain
requirements have to be met. There has to be a strong demand for recycled
products and at the same time a good source of recyclates, a factory that can
produce recyclates and a system capable of extracting recylcates from the waste
stream. It is highly significant for an industrial market for production and a
consumer market for manufactured good to be both present for recycling to
succeed. Unprocessed recyclates are often traded in certain countries. One of
the growing concerns among people who are for recycling is that recyclates that
are sold to other countries only end up being thrown into landfills instead of
being reprocessed. Reports have shown that fifty to eighty percent of computers
that are supposed to be recycled are just thrown away. In China, an issue regarding
illegal waste imports going through dismantling and recycling just for monetary
compensation has been circulating along with the negative effects it has had on
the health of workers and on the environment as well.
Issues and Concerns
Regarding Recycling
Exporting
materials that could be recycled have been an issue for certain regions. Due to
the large quantities of wine bottled in green glass imported by both the U.S.
and Britain, this problem has become a pressing issue. The reprocessed material
of the wine bottles is way too much for the industries outside the American
Midwest since wine production isn’t that rampant. Because of this, all the
leftover reprocessed materials need to be converted into building materials or
thrown into a waste area.
Due
to the vastness of the United States, there are certain areas that have a high
demand for recycled materials. For instance, recycled newspaper generally has a
small market due to the mass pulp mills spread around the region. Other areas
in the United States have a high demand for newspapers however. Some states in
the United States have implemented a program called the “Recycle Bank” to be
able to persuade people to recycle and reduce landfill space. Basically,
“Recycle Bank” works in such a way that it pays people to recycle by giving
them money that is funded by local governments. All materials are automatically
sorted using a single stream process.
A
large and stable supply of recyclable material is imperative for a recycling
program to successfully work. To create such a supply, there are three
legislative options that have been proposed, namely: refuse bans, container
deposit legislation and mandatory recycling collection. A certain percentage of
a material must be diverted from the city’s waste stream by a target date,
according to mandatory collection laws that set recycling goals for different
cities.
For
the return of certain containers such as metal, plastic and glass, container
deposit legislation offer full refunds. A small surcharge is added to the price
when a product is a container is purchased. If the container is returned to a
collection point, the surcharge can be reclaimed by the consumer. Often
resulting in an eighty percent recycling rate, these programs have been deemed
highly successful. Strong opposition to the creation of such programs in some
areas have been circling due to the shift in collection costs from local
government to industry.
Banning
the disposal of certain materials as waste which includes garden waste, tires,
old batteries and used oil is the third method of increasing the supply of
recyclates. Creating a viable economy for proper disposal of banned products is
one of the aims of this method. It is important that there are enough recycling
services that are up and running to prevent more illegal dumping.
The
maintenance and increase for a demand of recycled materials has been pushed by
legislation. Presently, there are four kinds of methods made by legislation,
namely: recycled product labeling, procurement policies, utilization rates and
minimum recycled content mandates. By forcing manufacturers to include
recycling in their operations, both utilization rates and recycled content
mandates increase the demand for recycling directly. A certain percentage of
newly-made products have to consist of recycled material as specified by
content mandates. By permitting to reach recycling targets at any point of
operations or by even contracting recycling out in exchange for credits that
can be traded, utilization rates turn into a more flexible alternative.
Government Strategies to
Promote Recycling
Using
their own purchasing power to increase recycling demand, governments have been
using procurement policies to push for recycling. Earmarking a certain amount
of spending solely towards recycled products, these policies are called
“set-asides.” Furthermore, there are programs which provide a larger budget
when recycled items are purchased and these are called “price preference
programs.” Specific cases can be targeted by additional regulations. This can
be seen in the way the purchasing of building insulation, tires, paper and oil
from re-refined or recycled sources are mandated by the Environmental
Protection Agency.
Recycled
product labeling is the final government regulation towards increased demand. Consumers
will be able to make better educated choices if producers require their
packaging to be labeled with the amount of recycled material in the product
along with the packaging. Producers can be prompted to increase the amount of
recycled material in their products and indirectly increase demand if consumers
with moderate buying power can choose from environmentally conscious options. If
the labeling included information on how and where the product can be recycled
standardized recycling labeling can have a positive effect on the supply of
recyclates.
Recycling Processes That Can
Help the Environment
The
collection of recyclates from the general waste stream has been implemented by
a number of different systems. The spectrum of trade-off between government
ease and expense and public convenience lies in these systems. The three main
categories of collection are: curbside collection, buy-back centers and
drop-off centers.
Carrying
the recyclates to a central location by the waste producer is required by
drop-off center by a reprocessing plant or a collection station. Although they
suffer from unpredictable and low throughput, this is still the easiest type of
collection to establish. Providing a clear incentive for creating and use of a
stable supply, buy-back centers differ in the sense that cleaned recyclates are
bought. Hopefully, a profit will be made once the post-processed material is
sold. Since the United States Nation Solid Wastes Management Association
reported that it costs $50 to process a ton worth of material but can only be
resold for $30, government subsidies are essential to make buy-back centers a
lucrative enterprise.
Differing
mostly on where in the process recyclates are cleaned and sorted, curbside collection
encompasses many different systems. The main categories are source separation,
commingled recyclables and mixed waste collection. Picking up the waste is
usually done by a waste collection vehicle. The recycling of collected waste,
which is then cleaned and sorted at a central sorting facility, is known as a
mixed waste collection. Since the city doesn’t need to pay for a separate
collection of recyclates, this becomes an advantage due to the large amount of
recyclable waste being particularly paper. Since all sorting takes place in a
central location, any changes to which materials are recyclable are easy to
accommodate.
All
recyclables that are to be collected which are mixed but kept separate from
other waste is known as a single-stream or commingled system. Although this
requires public education on what materials are considered recyclable, this
still greatly lessens the need for post-collection cleaning. When materials are
sorted and cleaned prior to collection, this is called “source separations.” Producing
the purest recyclates but also incurs additional operating costs for the
collection of each separate material, this method requires the least
post-collection sorting. Success can only be attained however if an extensive
public education program is organized and if recyclate contamination is
avoided. Due to the high sorting costs incurred by the commingled collection,
source separation is deemed to be the preferred method. Because of many areas
that have developed source separation programs that have opted for commingled
collection, advances in sorting technology have lessened the overhead
substantially.
