Have you ever wondered what actually happens to recyclables after you toss them in the bin on the sidewalk, the truck picks it up on the curb, or you bring it down to your local recycling center? I know I have and I have complied this information after a large amount of research and reading. I hope it encourages or increases your desire to recycle!

There are a few different categories of what happens to recyclables. Same to same, same to different, same to lower quality of same, and same to basic components.

Same to Same
Items such as glass bottles and tin and aluminum cans can be recycles into new version of the same items or other goods. The great thing about recycling these things is that is not only saves resources but also reduces pollution and saves energy. Manufacturing brand new products out of recycled and used material is less energy intensive and less pollution than producing items from virgin materials.

Same to Different
This category consists of plastics and Styrofoam. The plastic bottle you recycled today is not going to be recycled into a plastic bottle for you to use a month from now. Food and drink containers have to bypass hygiene standards that often cannot be met with recycled materials. Recycled plastic bottles are often broken down or shredded and sometimes even melted and remolded depending on the type of plastic and whether they are compatible with the recycling process. This recycled plastic is made into many things such as fleece and carpet. Styrofoam cups can be made into pencils and pens.

Same to Basic Components
Some items that we recycle are made up of many different components that are valuable and can be reused. Many of these are electronic items such as cell phones. Taking apart old items and reusing and recycling their components not only saves materials and reduces the need to mine new metals but also keeps toxic materials out of landfills where they might escape into ground water and cause pollution.

Same to Lower Quality of Same
Unlike glass, aluminum and plastic, paper cannot be recycled over and over again, but only so many times depending on the quality. usually 80% of the content of a typical recovered paper is recycled. This is because the way paper is made. It is made up of thousands of fibers that are pressed together. During the recycling process paper is shredded and pulped, this causes the fibers to be broken and become much shorter. Therefore when the fibers are pressed back together they are not as strong as the original long fibers that they used to be. The high the quality off the paper, the longer the fibers. This means that each time paper is recycled it is downgraded to a lower quality due to the fibers getting shorter. Different types of paper are recycled into different products ranging from box-board (think cereal boxes), newsprint, or office paper.

What Recycled Things are Made Into

Plastic - used for the production of fleece, carpet yarn, plastic buckets, CD cases, plastic lumber (used for decks, playgrounds etc.), fiber filling for sleeping bags, containers for non-food items, compost bins, rulers, T-shirts, and window frames for cars etc.

Office Paper - can be turned into writing paper, tissue, and towel products

Newsprint - recycled into paperboard, new newsprint, insulation, and animal bedding products

Corrugated Cardboard/Box-board - made back into new of same item

Aluminum Cans - recycled into reuse for car bodies, and new aluminum cans

Steel - recycled steel is used in making bridges, new cars, and appliances

Glass - turned back into glass bottles and jars, stained glass, glass tiles, decorative paving, swimming pool filters, and aggregate for asphalt

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