Recycling, in basic terms, is the process of creating a new and useful product from a waste (Oskamp 1995). A waste can be said to be a product whose useful life has already ended. Internationally, the symbol for recycling is three moving arrows in a triangle. The three arrows represent the recycle process: the collection, the re-manufacture, and the resale (EPA 2006).
Recycling is extremely important to the environment as it preserve the natural resources from being depleted and at the same time creates a profitable market for the recycled goods. Recycling reduces the consumption of fresh raw materials, prevents the wastage of potentially usable materials, reduces the energy usage, reduces both air pollution and water pollution from incineration and landfilling respectively by reducing the call for conventional disposal of waste, and lowering the emissions of greenhouse gas (Burn 2006; BDP 2006; Oskamp 1995). In the modern waste reduction, the key component is recycle, and in the waste hierarchy (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), it is the third component.
Not all waste materials are recyclable. Some of the materials that can be recycled include paper, plastic, glass, textiles, metal and some electronics components. It should be noted that the composting or the reuse of biodegradable waste, like garden waste and food, have similar effect as recycling, though not considered as such. The recycling process involves the collection of the recyclable materials, the sorting, cleaning, and the reprocessing of these materials into new usable materials.
In strict sense, recycling of a material results into the production of a fresh supply of the same material. Achieving this is, however, too expensive or extremely difficult as compared to the production of the same product from its raw materials. Therefore, recycling mostly involves the reuse of materials or products in producing other materials.
Despite its vast importance, criticisms always exist. Most critics argue that the degradation of some materials like paper pulp only allows for recycling a few times; the collection and transportation in terms of cost and energy outweigh the costs and energy in producing fresh products; and jobs created by recycling industry is a poor trade for jobs lost in virgin production industries.
Work’s Cited
Black Dog Publishing. Recycle: a source book. London, UK: Black Dog Publishing, 2006.
Burn, Shawn. Social Psychology and the Stimulation of Recycling Behaviors: The Block Leader Approach. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 21.8 (2006): 611-629.
Environmental Protection Agency. Frequently Asked Questions about Recycling and Waste Management. Retrieved 18 October 2006 at http://www.epa.gov/msw/faq.htm#5
Oskamp, Stuart. Resource Conservation and Recycling: Behavior and Policy. Journal of Social Issues 51.4 (1995): 157-177
