Other Recycling

Bottles, glass, tin, plastic bags, clothes and household appliances.

milk jugs are made from High-Density Polythyene Plastic (HDPE), it is one of the most versatile plastic resins and most valuable plastics for recycling, which can be recycled into: drainage tile, plastic pipe, flower pots, plastic dimensional lumber (used to build picnic tables, patio furniture or decks), non-food packaging products such as plastic detergent bottles, lubricating oil pails, toys, cases and other formed plastic products.
in 1998, Americans used 2 billion pounds of HDPE to make plastic bottles for household products. That is the equivalent weight of 90,000 Honda Civics!

Containers into new plastic items

40% less energy is required to create products using recycled glass (cullet) than with virgin raw materials and it creates much less industrial pollution in comparison to glass made from raw materials.
the quality and quantity of the recycled glass remains just as pure no matter how many times it is recycled.
all glass manufacturers use almost 70% recycled glass in manufacturing in a new glass container.
natural resources are significantly saved when new glass is made from recycled glass. It is estimated for every ton of glass that is recycled, the following amount of natural resources are saved: 1300lbs sand, 380lbs limestone, 410lbs of soda ash, 160lbs feldspar- just to name a few.
for every ton of glass recycled, we could save up to the equivalent of 9 gallons (about 34 L) of fuel oil that would otherwise be burned to create new glass products.
recycling glass creates 20% less air pollution, reduces water pollution by 50% and reduces the amount of landfill space that is used.

when you throw-away an aluminum can, you waste as much energy as if you had filled the can half full of gasoline and poured it into the ground.
recycling steel and tin cans saves 74% of the energy used to make them.
a steel mill using recycled scrap reduces water pollution, air pollution and mining waste by about 70%.
recycling ONE aluminum can saves enough energy to run a 100watt light bulb for 20hrs, a computer for 3hrs, and a TV for 2hrs!
recycling tin cans is a great way to create car parts and building structures, both of which help our economy and lifestyles flourish.
it reduces greenhous gas emissions.
aluminum and steel can be recycled over and over again.

primarily made from natural gas, recycling this material allows this energy to be made into new products or recovered for its energy value.
recycled plastic bags provide raw materials for making durable backyard decks, building and construction products and new plastic bags.
it takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper.
countless bags end-up in the ocean where marine life mistake them for food, a wandering grocery bag looks suspiciously like a jellyfish, the main food source for many turtles.
approximately 88% of the energy is saved when plastic is made from recycled plastic rather than from the raw materials of gas and oil.
it takes 5 million tonnes of crude oil to make ultra-thin plastic bags for packaging every year for China alone.

synthetic fibers do not decompose therefore recycling aids in conserving landfill space, creation of less waste water in the conversion process of raw materials (eg. raw wool), demand lessened for textile chemicals like dyes and fixing agents.
in 2007, it was estimated that 4.7% of total municipal solid waste came from textiles.
ideas on how to re-use textiles:
- donate to homeless or charity shops, make into wiping cloths and polishing strips.
- cotton can be formed into a component for new high-quality paper, car insulation and seat stuffing (knit or woven woolens), upholstery, insulation and even building materials, blankets, felt, garment bags.

toxic substances in appliances and electronic products can pose threats to human environmental health after those products have been sent to landfills or incinerators as many of them many contain mercury, CFC’s (Chlorofluorocarbons), and HFC’s (Hydrofluorocarbons).
the fastest growing segment of municipal solid waste stream in the U.S., accounting for 2.63 million tons of waste in 2005 (an increase of over 7.8% from 2004, 87.5% of which was disposed of rather than recycled).
products containing hazardous waste material: CRT & LCD monitors, mobile and cordless phones, CPUs, laptops, microwaves, VCRs, DVD players, radios, and printers.