| Recycling is the reprocessing of materials that would | | | | reused for the same purpose, and in many cases this |
| otherwise become waste in order to make them into | | | | theory holds true, most notably in the recycling of |
| new products. This is in contrast with reuse: collecting | | | | metals and glass. |
| waste such as food containers to be cleaned, refilled | | | | Since less raw material is required, recycling creates |
| and resold. Recycling prevents waste being landfilled | | | | further benefits for materials where cost of the initial |
| or incinerated, reduces the consumption of new raw | | | | extraction or production is high-either economically, |
| materials, and is advocated by supporters to require | | | | socially or environmentally. The recycling of aluminium, |
| less energy than virgin production Commonly recycled | | | | for example, saves 95% of the CO2 emissions-an |
| materials include glass, paper, aluminium, asphalt, steel, | | | | environmentally harmful greenhouse gas-compared to |
| textiles and plastic. These materials can be derived | | | | refining new metal. |
| either from pre-consumer waste (materials used in | | | | Concerns about limited resources such as raw |
| manufacturing) or post-consumer waste (materials | | | | materials and land space for disposal of waste have |
| discarded by the consumer). Recycling is a key | | | | increased the importance of recycling. However |
| concept of modern waste management and is the | | | | maximum environmental benefit is gained by reducing |
| third component of the waste hierarchy. To be | | | | the amount of waste produced, and reusing items in |
| recycled waste has to be sorted and separated. | | | | their current form, for example refilling bottles. All |
| Waste sorting can be done by the waste producer, | | | | recycling techniques consume energy, for |
| at kerbside collection sites, or at a materials recovery | | | | transportation and processing, and some also use |
| facility. In everyday speech the word recycling often | | | | considerable amounts of water. Both of these |
| refers to the practice of waste sorting done by | | | | resources have an environmental impact which is why |
| consumers. | | | | campaigners use the slogan Reduce, Reuse, Recycle |
| One of the main benefits of recycling comes from | | | | to indicate the preferred order for waste |
| reducing the amount of new material required. In | | | | management in the waste hierarchy. |
| theory, recycling allows a material to be continually | | | | |