The Recycling Process
Recycling is the first step in a process whereby recyclables are collected, sorted and sold for processing into new products.
NEWSPAPER
Newspaper can be de-inked and used to make newsprint, molded pulp products like egg trays and boxboard. Old newspaper can also be ground, mixed with fire retardant chemicals, bagged and sold as insulation for ceilings.
STEEL CANS OR TINS
Steel cans are de-tinned and fed into steel making furnaces. The steel is used to make new cans, refrigerators, cars and other steel products.
ALUMINUM CANS
Aluminum cans are separated from steel cans, shredded, delaquered and melted down into aluminum sheets to make new aluminum products including cans.
DID YOU KNOW?
Every tonne of newspaper that is recycled eliminates the need to cut down 19 full-grown trees.
Recycling the material in a typical Blue Box saves nearly 0.3 cubic metres of landfill space every year.
Using recycled materials reduces the energy required for the production of steel and paper by more than half and of aluminum by about 70%. Using recycled glass or steel in a manufacturing process can reduce water consumption by about 50%.
One tonne of recycled steel cans conserves 1.3 tonnes of iron ore.
GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS
Glass is crushed to make "cullet" which is mixed with sand, limestone and soda ash to make new glass and melted in a high temperature furnace. The molten glass is then molded into new containers.
PLASTIC CONTAINERS
Plastic containers are sorted by the type of plastic (as indicated by the number inside the recycling symbol), ground and converted into resin pellets. The pellets are usually melted and molded into different shapes. Some of the products made from used resins include drainpipes, plastic bags, containers, car bumpers and carpet backing. Mixed plastics can be processed to make plastic lumber. Shredded pop bottles can be used as fibrefill for quilts, pillows, sleeping bags and coat linings.
PAPER
Fine paper collected from offices, schools and households is cleaned, re-pulped and mixed with different amounts of virgin pulp and rolled into paper.
RECYCLED MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS
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RECYCLED MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS |
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Boxboard (detergent, cereal, tissue boxes) |
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New boxboard packaging |
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Corrugated Cardboard |
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Other cardboard products like moving boxes & cardboard tubes |
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Office Paper |
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Office paper, tissue |
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Polycoated Paperboard (milk & juice cartons, tetra packs) |
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Tissue paper, towels, stationary |
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PET, Polyethylene Terephthalate, #1 Plastic (2 litre pop bottles) |
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Carpet, insulation & clothing |
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HDPE, High Density Polyethylene, #2 Plastic (juice, shampoo, bleach bottles) |
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New plastic bottles, drain tile, car parts |
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LDPE, Low Density Polyethylene, #4 Plastic (dry cleaning bags, shopping bags) |
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Footwear, plastic lumber |
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PP, Polypropylene, #5 Plastic (margarine, yogurt, cottage cheese containers) |
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Plastic lumber |
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PS, Polystyrene, #6 Plastic (plastic plates, cups, cutlery, foam packaging) |
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Durable consumer products like file trays and compact disk trays |
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Metal Food & Beverage Cans |
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Variety of steel products (pop cans, car parts) |
