The movement to get more Americans to recycle started in the 1970s. Many consider it to be one of the best PR campaigns ever, as the vast majority of Americans are now aware of recycling, and many practices it if they get the opportunity. This is great for the planet, but with more and more people choosing to recycle their waste- rather than just throwing it in the garbage –there has been an increase in the number of people not knowing where their waste is actually going. Ultimately, this is not that big of a problem (call it useful ignorance), but if you are a curious person, you’re probably wondering where your waste ends up.
Where is Your Recycling Taken?
A hauler will come and pick up your recycling, dropping it off at a sorting facility that is typically nearby. This facility is known as a Material Recovery Facility or MRF. Your recycled materials then go through several different operations before they reach their final destination. After they are dropped off, they are filtered onto conveyor belt systems where workers and machines pick out the trash that has been mixed in with recycling. Cardboard and paper are separated; glass is sent through a machine where it is pulverized into a cullet; a density blower redirects plastics to their own conveyer belt system. Optic sensors then sort these plastics into different destinations depending on what the plastic is made out of. Out of the material that is left, large magnets pick up steel cans from the waste stream, transferring them onto their own area. An eddy current draws up any aluminum objects from the remaining materials.
Where Do Raw Recycling Materials Go Next?
Once these recyclables are fully sorted into different materials, they are compacted into cubes, in a process called baling. Now they have been compacted, they have been commoditized – they become a raw ingredient for manufacturers to use. Those manufacturers are typically driven by consumer demand for recycled products, so keep asking for recycled materials when appropriate! The more demand there is for recycled materials, the more valuable the materials will be – which means more and more MRFs will pop up.
Paper
The paper materials that are due to be recycled are sold to paper mills. They require this extra step of processing before being sold to most manufacturers, though some might have their own mills. This recycled paper is of lower quality but is good for toilet paper, paper towels, and egg cartons.
Metals
Metals are baled and sent to smelting factories. There they are melted down, ready to be made into a new product. Even recycled metals are strong and durable, so they are great to make metal cans or even larger metal items like filing cabinets.
Glass
The glass cullet will be processed in a glass processing facility. Unlike some other materials, glass can be recycled over and over again ad infinitum, so you don’t get as much of a limitation with glass recycling. Glass cullet ends up contributing to the manufacture of the bottles and jars that were originally recycled.
Plastic
Bales of plastic are typically downcycled, making furniture and items that don’t need to be as beautiful but still serve a great purpose. Park benches, lawn furniture, and even garbage cans are great destinations for recycled plastic.
