Recycling reprocesses disposable materials into useable products. Currently, some industries, like packaging, use 30% to 50% recycled material. Common household items which incorporate recycled materials include newspaper, paper towels, aluminium containers, plastic, glass, carpets and flooring. Where possible, residents are encouraged to purchase items manufactured with recycled products.
Recycling offers obvious benefits, such as the reduction of litter, production and energy costs, greenhouse gases and the amount of toxic material entering the environment. At the same time, recycling has costs, such as its collection, transportation, separation, decontamination, storage, processing and marketing. There may also be worker health risks.
Randwick City Council is committed to the environmental benefits of recycling and runs a Recycling Centre for resident drop-offs. However, the collection, storage and disposal of recycling costs more than if such materials were taken directly to landfill. For this reason, householders should, where possible, avoid the creation of waste.
Processing recyclables
Each type of recyclable material requires different processing. For example, there are over 40 different types of plastic and many are not recyclable. For this reason, residents must check to ensure the recycling symbol, including numbers 1-7, appears on plastics that they place in their recycling bin; otherwise, plastic should be placed in the garbage bin.
Different types of plastic are processed separately. Generally, recycled plastic is sliced into flakes, washed, melted and squeezed through small holes. The resulting strands are chopped into pellets, bagged and taken to a factory. Here, the recycled plastic is usually re-melted, mixed with virgin plastic, and moulded, possibly using injection, extrusion and blow moulding processes.
As might be expected, paper goes through a different recycling process. It is collected, shredded, baled and, subsequently placed in a large vat, where it soaks and breaks down into small particles. These particles are then screened, pressed, dried, rolled and shaped into new paper products. Over time, the recycling of paper degrades the paper fibres so, as with plastic, it is conventional practice to mix recycled and virgin paper material.