6 Items That Should Be Recycled
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Danny Xu
3/27/20254 min read
Have you ever walked to a trash can and mindlessly thrown away a piece of trash without regarding if it belonged in the recycling bin of the trash bin? Typically, most people have done a couple times and even if it may seem like a small act. Recycling is actually a great way to help out the environment so it is important that people are aware what actually goes into recycling and what does not.
To put it short, recycling is able to reduce waste from landfills which results in less greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, reuses natural resources like paper which allows for things like trees to be cut down less helping problems of deforestation and healthy air quality, reduces the need to extract resources from the environment and instead, reusing what has already been extracted, and some waste that is thrown into trash like plastic can end up being blown away into bodies of water contributing to issues like plastic pollution.
Disclaimer: Even though usually these objects are recyclable, there are variations or some forms that may not be.
1. Paper
Any form of paper, newspapers, loose leaf, graph, paper cups, paper bags, etc, can and should be recycled. As mentioned, a huge benefit of recycling items that should be recycled is reducing the amount of waste in landfills. When there is decomposition in landfills, bacteria that produce methane as a byproduct release more as more trash enters the landfills. As global warming increases, it is important that humans reduce greenhouse gasses from being trapped ion the atmosphere and keeping in the suns light, warming up the Earth. Reusing paper also saves trees from being chopped down and trees are vital for storing carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas and also serve as homes for many animals and keeping tree populations helps maintain animal populations.
2. Plastic
Plastic is another item that must be recycled, including bottles, bags, goods, etc. Plastic pollution is an increasing issue throughout the globe and some plastic pollution emissions can be reduced by one simply throwing their plastic items in the recycling bin instead of the garbage bin. Through plastic pollution, animals in oceans consume them by accident which can prove to be very fatal and some humans inhale microplastics that also result in lung issues. Plastic is also made through resources like oil and coal which releases greenhouse gasses and also contributes to global warming.
3. Batteries (Kind of)
Believe it or not, batteries are also a item that should be recycled instead of thrown in the trash and it is illegal to dispose of them in the trash. Not only does it pose a threat to acid leaks from the materials inside the batteries which is dangerous for humans but it also has environmental impacts. These leaks if they were to enter the soil, could enter water supplies which would be a huge issue for humans. However, for recycling batteries it has to be at a specific bin and there should be programs or places around one's area to drop them off.
4. Cardboard
Cardboard is a common item many humans that receive packages online acquire. It is important that if the cardboard is no longer needed, to throw it into the recycling bin. Cardboard is made from wood pope so similar to paper, reusing cardboard would be super beneficial for reducing deforestation.
5.Aluminum
Creating aluminum, also uses a lot of energy and the source involves the burning of fossil fuels, which again, emits a lot of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Reusing recycled aluminum only requires 95% less energy then it does to create new aluminum which is a lot of greenhouse gasses prevented from being emitted. Creating aluminum in the first place requires a lot of mining which is never beneficial for the environment as it can destroy habitats and impact many animal populations. It also costs a lot of money to turn the ores into aluminum and recycling it would save all that mining, money, and time.
6.Glass
Lastly, glass is another object that should be recycled and it can forever maintain its strength and be reshaped. Again, like the other materials, using recycled glass saves a lot of energy and reduces mining for things like sandstone and glass is a huge waste contributor in landfills because it can take thousands and thousands of years to break down. Additionally, the process of melting the sand needed requires a very high temperature and a lot of fossil fuels in the process.
Overall, minor acts of taking an extra second to consider if a item should belong in the recycling bin can really help the planet out if more and more humans can do it collectively. There is already initiates to emphasize the importance of recycling and everyone can help make a difference.
Sources:
The Aluminum Association. 2021. “Sustainability – Recycling | Aluminum Association.” Www.aluminum.org. 2021. https://www.aluminum.org/Recycling.
“Battery Recycling FAQs.” 2019. Ucsc.edu. 2019. https://ehs.ucsc.edu/programs/waste-management/recycling-disposal/batteries-faq.html.
Friends of the Earth. 2018. “7 Benefits of Recycling.” Friends of the Earth. March 29, 2018. https://friendsoftheearth.uk/sustainable-living/7-benefits-recycling.
“10 Most Common Recycled Materials.” n.d. Www.keteres.com. https://www.keteres.com/resource/recyclable-materials.