recycling | Definition, Processes, & Facts - Encyclopedia ...

recycling, recovery and reprocessing of waste materials for use in new products. The basic phases in recycling are the collection of waste materials, ... recycling TableofContents recycling IntroductionFerrousmetalsNonferrousmetalsRubberPaperandothercelluloseproductsGlassPlasticsConstructionanddemolitionwasteDomesticrefuseWastewater FastFacts 2-MinSummary Facts&RelatedContent Media Videos Images More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Science Environment recycling Actions Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/science/recycling GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). 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SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/science/recycling Feedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgency-RecyclingBasics NASA-NASARecyclingandSustainableAcquisition BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. recycling-Children'sEncyclopedia(Ages8-11) recycling-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) Alternatetitles:materialssalvage,reprocessing By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • EditHistory TableofContents recycling Seeallmedia RelatedTopics: waterpurification thermal-heatrecovery scrapmetal externalrecycling secondaryrefining ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ Summary Readabriefsummaryofthistopic recycling,recoveryandreprocessingofwastematerialsforuseinnewproducts.Thebasicphasesinrecyclingarethecollectionofwastematerials,theirprocessingormanufactureintonewproducts,andthepurchaseofthoseproducts,whichmaythenthemselvesberecycled.Typicalmaterialsthatarerecycledincludeironandsteelscrap,aluminumcans,glassbottles,paper,wood,andplastics.Thematerialsreusedinrecyclingserveassubstitutesforrawmaterialsobtainedfromsuchincreasinglyscarcenaturalresourcesaspetroleum,naturalgas,coal,mineralores,andtrees.Recyclingcanhelpreducethequantitiesofsolidwastedepositedinlandfills,whichhavebecomeincreasinglyexpensive.Recyclingalsoreducesthepollutionofair,water,andlandresultingfromwastedisposal.Therearetwobroadtypesofrecyclingoperations:internalandexternal.Internalrecyclingisthereuseinamanufacturingprocessofmaterialsthatareawasteproductofthatprocess.Internalrecyclingiscommoninthemetalsindustry,forexample.Themanufactureofcoppertubingresultsinacertainamountofwasteintheformoftubeendsandtrimmings;thismaterialisremeltedandrecast.Anotherformofinternalrecyclingisseeninthedistillingindustry,inwhich,afterthedistillation,spentgrainmashisdriedandprocessedintoanediblefoodstuffforcattle.recyclingbinsRecyclingbinssetsidebysidewithtrashbins.©EvaBlanda/stock.adobe.com BritannicaExplores Earth'sTo-DoList Humanactionhastriggeredavastcascadeofenvironmentalproblemsthatnowthreatenthecontinuedabilityofbothnaturalandhumansystemstoflourish.Solvingthecriticalenvironmentalproblemsofglobalwarming,waterscarcity,pollution,andbiodiversitylossareperhapsthegreatestchallengesofthe21stcentury.Willwerisetomeetthem? Externalrecyclingisthereclaimingofmaterialsfromaproductthathasbeenwornoutorrenderedobsolete.Anexampleofexternalrecyclingisthecollectionofoldnewspapersandmagazinesforrepulpingandtheirmanufactureintonewpaperproducts.Aluminumcansandglassbottlesareotherexamplesofeverydayobjectsthatareexternallyrecycledonawidescale.Thesematerialscanbecollectedbyanyofthreemainmethods:buy-backcentres,whichpurchasewastematerialsthathavebeensortedandbroughtinbyconsumers;drop-offcentres,whereconsumerscandepositwastematerialsbutarenotpaidforthem;andcurbsidecollection,inwhichhomesandbusinessessorttheirwastematerialsanddepositthembythecurbforcollectionbyacentralagency.plasticitemsbeingsortedatarecyclingcentrePlasticitemsbeingsortedatarecyclingcentre.©DragonImages/stock.adobe.comExplorehowplasticisrecycledintoinsulationandotherbuildingmaterialsLearnabouttherecyclingofplasticbottles,whichdivertswastefromlandfillsandsalvagesmaterialsthatcanbeusedforinsulationandotherconstructionneeds.EncyclopædiaBritannica,Inc.SeeallvideosforthisarticleSociety’schoiceofwhetherandhowmuchtorecycledependsbasicallyoneconomicfactors.Conditionsofaffluenceandthepresenceofcheaprawmaterialsencouragehumanbeings’tendencytosimplydiscardusedmaterials.Recyclingbecomeseconomicallyattractivewhenthecostofreprocessingwasteorrecycledmaterialislessthanthecostoftreatinganddisposingofthematerialsorofprocessingnewrawmaterials. 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