Essay, Research Paper: Recycling

Recycling is to reclaim waste materials such as used glass bottles,

paper, plastic, and used aluminum by using them in the manufacturing of new

products. It has been an important aspect of life for the past thirty years.

Recycling has come into play greatly since we are coming up on 2000years. It

has been proven that recycling our waste products has improved our world to be

cleaner and more sanitary.

Not only do we recycle used products to keep our environment

clean but is also a relatively cheap source of making new products. For example,

glass from a Snapple bottle can be broken down and be put back together to

make a new glass to put Snapple in.

Throwaway materials have a growing mass in our country and are

causing landfills to reach their capacity. Because of this, recycling has caught on

in many parts of the country. One way that people can help is by sorting their

trash into separate categories like glass, paper, and plastics. The recycling of

glass can have a huge effect on improving our environment.

A glass cullet is what glass manufacturers call broken glass which

can be added to new materials. The process of recycling glass starts when you

drop the glass bottle into the recycling bin. It is then taken and broken down into

little pieces of glass. After being broken down the glass is melted and reused for

other materials.
Glass can come in colors such as green or amber. Recycling

uncolored glass or amber glass is no problem. There is more glass selling on the

market with these colors making it more in demand. The recycling of green glass

however presents difficulties.

Green glass cullet cannot be mixed with uncolored or amber

colored glass cullet because of the added color. You'll find that recycling centers

usually sort glass by color. different colored glass is processed by separate glass

crushers and is delivered separately to manufacturing plants.

Glass cullet can be used in different ways. People are looking for

new markets that involve recycled glass. One new use is mixed glass cullet to

use as asphalt for roads. When the glass cullet is added to the asphalt, the road

sparkles and is an added attraction.

Washington's Department of Trade and Economic Development

have developed a list of more than seventy uses of glass cullet. Many of the

ideas have to do with manufacturing construction material. Glass cullet is used in

fiberglass, foam glass, and rock wool isolation. It can also be used in decorative

glass such as stained glass windows or utensils such as dinnerware. Glass cullet

is important in removing pollutants in water runoff. This technology is especially

useful on airport runways. The glass cullet is given a static electrical charge

allowing it to attract and hold small particles in runoff.

There are two types of recycling options that are carried out. One is

internal recycling. Internal recycling is the reuse of a manufacturing process of

materials that are waste products of that process. In the metal industry, internal

recycling is common. The second type of recycling is external recycling. It is the

reclaiming of materials from a product that has been rendered obsolete or

completely worn out and used. The manufacturing of newsprint or other paper

products by the collection of old newspapers and magazines are our example of

external recycling.

People do not realize the importance of recycling. The disposing of

solid waste materials such as glass has steadily increased. This solid waste is

being dumped into landfill areas. The space taken up by these overflowing

landfills is now too valuable to be used as a dumping ground. Because landfills

are reaching their capacity, many towns, counties, and entire states are looking

to recycling as an alternative to landfill disposal. These days there are many

opportunities for a young people to help in recycling.

Hopefully this report has brought to your attention the importance of

recycling especially the recycling of glass. Doing a little bit each day can make a

difference in the environment around you. Garbage and waste will not disappear

by itself according to the law of conservation of matter but we can find ways to

reuse that matter in efficient earth friendly ways. It all starts with you.