Benefits of Recycling

BENEFITS OF RECYCLING

Recycling saves resources
Using recycled materials in manufacturing reduces the need to destroy habitat and ecosystems in the extraction of raw materials. Fewer clear cuts, strip mines and oil drilling operations mean more of earth’s ecosystems remains intact.

Recycling saves energy, reduces pollution
Using recycled content instead of bauxite ore to make aluminum cans reduces energy use by 95%, water pollution by 97% and air pollution by 95%.

Recycled content in writing paper reduces energy use by 33%, air pollution by 73% and water pollution by35%.

Glass manufacturing with recycled content reduces energy use by 5%, air pollution by 22 % and manufacturing waste by 75%.

Recycled steel and tin cans uses 74% less energy

Recycled plastic uses 88% less energy.
—Click here to see a graphically enhanced chart:

Recycling creates jobs
Numerous studies have documented the billions of dollars invested and the thousands of jobs created by recycling. A 1995 recycling employment study for the state of North Carolina found that recycling activities support more than 8,800 jobs in that state alone. Furthermore, they found that recycling is a net job creator — for every 100 jobs created in recycling, only 13 or so were lost in the solid waste and raw materials extractive industries.

—Click here for EPA's full report on the Economic Benefits of Recycling (317K PDF file).

Other good Links:
• A thorough document on the benefits of recycling published by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
• Click here for a list of recycling facts and figures sorted by material type.