Recycling Essay, Research Paper
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
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.