Aluminum
The difference in energy use between virgin aluminum and recycled aluminum is very large. Theoretically, producing recycled aluminum requires 95% less energy than producing aluminum from bauxite, an aluminum ore. In practice, energy savings achieved are closer to 75%.

It has been estimated that the amount of energy saved by recycling aluminum cans in the U.S. in 1987 was the equivalent of the energy used by residences in New York City over a period of more than six months. Aluminum cans are the most common form of aluminum which is recycled; but other products such as aluminum siding, lawn furniture frames, window frames and storm doors are also recyclable.

Learn more about the Life of a Soda Can!

Plastics
Recycling plastics could theoretically also save considerable energy. Producing new plastic from recycled material uses only two-thirds of the energy required for manufacturing them from raw materials.

Yet, at the present time, only a small percentage of plastics are recycled. This is because there are virtually hundreds of different types of plastics, and it is difficult to separate them. Plastics can have very different physical and chemical properties. Mixing of plastics during reprocessing can therefore weaken the recovered plastic, making it less appealing to manufacturers, especially when low-cost virgin resin is available.

Even if the plastic is sorted by type, unlike glass, aluminum, and steel which can be recycled over and over again, plastic cannot. In other words, plastic is "down-cycled": e.g. soft drink containers are made into new products, which require a lower grade of plastic The park benches cannot be made into milk jugs again or into new benches. Also, most recycled plastic is used to produce items, such as polyester and plastic lumber, that are not themselves recyclable.

Consumers often believe the coding symbols on plastic containers mean the item is recyclable. In fact, the symbols only identify the resin base of the plastics, not all of which are accepted by all recycling programs. These resins are as follows:

#1 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)

Found in: Soft drink, water and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays.
Recycling: Put into a glass,metal and plastic bin.
Recycled into: Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) new containers

PET plastic is the most common for single-use bottled beverages, because it is inexpensive, lightweight and easy to recycle. It poses low risk of leaching breakdown products. Recycling rates remain relatively low (around 20%), though the material is in high demand by remanufacturers.

Found in: Milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners
Recycling: Put into a glass,metal and plastic bin.
Recycled into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing

HDPE is a versatile plastic with many uses, especially for packaging. It carries low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many goods.

#3 Polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC "Vinyl")

Found in: Window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, piping
Recycling: Put into a glass,metal and plastic bin.
Recycled into: Decks, paneling, mudflaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, mats

PVC is tough and weathers well, so it is commonly used for piping, siding and similar applications. PVC contains chlorine, so its manufacture can release highly dangerous dioxins. If you must cook with PVC, don't let the plastic touch food. Also never burn PVC, because it releases toxins.

#4 Low density polyethylene (LDPE)

Found in: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture; carpet
Recycling: LDPE is not often recycled through curbside programs, but Tufts will accept it. Plastic shopping bags can be returned to many stores for recycling.
Recycled into: Trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties, floor tile

LDPE is a flexible plastic with many applications. Historically it has not been accepted through most American curbside recycling programs, but more and more communities are starting to accept it.

#5 Polypropylene (PP)

Found in: Some yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles
Recycling: Number 5 plastics can be recycled through Tufts' recycling program.
Recycled into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, trays

Polypropylene has a high melting point, and so is often chosen for containers that must accept hot liquid. It is gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers.

#6 Polystyrene (PS)

Found in: Disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles, compact disc cases
Recycling: Put into a glass,metal and plastic bin.
Recycled into: Insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out containers

Polystyrene can be made into rigid or foam products -- in the latter case it is popularly known as the trademark Styrofoam. Evidence suggests polystyrene can leach potential toxins into foods. The material was long on environmentalists' hit lists for dispersing widely across the landscape, and for being notoriously difficult to recycle. Most places still don't accept it, though it is gradually gaining traction.

#7 Other: (multi-layered or mixed)

Found in: Three- and five-gallon water bottles, 'bullet-proof' materials, sunglasses, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, certain food containers, nylon
Recycling: Number 7 plastics have traditionally not been recycled, though Tufts' program now takes them.** with the exception of PLA/bioplastics
Recycled into: Plastic lumber, custom-made products

A wide variety of plastic resins that don't fit into the previous categories are lumped into number 7. A few are even made from plants (polyactide) and are compostable. Polycarbonate is number 7, and is the hard plastic that has parents worried these days, after studies have shown it can leach potential hormone disruptors.

Biodegrable Plastic: Tufts Recycles! does not recommend using bioplastics.

"Bioplastics" or PLA are marked as a #7 which is technically true as "miscellaneous", but they are not a recyclable product. Bioplastics and PET do not mix - as PLA bottles cannot be distinguished from PET bottles by the consumer there is a risk that mixing the two could cause all recycled petroluim based plastics to be rendered unusable.

Learn more about bioplastics:

One Word: Bioplastics. But Are They Better?, Eviana Hartman, Wash. Post

Bioplastics: The "Other" Biofuel? by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles

'Sustainable' bio-plastic can damage the environment, John Vidal, The Guardian

thank you to www.thedailygreen.com for information on plastics

 

 

At Conigliaro Industries, the recycling company Tufts uses, mixed plastics and hard to recycle plastics are ground up and added as filler materials to concrete blocks.

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Bottle Bill

A bottle bill is a law that places a minimum deposit on recyclable beverage containers. Depending on the state or country that has the bottle bill, different types of containers may have a deposit placed on them. The incentive of a bottle bill is that the consumer will receive the deposit back if the container is returned, thus increasing the amount of containers being recycled. Currently, eleven states and eight Canadian provinces have bottle bills, as well as a number of countries in Europe. In 2002, Hawaii became the first state since 1986 to pass a Bottle Bill law.

In Massachusetts, the Bottle Bill was enacted in 1983. The bottle bill currently covers beer, soft drink and bottled water containers for having a deposit. The bottle bill has thus far significantly reduced litter and increased recycling rates in the state. There is however, room for improvement, especially in that more types of containers, such as juice, could have deposits on them as well.

To learn more about Bottle Bills in Massachusetts, the United States and the rest of the world, visit the Bottle Bill Resource Guide.

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