The Bottle Bill
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:
 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
 High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
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PET (e.g. clear soda bottle) and HDPE (e.g white milk bottle) are the most often recycled plastics.
All other plastics are rarely and with difficulty recyclable.
Rule of thumb: avoid them!
#3 Polyvinyl chloride (V or PVC "Vinyl"): should be avoided altogether because of the chlorine which can pose an environmental and health hazard.
#4 Low density polyethylene (LDPE)
#5 Polypropylene (PP): often Yogurt containers are made of this plastic. It can be recyled.
#6 Polystyrene (PS): e.g. the cups that look like styrofoam, but the material is actually not as harmful as styrofoam. But it is hard to recycle.
#7 Other: (multi-layered or mixed)
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. Some of the plastic might in the future just be incinerated in a waste-to-energy plant because it is so hard to recycle it into anything.
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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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